employers to seek to criminate me upon the testimony of my own

friends?'

Mr Jackson struck his forefinger several times against the left side of

his nose, to intimate that he was not there to disclose the secrets of

the prison house, and playfully rejoined -

'Not knowin', can't say.'

'For what other reason, Sir,' pursued Mr Pickwick, 'are these

subpoenas served upon them, if not for this?'

Very good plant, Mr Pickwick,' replied Jackson, slowly shaking his

head. 'But it won't do. No harm in trying, but there's little to be got

out of me.'

Here Mr Jackson smiled once more upon the company, and, applying

his left thumb to the tip of his nose, worked a visionary coffee-mill

with his right hand, thereby performing a very graceful piece of

pantomime (then much in vogue, but now, unhappily, almost

obsolete) which was familiarly denominated 'taking a grinder.'

'No, no, Mr Pickwick,' said Jackson, in conclusion; 'Perker's people

must guess what we've served these subpoenas for. If they can't, they

must wait till the action comes on, and then they'll find out.' Mr

Pickwick bestowed a look of excessive disgust on his unwelcome

visitor, and would probably have hurled some tremendous anathema

at the heads of Messrs. Dodson & Fogg, had not Sam's entrance at the

instant interrupted him.

Samuel Weller?' said Mr Jackson, inquiringly.

Vun o' the truest things as you've said for many a long year,' replied

Sam, in a most composed manner.

Here's a subpoena for you, Mr Weller,' said Jackson.

What's that in English?' inquired Sam.

Here's the original,' said Jackson, declining the required explanation.

Which?' said Sam.

This,' replied Jackson, shaking the parchment.

Oh, that's the 'rig'nal, is it?' said Sam. 'Well, I'm wery glad I've seen

the 'rig'nal, 'cos it's a gratifyin' sort o' thing, and eases vun's mind so

much.'

The Pickwick Papers