'No, no, I won't return it,' said Fogg, falling back a little more as he

spoke; to the evident relief of his partner, who by these means was

gradually getting into the outer office.

You are,' continued Mr Pickwick, resuming the thread of his

discourse - 'you are a well-matched pair of mean, rascally, pettifogging

robbers.' 'Well,' interposed Perker, 'is that all?'

It is all summed up in that,' rejoined Mr Pickwick; 'they are mean,

rascally, pettifogging robbers.'

There!' said Perker, in a most conciliatory tone. 'My dear sirs, he has

said all he has to say. Now pray go. Lowten, is that door open?'

Mr Lowten, with a distant giggle, replied in the affirmative.

'There, there - good-morning - good-morning - now pray, my dear sirs

Mr Lowten, the door!' cried the little man, pushing Dodson & Fogg,

nothing loath, out of the office; 'this way, my dear sirs - now pray

don't prolong this - Dear me - Mr Lowten - the door, sir - why don't

you attend?'

If there's law in England, sir,' said Dodson, looking towards Mr

Pickwick, as he put on his hat, 'you shall smart for this.'

You are a couple of mean - '

Remember, sir, you pay dearly for this,' said Fogg.

- Rascally, pettifogging robbers!' continued Mr Pickwick, taking not

the least notice of the threats that were addressed to him.

'Robbers!' cried Mr Pickwick, running to the stair-head, as the two

attorneys descended.

Robbers!' shouted Mr Pickwick, breaking from Lowten and Perker,

and thrusting his head out of the staircase window.

When Mr Pickwick drew in his head again, his countenance was

smiling and placid; and, walking quietly back into the office, he

declared that he had now removed a great weight from his mind, and

that he felt perfectly comfortable and happy.

Perker said nothing at all until he had emptied his snuff-box, and sent

Lowten out to fill it, when he was seized with a fit of laughing, which

lasted five minutes; at the expiration of which time he said that he

supposed he ought to be very angry, but he couldn't think of the

business seriously yet - when he could, he would be.

The Pickwick Papers