| 450 | 451 | 452 | 453 | 454 |
| 1 | 198 | 396 | 594 | 792 |
|
'
Vell,' said Mr Weller, 'Now I s'pose he'll want to call some witnesses to
speak to his character, or p'rhaps to prove a alleybi. I've been a-
turnin' the bis'ness over in my mind, and he may make his-self easy,
Sammy. I've got some friends as'll do either for him, but my adwice 'ud
be this here - never mind the character, and stick to the alleybi.
Nothing like a alleybi, Sammy, nothing.' Mr Weller looked very
profound as he delivered this legal opinion; and burying his nose in
his tumbler, winked over the top thereof, at his astonished son. 'Why,
what do you mean?' said Sam; 'you don't think he's a-goin' to be tried
at the Old Bailey, do you?'
'
That ain't no part of the present consideration, Sammy,' replied Mr
Weller. 'Verever he's a-goin' to be tried, my boy, a alleybi's the thing to
get him off. Ve got Tom Vildspark off that 'ere manslaughter, with a
alleybi, ven all the big vigs to a man said as nothing couldn't save
him. And my 'pinion is, Sammy, that if your governor don't prove a
alleybi, he'll be what the Italians call reg'larly flummoxed, and that's
all about it.' As the elder Mr Weller entertained a firm and unalterable
conviction that the Old Bailey was the supreme court of judicature in
this country, and that its rules and forms of proceeding regulated and
controlled the practice of all other courts of justice whatsoever, he
totally disregarded the assurances and arguments of his son, tending
to show that the alibi was inadmissible; and vehemently protested
that Mr Pickwick was being 'wictimised.' Finding that it was of no use
to discuss the matter further, Sam changed the subject, and inquired
what the second topic was, on which his revered parent wished to
consult him.
'
That's a pint o' domestic policy, Sammy,' said Mr Weller. 'This here
Stiggins - '
'
'
Red-nosed man?' inquired Sam.
The wery same,' replied Mr Weller. 'This here red-nosed man, Sammy,
wisits your mother-in-law vith a kindness and constancy I never see
equalled. He's sitch a friend o' the family, Sammy, that wen he's avay
from us, he can't be comfortable unless he has somethin' to remember
us by.'
'
And I'd give him somethin' as 'ud turpentine and beeswax his memory
for the next ten years or so, if I wos you,' interposed Sam.
'Stop a minute,' said Mr Weller; 'I wos a-going to say, he always brings
now, a flat bottle as holds about a pint and a half, and fills it vith the
pine-apple rum afore he goes avay.'
'And empties it afore he comes back, I s'pose?' said Sam.
Page
Quick Jump
|