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| 1 | 198 | 396 | 594 | 792 |
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Mr Pickwick took a seat and the paper, but, instead of reading the
latter, peeped over the top of it, and took a survey of the man of
business, who was an elderly, pimply-faced, vegetable- diet sort of
man, in a black coat, dark mixture trousers, and small black gaiters;
a kind of being who seemed to be an essential part of the desk at
which he was writing, and to have as much thought or feeling.
After a few minutes' silence, Mr Dodson, a plump, portly, stern-
looking man, with a loud voice, appeared; and the conversation
commenced.
'
'
This is Mr Pickwick,' said Fogg.
Ah! You are the defendant, Sir, in Bardell and Pickwick?' said
Dodson.
'
'
'
I am, sir,' replied Mr Pickwick.
Well, sir,' said Dodson, 'and what do you propose?'
Ah!' said Fogg, thrusting his hands into his trousers' pockets, and
throwing himself back in his chair, 'what do you propose, Mr
Pickwick?'
'
Hush, Fogg,' said Dodson, 'let me hear what Mr Pickwick has to say.'
'I came, gentlemen,' said Mr Pickwick, gazing placidly on the two
partners, 'I came here, gentlemen, to express the surprise with which I
received your letter of the other day, and to inquire what grounds of
action you can have against me.'
'
Grounds of - ' Fogg had ejaculated this much, when he was stopped
by Dodson.
'Mr Fogg,' said Dodson, 'I am going to speak.' 'I beg your pardon, Mr
Dodson,' said Fogg.
'For the grounds of action, sir,' continued Dodson, with moral
elevation in his air, 'you will consult your own conscience and your
own feelings. We, Sir, we, are guided entirely by the statement of our
client. That statement, Sir, may be true, or it may be false; it may be
credible, or it may be incredible; but, if it be true, and if it be credible,
I do not hesitate to say, Sir, that our grounds of action, Sir, are
strong, and not to be shaken. You may be an unfortunate man, Sir, or
you may be a designing one; but if I were called upon, as a juryman
upon my oath, Sir, to express an opinion of your conduct, Sir, I do not
hesitate to assert that I should have but one opinion about it.' Here
Dodson drew himself up, with an air of offended virtue, and looked at
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