'What do you think?' inquired Mr. Pickwick, hesitating.

'Yes, I think you had better. Here, you Sir, what's your name,walk in, will you?'

In compliance with this unceremonious invitation, Jingle andJob walked into the room, but, seeing Mr. Pickwick, stoppedshort in some confusion.'Well,' said Perker, 'don't you know that gentleman?'

'Good reason to,' replied Mr. Jingle, stepping forward. 'Mr.Pickwick--deepest obligations--life preserver--made a man ofme--you shall never repent it, Sir.'

'I am happy to hear you say so,' said Mr. Pickwick. 'You lookmuch better.'

'Thanks to you, sir--great change--Majesty's Fleet--unwholesomeplace--very,' said Jingle, shaking his head. He wasdecently and cleanly dressed, and so was Job, who stood boltupright behind him, staring at Mr. Pickwick with a visage of iron.

'When do they go to Liverpool?' inquired Mr. Pickwick, halfaside to Perker.

'This evening, Sir, at seven o'clock,' said Job, taking one stepforward. 'By the heavy coach from the city, Sir.'

'Are your places taken?'

'They are, sir,' replied Job.

'You have fully made up your mind to go?'

'I have sir,' answered Job.

'With regard to such an outfit as was indispensable for Jingle,'said Perker, addressing Mr. Pickwick aloud. 'I have taken uponmyself to make an arrangement for the deduction of a small sumfrom his quarterly salary, which, being made only for one year,and regularly remitted, will provide for that expense. I entirelydisapprove of your doing anything for him, my dear sir, whichis not dependent on his own exertions and good conduct.'

'Certainly,' interposed Jingle, with great firmness. 'Clear head--man of the world--quite right--perfectly.'

'By compounding with his creditor, releasing his clothes fromthe pawnbroker's, relieving him in prison, and paying for hispassage,' continued Perker, without noticing Jingle's observation,'you have already lost upwards of fifty pounds.'

'Not lost,' said Jingle hastily, 'Pay it all--stick to business--cash up--every farthing. Yellow fever, perhaps--can't help that--if not--' Here Mr. Jingle paused, and striking the crown ofhis hat with great violence, passed his hand over his eyes, andsat down.

'He means to say,' said Job, advancing a few paces, 'that if heis not carried off by the fever, he will pay the money back again.If he lives, he will, Mr. Pickwick. I will see it done. I know hewill, Sir,' said Job, with energy. 'I could undertake to swear it.'

'Well, well,' said Mr. Pickwick, who had been bestowing ascore or two of frowns upon Perker, to stop his summary ofbenefits conferred, which the little attorney obstinatelydisregarded, 'you must be careful not to play any more desperatecricket matches, Mr. Jingle, or to renew your acquaintance withSir Thomas Blazo, and I have little doubt of your preservingyour health.'

Mr. Jingle smiled at this sally, but looked rather foolishnotwithstanding; so Mr. Pickwick changed the subject by saying--

'You don't happen to know, do you, what has become ofanother friend of yours--a more humble one, whom I saw at Rochester?'

'Dismal Jemmy?' inquired Jingle.

'Yes.'

Jingle shook his head.

'Clever rascal--queer fellow, hoaxing genius--Job's brother.'

'Job's brother!' exclaimed Mr. Pickwick. 'Well, now I look athim closely, there IS a likeness.'

'We were always considered like each other, Sir,' said Job,with a cunning look just lurking in the corners of his eyes, 'onlyI was really of a serious nature, and he never was. He emigratedto America, Sir, in consequence of being too much sought afterhere, to be comfortable; and has never been heard of since.'

'That accounts for my not having received the "page from theromance of real life," which he promised me one morning whenhe appeared to be contemplating suicide on Rochester Bridge,I suppose,' said Mr. Pickwick, smiling. 'I need not inquirewhether his dismal behaviour was natural or assumed.'

'He could assume anything, Sir,' said Job. 'You may consideryourself very fortunate in having escaped him so easily. Onintimate terms he would have been even a more dangerousacquaintance than--' Job looked at Jingle, hesitated, andfinally added, 'than--than-myself even.'

'A hopeful family yours, Mr. Trotter,' said Perker, sealing aletter which he had just finished writing.

'Yes, Sir,' replied Job. 'Very much so.'

'Well,' said the little man, laughing, 'I hope you are going todisgrace it. Deliver this letter to the agent when you reachLiverpool, and let me advise you, gentlemen, not to be tooknowing in the West Indies. If you throw away this chance, youwill both richly deserve to be hanged, as I sincerely trust youwill be. And now you had better leave Mr. Pickwick and mealone, for we have other matters to talk over, and time isprecious.' As Perker said this, he looked towards the door, withan evident desire to render the leave-taking as brief as possible.

It was brief enough on Mr. Jingle's part. He thanked the littleattorney in a few hurried words for the kindness and promptitudewith which he had rendered his assistance, and, turning to hisbenefactor, stood for a few seconds as if irresolute what to sayor how to act. Job Trotter relieved his perplexity; for, with ahumble and grateful bow to Mr. Pickwick, he took his friendgently by the arm, and led him away.

'A worthy couple!' said Perker, as the door closed behind them.

'I hope they may become so,' replied Mr. Pickwick. 'What doyou think? Is there any chance of their permanent reformation?'

Perker shrugged his shoulders doubtfully, but observing Mr.Pickwick's anxious and disappointed look, rejoined--

'Of course there is a chance. I hope it may prove a good one.They are unquestionably penitent now; but then, you know, theyhave the recollection of very recent suffering fresh upon them.What they may become, when that fades away, is a problem thatneither you nor I can solve. However, my dear Sir,' added Perker,laying his hand on Mr. Pickwick's shoulder, 'your object isequally honourable, whatever the result is. Whether that speciesof benevolence which is so very cautious and long-sighted thatit is seldom exercised at all, lest its owner should be imposedupon, and so wounded in his self-love, be real charity or aworldly counterfeit, I leave to wiser heads than mine to determine.But if those two fellows were to commit a burglary to-morrow,my opinion of this action would be equally high.'

With these remarks, which were delivered in a much moreanimated and earnest manner than is usual in legal gentlemen,Perker drew his chair to his desk, and listened to Mr. Pickwick'srecital of old Mr. Winkle's obstinacy.

'Give him a week,' said Perker, nodding his head prophetically.

'Do you think he will come round?' inquired Mr. Pickwick.

'I think he will,' rejoined Perker. 'If not, we must try theyoung lady's persuasion; and that is what anybody but youwould have done at first.'

Mr. Perker was taking a pinch of snuff with various grotesquecontractions of countenance, eulogistic of the persuasive powersappertaining unto young ladies, when the murmur of inquiryand answer was heard in the outer office, and Lowten tapped atthe door.

'Come in!' cried the little man.

The clerk came in, and shut the door after him, with great mystery.

'What's the matter?' inquired Perker.

'You're wanted, Sir.'

'Who wants me?'

Lowten looked at Mr. Pickwick, and coughed.

'Who wants me? Can't you speak, Mr. Lowten?'

'Why, sir,' replied Lowten, 'it's Dodson; and Fogg is with him.'

'Bless my life!' said the little man, looking at his watch, 'Iappointed them to be here at half-past eleven, to settle thatmatter of yours, Pickwick. I gave them an undertaking on whichthey sent down your discharge; it's very awkward, my dearSir; what will you do? Would you like to step into the next room?'

The next room being the identical room in which Messrs.Dodson & Fogg were, Mr. Pickwick replied that he wouldremain where he was: the more especially as Messrs. Dodson &Fogg ought to be ashamed to look him in the face, instead of hisbeing ashamed to see them. Which latter circumstance he beggedMr. Perker to note, with a glowing countenance and many marksof indignation.

'Very well, my dear Sir, very well,' replied Perker, 'I can onlysay that if you expect either Dodson or Fogg to exhibit anysymptom of shame or confusion at having to look you, oranybody else, in the face, you are the most sanguine man in yourexpectations that I ever met with. Show them in, Mr. Lowten.'

Mr. Lowten disappeared with a grin, and immediately returnedushering in the firm, in due form of precedence--Dodson first,and Fogg afterwards.

'You have seen Mr. Pickwick, I believe?' said Perker toDodson, inclining his pen in the direction where that gentlemanwas seated.

'How do you do, Mr. Pickwick?' said Dodson, in a loud voice.

'Dear me,'cried Fogg, 'how do you do, Mr. Pickwick? I hopeyou are well, Sir. I thought I knew the face,' said Fogg, drawingup a chair, and looking round him with a smile.

Mr. Pickwick bent his head very slightly, in answer to thesesalutations, and, seeing Fogg pull a bundle of papers from hiscoat pocket, rose and walked to the window.

'There's no occasion for Mr. Pickwick to move, Mr. Perker,'said Fogg, untying the red tape which encircled the little bundle,and smiling again more sweetly than before. 'Mr. Pickwick ispretty well acquainted with these proceedings. There are nosecrets between us, I think. He! he! he!'

'Not many, I think,' said Dodson. 'Ha! ha! ha!' Then boththe partners laughed together--pleasantly and cheerfully, as menwho are going to receive money often do.

'We shall make Mr. Pickwick pay for peeping,' said Fogg, withconsiderable native humour, as he unfolded his papers. 'Theamount of the taxed costs is one hundred and thirty-three, six,four, Mr. Perker.'

There was a great comparing of papers, and turning over ofleaves, by Fogg and Perker, after this statement of profit andloss. Meanwhile, Dodson said, in an affable manner, to Mr.Pickwick--

'I don't think you are looking quite so stout as when I had thepleasure of seeing you last, Mr. Pickwick.'

'Possibly not, Sir,' replied Mr. Pickwick, who had beenflashing forth looks of fierce indignation, without producing thesmallest effect on either of the sharp practitioners; 'I believe I amnot, Sir. I have been persecuted and annoyed by scoundrels oflate, Sir.'Perker coughed violently, and asked Mr. Pickwick whether hewouldn't like to look at the morning paper. To which inquiryMr. Pickwick returned a most decided negative.

'True,' said Dodson, 'I dare say you have been annoyed in theFleet; there are some odd gentry there. Whereabouts were yourapartments, Mr. Pickwick?'

'My one room,' replied that much-injured gentleman, 'was onthe coffee-room flight.'

'Oh, indeed!' said Dodson. 'I believe that is a very pleasantpart of the establishment.'

'Very,'replied Mr. Pickwick drily.

There was a coolness about all this, which, to a gentleman ofan excitable temperament, had, under the circumstances, ratheran exasperating tendency. Mr. Pickwick restrained his wrath bygigantic efforts; but when Perker wrote a cheque for the wholeamount, and Fogg deposited it in a small pocket-book, with atriumphant smile playing over his pimply features, whichcommunicated itself likewise to the stern countenance of Dodson,he felt the blood in his cheeks tingling with indignation.

'Now, Mr. Dodson,' said Fogg, putting up the pocket-bookand drawing on his gloves, 'I am at your service.'

'Very good,' said Dodson, rising; 'I am quite ready.'

'I am very happy,' said Fogg, softened by the cheque, 'to havehad the pleasure of making Mr. Pickwick's acquaintance. I hopeyou don't think quite so ill of us, Mr. Pickwick, as when we firsthad the pleasure of seeing you.'

'I hope not,' said Dodson, with the high tone of calumniatedvirtue. 'Mr. Pickwick now knows us better, I trust; whateveryour opinion of gentlemen of our profession may be, I beg toassure you, sir, that I bear no ill-will or vindictive feeling towardsyou for the sentiments you thought proper to express in ouroffice in Freeman's Court, Cornhill, on the occasion to whichmy partner has referred.'

'Oh, no, no; nor I,' said Fogg, in a most forgiving manner.

'Our conduct, Sir,' said Dodson, 'will speak for itself, andjustify itself, I hope, upon every occasion. We have been in theprofession some years, Mr. Pickwick, and have been honouredwith the confidence of many excellent clients. I wish you good-morning, Sir.'

'Good-morning, Mr. Pickwick,' said Fogg. So saying, he put hisumbrella under his arm, drew off his right glove, and extendedthe hand of reconciliation to that most indignant gentleman;who, thereupon, thrust his hands beneath his coat tails, andeyed the attorney with looks of scornful amazement.

'Lowten!' cried Perker, at this moment. 'Open the door.'

'Wait one instant,' said Mr. Pickwick. 'Perker, I WILL speak.'

'My dear Sir, pray let the matter rest where it is,' said the littleattorney, who had been in a state of nervous apprehension duringthe whole interview; 'Mr. Pickwick, I beg--'

'I will not be put down, Sir,' replied Mr. Pickwick hastily.'Mr. Dodson, you have addressed some remarks to me.'

Dodson turned round, bent his head meekly, and smiled.

Title: The Pickwick Papers
Author: Charles Dickens
Viewed 231068 times

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