Page:The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club.djvu/600

502 502 POSTHUMOUS PAPERS OF

" With a difference, my dear Sir ; with a difference," rejoined Perker, deliberately folding up the paper and putting it into his pocket again. " Mrs. Bardell, the plaintiff in the action, is within these walls, Sir."

" I know it," was Mr. Pickwick's reply.

" Very good," retorted Perker. " And you know how she comes here^ I suppose ; I mean on what grounds, and at whose suit ? "

Pickwick, with affected carelessness.
 * ' Yes ; at least I have heard Sam's account of the matter," said Mr.

"Sam's account of the matter," replied Perker, "is, I will venture to say, a perfectly correct one. Well now, my dear Sir, the first question I have to ask, is, whether this woman is to remain here ? "

" To remain here !" echoed Mr. Pickwick.

"To remain here, my dear Sir," rejoined Perker, leaning back in his chair and looking steadily at his client.

Dodson and Fogg ; you know that very well."
 * ' How can you ask me?" said that gentleman. "It rests with

" 1 know nothing of the kind," retorted Perker firmly. " It does 720/ rest with Dodson and Fogg ; you know the men, my dear Sir, as v.-r^l as I do. It rests solely, wholly, and entirely with you."

" With me!" ejaculated Mr. Pickwick, rising nervously from his chair, and reseating himself directly afterwards.

The little man gave a double knock on the lid of his snuff-box, opened it, took a great pinch, shut it up again, and repeated the words « —With you."

" I say, my dear Sir," pursued the little man, who seemed to gather confidence from the snuff; "1 say that her speedy liberation or per- petual imprisonment rests with you, and with you alone. Hear me out, my dear Sir, if you please, and do not be so very energetic, for it will only put you into a perspiration and do no good whatever. I say," continued Perker, checking off each position on a different finger, as he laid it down ; " I say that nobody but you can rescue her from this den of wretchedness ; and that you can only do that, by paying the costs of this suit — both of plaintiff and defendant — into the hands of these Freeman Court sharks. Now pray be quiet, my dear Sir."

Mr. Pickwick, whose face had been undergoing most surprising changes during this speech, and who was evidently on the verge of a strong burst of indignation, calmed his wrath as well as he could ; and Perker, strengthening his argumentative powers with another pinch of snuff, proceeded.

" I have seen the woman this morning. By paying the costs, you can obtain a full release and discharge from the damages ; and further — this I know is a far greater object of consideration with you, my dear Sir — a voluntary statement under her hand, in the form of a letter to me, that this business was, from the very first, fomented and en- couraged and brought about, by these men, Dodson and Fogg ; that she deeply regrets ever having been the instrument of annoyance or injury to you ; and that she entreats me to intercede with you, and implore your pardon."

valuable document, indeed "
 * ' If 1 pay her costs for her," said Mr. Pickwick, indignantly ; " a