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| 1 | 198 | 396 | 594 | 792 |
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'I don't know this hand,' said Mr Pickwick, opening the letter. 'Mercy
on us! what's this? It must be a jest; it - it - can't be true.'
'
'
What's the matter?' was the general inquiry.
Nobody dead, is there?' said Wardle, alarmed at the horror in Mr
Pickwick's countenance.
Mr Pickwick made no reply, but, pushing the letter across the table,
and desiring Mr Tupman to read it aloud, fell back in his chair with a
look of vacant astonishment quite alarming to behold.
Mr Tupman, with a trembling voice, read the letter, of which the
following is a copy: -
Freeman's Court, Cornhill, August 28th, 1827.
Bardell against Pickwick.
Sir,
Having been instructed by Mrs. Martha Bardell to commence an
action against you for a breach of promise of marriage, for which the
plaintiff lays her damages at fifteen hundred pounds, we beg to inform
you that a writ has been issued against you in this suit in the Court of
Common Pleas; and request to know, by return of post, the name of
your attorney in London, who will accept service thereof.
We are, Sir, Your obedient servants, Dodson & Fogg.
Mr Samuel Pickwick.
There was something so impressive in the mute astonishment with
which each man regarded his neighbour, and every man regarded Mr
Pickwick, that all seemed afraid to speak. The silence was at length
broken by Mr Tupman.
'
'
'
Dodson and Fogg,' he repeated mechanically.
Bardell and Pickwick,' said Mr Snodgrass, musing.
Peace of mind and happiness of confiding females,' murmured Mr
Winkle, with an air of abstraction.
'
It's a conspiracy,' said Mr Pickwick, at length recovering the power of
speech; 'a base conspiracy between these two grasping attorneys,
Dodson and Fogg. Mrs. Bardell would never do it; - she hasn't the
heart to do it; - she hasn't the case to do it. Ridiculous - ridiculous.'
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