CHAPTER XLVII. IS CHIEFLY DEVOTED TO MATTERS OF BUSINESS, AND THETEMPORAL ADVANTAGE OF DODSON AND FOGG--MR. WINKLE REAPPEARS UNDEREXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES--MR. PICKWICK'S BENEVOLENCE PROVES STRONGERTHAN HIS OBSTINACY
Job Trotter, abating nothing of his speed, ran up Holborn, sometimes inthe middle of the road, sometimes on the pavement, sometimes in thegutter, as the chances of getting along varied with the press of men,women, children, and coaches, in each division of the thoroughfare, and,regardless of all obstacles stopped not for an instant until he reachedthe gate of Gray's Inn. Notwithstanding all the expedition he had used,however, the gate had been closed a good half-hour when he reached it,and by the time he had discovered Mr. Perker's laundress, who lived witha married daughter, who had bestowed her hand upon a non-residentwaiter, who occupied the one-pair of some number in some street closelyadjoining to some brewery somewhere behind Gray's Inn Lane, it waswithin fifteen minutes of closing the prison for the night. Mr. Lowtenhad still to be ferreted out from the back parlour of the Magpie andStump; and Job had scarcely accomplished this object, and communicatedSam Weller's message, when the clock struck ten.
'There,' said Lowten, 'it's too late now. You can't get in to-night;you've got the key of the street, my friend.'
'Never mind me,' replied Job. 'I can sleep anywhere. But won't it bebetter to see Mr. Perker to-night, so that we may be there, the firstthing in the morning?'
'Why,' responded Lowten, after a little consideration, 'if it was inanybody else's case, Perker wouldn't be best pleased at my going up tohis house; but as it's Mr. Pickwick's, I think I may venture to take acab and charge it to the office.' Deciding on this line of conduct, Mr.Lowten took up his hat, and begging the assembled company to appoint adeputy-chairman during his temporary absence, led the way to the nearestcoach-stand. Summoning the cab of most promising appearance, he directedthe driver to repair to Montague Place, Russell Square.
Mr. Perker had had a dinner-party that day, as was testified by theappearance of lights in the drawing-room windows, the sound of animproved grand piano, and an improvable cabinet voice issuing therefrom,and a rather overpowering smell of meat which pervaded the steps andentry. In fact, a couple of very good country agencies happening to comeup to town, at the same time, an agreeable little party had been gottogether to meet them, comprising Mr. Snicks, the Life Office Secretary,Mr. Prosee, the eminent counsel, three solicitors, one commissioner ofbankrupts, a special pleader from the Temple, a small-eyed peremptoryyoung gentleman, his pupil, who had written a lively book about the lawof demises, with a vast quantity of marginal notes and references; andseveral other eminent and distinguished personages. From this society,little Mr. Perker detached himself, on his clerk being announced in awhisper; and repairing to the dining-room, there found Mr. Lowten andJob Trotter looking very dim and shadowy by the light of a kitchencandle, which the gentleman who condescended to appear in plush shortsand cottons for a quarterly stipend, had, with a becoming contempt forthe clerk and all things appertaining to 'the office,' placed upon thetable.
'Now, Lowten,' said little Mr. Perker, shutting the door, 'what's thematter? No important letter come in a parcel, is there?'
'No, Sir,' replied Lowten. 'This is a messenger from Mr. Pickwick, Sir.'
'From Pickwick, eh?' said the little man, turning quickly to Job. 'Well,what is it?'
'Dodson and Fogg have taken Mrs. Bardell in execution for her costs,Sir,' said Job.
'No!' exclaimed Perker, putting his hands in his pockets, and recliningagainst the sideboard.
'Yes,' said Job. 'It seems they got a cognovit out of her, for theamount of 'em, directly after the trial.'
'By Jove!' said Perker, taking both hands out of his pockets, andstriking the knuckles of his right against the palm of his left,emphatically, 'those are the cleverest scamps I ever had anything to dowith!'
'The sharpest practitioners I ever knew, Sir,' observed Lowten.
'Sharp!' echoed Perker. 'There's no knowing where to have them.'
'Very true, Sir, there is not,' replied Lowten; and then, both masterand man pondered for a few seconds, with animated countenances, as ifthey were reflecting upon one of the most beautiful and ingeniousdiscoveries that the intellect of man had ever made. When they had insome measure recovered from their trance of admiration, Job Trotterdischarged himself of the rest of his commission. Perker nodded his headthoughtfully, and pulled out his watch.
'At ten precisely, I will be there,' said the little man. 'Sam is quiteright. Tell him so. Will you take a glass of wine, Lowten?'
No, thank you, Sir.'
'You mean yes, I think,' said the little man, turning to the sideboardfor a decanter and glasses.
As Lowten _did _mean yes, he said no more on the subject, but inquiredof Job, in an audible whisper, whether the portrait of Perker, whichhung opposite the fireplace, wasn't a wonderful likeness, to which Jobof course replied that it was. The wine being by this time poured out,Lowten drank to Mrs. Perker and the children, and Job to Perker. Thegentleman in the plush shorts and cottons considering it no part of hisduty to show the people from the office out, consistently declined toanswer the bell, and they showed themselves out. The attorney betookhimself to his drawing-room, the clerk to the Magpie and Stump, and Jobto Covent Garden Market to spend the night in a vegetable basket.
Punctually at the appointed hour next morning, the good-humoured littleattorney tapped at Mr. Pickwick's door, which was opened with greatalacrity by Sam Weller.
'Mr. Perker, sir,' said Sam, announcing the visitor to Mr. Pickwick, whowas sitting at the window in a thoughtful attitude. 'Wery glad you'velooked in accidentally, Sir. I rather think the gov'nor wants to have aword and a half with you, Sir.'
Perker bestowed a look of intelligence on Sam, intimating that heunderstood he was not to say he had been sent for; and beckoning him toapproach, whispered briefly in his ear.
'You don't mean that 'ere, Sir?' said Sam, starting back in excessivesurprise.
Perker nodded and smiled.
Mr. Samuel Weller looked at the little lawyer, then at Mr. Pickwick,then at the ceiling, then at Perker again; grinned, laughed outright,and finally, catching up his hat from the carpet, without furtherexplanation, disappeared.
'What does this mean?' inquired Mr. Pickwick, looking at Perker withastonishment. 'What has put Sam into this extraordinary state?'
'Oh, nothing, nothing,' replied Perker. 'Come, my dear Sir, draw up yourchair to the table. I have a good deal to say to you.'
'What papers are those?' inquired Mr. Pickwick, as the little mandeposited on the table a small bundle of documents tied with red tape.
'The papers in Bardell and Pickwick,' replied Perker, undoing the knotwith his teeth.
Mr. Pickwick grated the legs of his chair against the ground; andthrowing himself into it, folded his hands and looked sternly--if Mr.Pickwick ever could look sternly--at his legal friend.
'You don't like to hear the name of the cause?' said the little man,still busying himself with the knot.
'No, I do not indeed,' replied Mr. Pickwick.
'Sorry for that,' resumed Perker, 'because it will form the subject ofour conversation.'
'I would rather that the subject should be never mentioned between us,Perker,' interposed Mr. Pickwick hastily.
'Pooh, pooh, my dear Sir,' said the little man, untying the bundle, andglancing eagerly at Mr. Pickwick out of the corners of his eyes. 'Itmust be mentioned. I have come here on purpose. Now, are you ready tohear what I have to say, my dear Sir? No hurry; if you are not, I canwait. I have this morning's paper here. Your time shall be mine. There!'Hereupon, the little man threw one leg over the other, and made a showof beginning to read with great composure and application.
'Well, well,' said Mr. Pickwick, with a sigh, but softening into a smileat the same time. 'Say what you have to say; it's the old story, Isuppose?'
'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, Isuppose; I mean on what grounds, and at whose suit?'
'Yes; at least I have heard Sam's account of the matter,' said Mr.Pickwick, with affected carelessness.
'Sam's account of the matter,' replied Perker, 'is, I will venture tosay, a perfectly correct one. Well now, my dear Sir, the first questionI 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 hischair and looking steadily at his client.
'How can you ask me?' said that gentleman. 'It rests with Dodson andFogg; you know that very well.'
'I know nothing of the kind,' retorted Perker firmly. 'It does _not_rest with Dodson and Fogg; you know the men, my dear Sir, as well as Ido. It rests solely, wholly, and entirely with you.'
'With me!' ejaculated Mr. Pickwick, rising nervously from his chair, andreseating himself directly afterwards.
The little man gave a double-knock on the lid of his snuff-box, openedit, took a great pinch, shut it up again, and repeated the words, 'Withyou.'
'I say, my dear Sir,' resumed the little man, who seemed to gatherconfidence from the snuff--'I say, that her speedy liberation orperpetual 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 willonly put you into a perspiration and do no good whatever. I say,'continued Perker, checking off each position on a different finger, ashe laid it down--'I say that nobody but you can rescue her from this denof wretchedness; and that you can only do that, by paying the costs ofthis suit--both of plaintive and defendant--into the hands of theseFreeman Court sharks. Now pray be quiet, my dear sir.'
Mr. Pickwick, whose face had been undergoing most surprising changesduring this speech, and was evidently on the verge of a strong burst ofindignation, calmed his wrath as well as he could. Perker, strengtheninghis argumentative powers with another pinch of snuff, proceeded--
'I have seen the woman, this morning. By paying the costs, you canobtain a full release and discharge from the damages; and further--thisI know is a far greater object of consideration with you, my dear sir--avoluntary statement, under her hand, in the form of a letter to me, thatthis business was, from the very first, fomented, and encouraged, andbrought about, by these men, Dodson and Fogg; that she deeply regretsever having been the instrument of annoyance or injury to you; and thatshe entreats me to intercede with you, and implore your pardon.'
'If I pay her costs for her,' said Mr. Pickwick indignantly. 'A valuabledocument, indeed!'
'No "if" in the case, my dear Sir,' said Perker triumphantly. 'There isthe very letter I speak of. Brought to my office by another woman atnine o'clock this morning, before I had set foot in this place, or heldany communication with Mrs. Bardell, upon my honour.' Selecting theletter from the bundle, the little lawyer laid it at Mr. Pickwick'selbow, and took snuff for two consecutive minutes, without winking.
'Is this all you have to say to me?' inquired Mr. Pickwick mildly.
'Not quite,' replied Perker. 'I cannot undertake to say, at this moment,whether the wording of the cognovit, the nature of the ostensibleconsideration, and the proof we can get together about the whole conductof the suit, will be sufficient to justify an indictment for conspiracy.I fear not, my dear Sir; they are too clever for that, I doubt. I domean to say, however, that the whole facts, taken together, will besufficient to justify you, in the minds of all reasonable men. And now,my dear Sir, I put it to you. This one hundred and fifty pounds, orwhatever it may be--take it in round numbers--is nothing to you. A juryhad decided against you; well, their verdict is wrong, but still theydecided as they thought right, and it _is_ against you. You have now anopportunity, on easy terms, of placing yourself in a much higherposition than you ever could, by remaining here; which would only beimputed, by people who didn't know you, to sheer dogged, wrongheaded,brutal obstinacy; nothing else, my dear Sir, believe me. Can youhesitate to avail yourself of it, when it restores you to your friends,your old pursuits, your health and amusements; when it liberates yourfaithful and attached servant, whom you otherwise doom to imprisonmentfor the whole of your life; and above all, when it enables you to takethe very magnanimous revenge--which I know, my dear sir, is one afteryour own heart--of releasing this woman from a scene of misery anddebauchery, to which no man should ever be consigned, if I had my will,but the infliction of which on any woman, is even more frightful andbarbarous. Now I ask you, my dear sir, not only as your legal adviser,but as your very true friend, will you let slip the occasion ofattaining all these objects, and doing all this good, for the paltryconsideration of a few pounds finding their way into the pockets of acouple of rascals, to whom it makes no manner of difference, except thatthe more they gain, the more they'll seek, and so the sooner be led intosome piece of knavery that must end in a crash? I have put theseconsiderations to you, my dear Sir, very feebly and imperfectly, but Iask you to think of them. Turn them over in your mind as long as youplease. I wait here most patiently for your answer.'
Before Mr. Pickwick could reply, before Mr. Perker had taken onetwentieth part of the snuff with which so unusually long an addressimperatively required to be followed up, there was a low murmuring ofvoices outside, and then a hesitating knock at the door.
'Dear, dear,' exclaimed Mr. Pickwick, who had been evidently roused byhis friend's appeal; 'what an annoyance that door is! Who is that?'
'Me, Sir,' replied Sam Weller, putting in his head.
'I can't speak to you just now, Sam,' said Mr. Pickwick. 'I am engagedat this moment, Sam.'
'Beg your pardon, Sir,' rejoined Mr. Weller. 'But here's a lady here,Sir, as says she's somethin' wery partickler to disclose.'
'I can't see any lady,' replied Mr. Pickwick, whose mind was filled withvisions of Mrs. Bardell.
'I wouldn't make too sure o' that, Sir,' urged Mr. Weller, shaking hishead. 'If you know'd who was near, sir, I rayther think you'd changeyour note; as the hawk remarked to himself vith a cheerful laugh, ven heheerd the robin-redbreast a-singin' round the corner.'
'Who is it?' inquired Mr. Pickwick.
'Will you see her, Sir?' asked Mr. Weller, holding the door in his handas if he had some curious live animal on the other side.
'I suppose I must,' said Mr. Pickwick, looking at Perker.
'Well then, all in to begin!' cried Sam. 'Sound the gong, draw up thecurtain, and enter the two conspiraytors.'
As Sam Weller spoke, he threw the door open, and there rushedtumultuously into the room, Mr. Nathaniel Winkle, leading after him bythe hand, the identical young lady who at Dingley Dell had worn theboots with the fur round the tops, and who, now a very pleasing compoundof blushes and confusion, and lilac silk, and a smart bonnet, and a richlace veil, looked prettier than ever.
'Miss Arabella Allen!' exclaimed Mr. Pickwick, rising from his chair.
'No,' replied Mr. Winkle, dropping on his knees. 'Mrs. Winkle. Pardon,my dear friend, pardon!'
Mr. Pickwick could scarcely believe the evidence of his senses, andperhaps would not have done so, but for the corroborative testimonyafforded by the smiling countenance of Perker, and the bodily presence,in the background, of Sam and the pretty housemaid; who appeared tocontemplate the proceedings with the liveliest satisfaction.
'Oh, Mr. Pickwick!' said Arabella, in a low voice, as if alarmed at thesilence. 'Can you forgive my imprudence?'
Mr. Pickwick returned no verbal response to this appeal; but he took offhis spectacles in great haste, and seizing both the young lady's handsin his, kissed her a great number of times--perhaps a greater numberthan was absolutely necessary--and then, still retaining one of herhands, told Mr. Winkle he was an audacious young dog, and bade him getup. This, Mr. Winkle, who had been for some seconds sc
ratching his nosewith the brim of his hat, in a penitent manner, did; whereupon Mr.Pickwick slapped him on the back several times, and then shook handsheartily with Perker, who, not to be behind-hand in the compliments ofthe occasion, saluted both the bride and the pretty housemaid with rightgood-will, and, having wrung Mr. Winkle's hand most cordially, wound uphis demonstrations of joy by taking snuff enough to set any half-dozenmen with ordinarily-constructed noses, a-sneezing for life.
'Why, my dear girl,' said Mr. Pickwick, 'how has all this come about?Come! Sit down, and let me hear it all. How well she looks, doesn't she,Perker?' added Mr. Pickwick, surveying Arabella's face with a look of asmuch pride and exultation, as if she had been his daughter.
'Delightful, my dear Sir,' replied the little man. 'If I were not amarried man myself, I should be disposed to envy you, you dog.' Thusexpressing himself, the little lawyer gave Mr. Winkle a poke in thechest, which that gentleman reciprocated; after which they both laughedvery loudly, but not so loudly as Mr. Samuel Weller, who had justrelieved his feelings by kissing the pretty housemaid under cover of thecupboard door.
'I can never be grateful enough to you, Sam, I am sure,' said Arabella,with the sweetest smile imaginable. 'I shall not forget your exertionsin the garden at Clifton.'
'Don't say nothin' wotever about it, ma'am,' replied Sam. 'I onlyassisted natur, ma'am; as the doctor said to the boy's mother, afterhe'd bled him to death.'
'Mary, my dear, sit down,' said Mr. Pickwick, cutting short thesecompliments. 'Now then; how long have you been married, eh?'
Arabella looked bashfully at her lord and master, who replied, 'Onlythree days.'
'Only three days, eh?' said Mr. Pickwick. 'Why, what have you been doingthese three months?'
'Ah, to be sure!' interposed Perker; 'come, account for this idleness.You see Mr. Pickwick's only astonishment is, that it wasn't all over,months ago.'
'Why the fact is,' replied Mr. Winkle, looking at his blushing youngwife, 'that I could not persuade Bella to run away, for a long time. Andwhen I had persuaded her, it was a long time more before we could findan opportunity. Mary had to give a month's warning, too, before shecould leave her place next door, and we couldn't possibly have done itwithout her assistance.'
Upon my word,' exclaimed Mr. Pickwick, who by this time had resumed hisspectacles, and was looking from Arabella to Winkle, and from Winkle toArabella, with as much delight depicted in his countenance aswarmheartedness and kindly feeling can communicate to the human face--'upon my word! you seem to have been very systematic in yourproceedings. And is your brother acquainted with all this, my dear?'
'Oh, no, no,' replied Arabella, changing colour. 'Dear Mr. Pickwick, hemust only know it from you--from your lips alone. He is so violent, soprejudiced, and has been so--so anxious in behalf of his friend, Mr.Sawyer,' added Arabella, looking down, 'that I fear the consequencesdreadfully.'
'Ah, to be sure,' said Perker gravely. 'You must take this matter inhand for them, my dear sir. These young men will respect you, when theywould listen to nobody else. You must prevent mischief, my dear Sir. Hotblood, hot blood.' And the little man took a warning pinch, and shookhis head doubtfully.
'You forget, my love,' said Mr. Pickwick gently, 'you forget that I am aprisoner.'
'No, indeed I do not, my dear Sir,' replied Arabella. 'I never haveforgotten it. I have never ceased to think how great your sufferingsmust have been in this shocking place. But I hoped that what noconsideration for yourself would induce you to do, a regard to ourhappiness might. If my brother hears of this, first, from you, I feelcertain we shall be reconciled. He is my only relation in the world, Mr.Pickwick, and unless you plead for me, I fear I have lost even him. Ihave done wrong, very, very wrong, I know.' Here poor Arabella hid herface in her handkerchief, and wept bitterly.
Mr. Pickwick's nature was a good deal worked upon, by these same tears;but when Mrs. Winkle, drying her eyes, took to coaxing and entreating inthe sweetest tones of a very sweet voice, he became particularlyrestless, and evidently undecided how to act, as was evinced by sundrynervous rubbings of his spectacle-glasses, nose, tights, head, andgaiters.
Taking advantage of these symptoms of indecision, Mr. Perker (to whom,it appeared, the young couple had driven straight that morning) urgedwith legal point and shrewdness that Mr. Winkle, senior, was stillunacquainted with the important rise in life's flight of steps which hisson had taken; that the future expectations of the said son dependedentirely upon the said Winkle, senior, continuing to regard him withundiminished feelings of affection and attachment, which it was veryunlikely he would, if this great event were long kept a secret from him;that Mr. Pickwick, repairing to Bristol to seek Mr. Allen, might, withequal reason, repair to Birmingham to seek Mr. Winkle, senior; lastly,that Mr. Winkle, senior, had good right and title to consider Mr.Pickwick as in some degree the guardian and adviser of his son, and thatit consequently behoved that gentleman, and was indeed due to hispersonal character, to acquaint the aforesaid Winkle, senior,personally, and by word of mouth, with the whole circumstances of thecase, and with the share he had taken in the transaction.
Mr. Tupman and Mr. Snodgrass arrived, most opportunely, in this stage ofthe pleadings, and as it was necessary to explain to them all that hadoccurred, together with the various reasons pro and con, the whole ofthe arguments were gone over again, after which everybody urged everyargument in his own way, and at his own length. And, at last, Mr.Pickwick, fairly argued and remonstrated out of all his resolutions, andbeing in imminent danger of being argued and remonstrated out of hiswits, caught Arabella in his arms, and declaring that she was a veryamiable creature, and that he didn't know how it was, but he had alwaysbeen very fond of her from the first, said he could never find it in hisheart to stand in the way of young people's happiness, and they might dowith him as they pleased.
Mr. Weller's first act, on hearing this concession, was to despatch JobTrotter to the illustrious Mr. Pell, with an authority to deliver to thebearer the formal discharge which his prudent parent had had theforesight to leave in the hands of that learned gentleman, in case itshould be, at any time, required on an emergency; his next proceedingwas, to invest his whole stock of ready-money in the purchase of five-and-twenty gallons of mild porter, which he himself dispensed on theracket-ground to everybody who would partake of it; this done, hehurra'd in divers parts of the building until he lost his voice, andthen quietly relapsed into his usual collected and philosophicalcondition.
At three o'clock that afternoon, Mr. Pickwick took a last look at hislittle room, and made his way, as well as he could, through the throngof debtors who pressed eagerly forward to shake him by the hand, untilhe reached the lodge steps. He turned here, to look about him, and hiseye lightened as he did so. In all the crowd of wan, emaciated faces, hesaw not one which was not happier for his sympathy and charity.
'Perker,' said Mr. Pickwick, beckoning one young man towards him, 'thisis Mr. Jingle, whom I spoke to you about.'
'Very good, my dear Sir,' replied Perker, looking hard at Jingle. 'Youwill see me again, young man, to-morrow. I hope you may live to rememberand feel deeply, what I shall have to communicate, Sir.'
Jingle bowed respectfully, trembled very much as he took Mr. Pickwick'sproffered hand, and withdrew.
'Job you know, I think?' said Mr. Pickwick, presenting that gentleman.
'I know the rascal,' replied Perker good-humouredly. 'See after yourfriend, and be in the way to-morrow at one. Do you hear? Now, is thereanything more?'
'Nothing,' rejoined Mr. Pickwick. 'You have delivered the little parcelI gave you for your old landlord, Sam?'
'I have, Sir,' replied Sam. 'He bust out a-cryin', Sir, and said you woswery gen'rous and thoughtful, and he only wished you could have himinnockilated for a gallopin' consumption, for his old friend as hadlived here so long wos dead, and he'd noweres to look for another.'
Poor fellow, poor fellow!' said Mr. Pickwick. 'God bless you, myfriends!'
As Mr. Pickwick uttered this
adieu, the crowd raised a loud shout. Manyamong them were pressing forward to shake him by the hand again, when hedrew his arm through Perker's, and hurried from the prison, far more sadand melancholy, for the moment, than when he had first entered it. Alas!how many sad and unhappy beings had he left behind!
A happy evening was that for at least one party in the George andVulture; and light and cheerful were two of the hearts that emerged fromits hospitable door next morning. The owners thereof were Mr. Pickwickand Sam Weller, the former of whom was speedily deposited inside acomfortable post-coach, with a little dickey behind, in which the lattermounted with great agility.
'Sir,' called out Mr. Weller to his master.
'Well, Sam,' replied Mr. Pickwick, thrusting his head out of the window.
'I wish them horses had been three months and better in the Fleet, Sir.'
'Why, Sam?' inquired Mr. Pickwick.
'Wy, Sir,' exclaimed Mr. Weller, rubbing his hands, 'how they would goif they had been!'