Page:The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club.djvu/271

209 THE PICKWICK CLCB. 5^09

Sam to solace himself in the tap, suffered himself to be conducted into the presence of Mr. Lowten.

At the announcement of" ag-entleman to speak to you, Sir," a puffy- faced young man who filled the chair at the head of the table, looked with some surprise in the direction from whence the voice proceeded : and the surprise seemed to be by no means diminished, when his eyes rested on an individual whom he had never seen before.

to disturb the other gentlemen, too, but I come on very particular busi- ness ; and if you will suffer me to detain you at this end of the room for five minutes, I shall be very much obliged to you."
 * ' I beg" your pardon, Sir," said Mr. Pickwick, " and I am very sorry

The puffy-faced young man rose, and drawing a chair close to Mr. Pickwick in an obscure corner of the room, listened attentively to his tale of woe.

" Ah," he said, when Mr. Pickwick had concluded, " Dodson and Fogg — sharp practice their's — capital men of business is Dodson and Fogg, Sir."

Mr. Pickwick admitted the sharp practice of Dodson and Fogg, and Lowten resumed.

" Perker ain't in town, and he won't be neither, before the end of next week ; but if you want the action defended, and will leave the copy with me, I can do all that's needful 'till he comes back."

'* That's exactly what I came here for," said Mr. Pickwick, handing over the document. " If any thing particular occurs, you can write to me at the post-office, Ipswich."

" That's all right," replied Mr. Perker's clerk; and then seeing Mr. Pickwick's eye wandering curiously towards the table, he added, '* Will you join us, for half-an-hour or so ? We are capital company here to- night. There's Samkin and Green's managing-clerk, and Smithers and Price's chancery, and Pimkin and Thomas's out o' door — sings a capital song, he does — and Jack Bamber, and ever so many more. You're come out of the country, I suppose. Would you like to join us?"

Mr. Pickwick could not resist so tempting an opportunity of study- ing human nature. He suffered himself to be led to the table, where, after having been introduced to the company in due form, he was accom- modated with a seat near the chairman, and called for a glass of his favourite beverage.

A profound silence, quite contrary to Mr. Pickwick's expectation, succeeded.

" You don't find this sort of thing disagreeable, I hope. Sir ? " said his right hand neighbour, a gentleman in a checked shirt and Mobaie studs, with a cigar in his mouth.

" Not in the least," replied Mr. Pickwick, " I like it very much, although I am no smoker myself."

" I should be very sorry to say I wasn't," interposed another gentle- men on the opposite side of the table. " It's board and lodging to me, is smoke."

Mr. Pickwick glanced at the speaker, and thought that if it were washing too, it would be all the better.