| 557 | 558 | 559 | 560 | 561 |
| 1 | 198 | 396 | 594 | 792 |
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This last question was addressed to the lame man, who, unobserved
by Mr Pickwick, made one of the party. In reply to it, the lame man
touched his hat again, with all imaginable politeness, and motioned
towards Mr Pickwick.
'
No, no,' said Perker, with a smile. 'We don't want you, my dear friend,
we don't want you.'
'
I beg your pardon, sir,' said the lame man. 'The gentleman took my
card. I hope you will employ me, sir. The gentleman nodded to me. I'll
be judged by the gentleman himself. You nodded to me, sir?'
'Pooh, pooh, nonsense. You didn't nod to anybody, Pickwick? A
mistake, a mistake,' said Perker.
'The gentleman handed me his card,' replied Mr Pickwick, producing it
from his waistcoat pocket. 'I accepted it, as the gentleman seemed to
wish it - in fact I had some curiosity to look at it when I should be at
leisure. I - '
The little attorney burst into a loud laugh, and returning the card to
the lame man, informing him it was all a mistake, whispered to Mr
Pickwick as the man turned away in dudgeon, that he was only a bail.
'
'
'
A what!' exclaimed Mr Pickwick.
A bail,' replied Perker.
A bail!' 'Yes, my dear sir - half a dozen of 'em here. Bail you to any
amount, and only charge half a crown. Curious trade, isn't it?' said
Perker, regaling himself with a pinch of snuff.
'
What! Am I to understand that these men earn a livelihood by waiting
about here, to perjure themselves before the judges of the land, at the
rate of half a crown a crime?' exclaimed Mr Pickwick, quite aghast at
the disclosure.
'
Why, I don't exactly know about perjury, my dear sir,' replied the little
gentleman. 'Harsh word, my dear sir, very harsh word indeed. It's a
legal fiction, my dear sir, nothing more.' Saying which, the attorney
shrugged his shoulders, smiled, took a second pinch of snuff, and led
the way into the office of the judge's clerk.
This was a room of specially dirty appearance, with a very low ceiling
and old panelled walls; and so badly lighted, that although it was
broad day outside, great tallow candles were burning on the desks. At
one end, was a door leading to the judge's private apartment, round
which were congregated a crowd of attorneys and managing clerks,
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