'Well, now,' said Mr Pickwick, 'let me have a settlement with you.' 'Of

the same kind as the last?' inquired Perker, with another laugh. 'Not

exactly,' rejoined Mr Pickwick, drawing out his pocket- book, and

shaking the little man heartily by the hand, 'I only mean a pecuniary

settlement. You have done me many acts of kindness that I can never

repay, and have no wish to repay, for I prefer continuing the

obligation.'

With this preface, the two friends dived into some very complicated

accounts and vouchers, which, having been duly displayed and gone

through by Perker, were at once discharged by Mr Pickwick with many

professions of esteem and friendship.

They had no sooner arrived at this point, than a most violent and

startling knocking was heard at the door; it was not an ordinary

double-knock, but a constant and uninterrupted succession of the

loudest single raps, as if the knocker were endowed with the perpetual

motion, or the person outside had forgotten to leave off.

'Dear me, what's that?' exclaimed Perker, starting.

I think it is a knock at the door,' said Mr Pickwick, as if there could

be the smallest doubt of the fact.

The knocker made a more energetic reply than words could have

yielded, for it continued to hammer with surprising force and noise,

without a moment's cessation.

Dear me!' said Perker, ringing his bell, 'we shall alarm the inn. Mr

Lowten, don't you hear a knock?'

'I'll answer the door in one moment, Sir,' replied the clerk.

The knocker appeared to hear the response, and to assert that it was

quite impossible he could wait so long. It made a stupendous uproar.

It's quite dreadful,' said Mr Pickwick, stopping his ears.

Make haste, Mr Lowten,' Perker called out; 'we shall have the panels

beaten in.'

Mr Lowten, who was washing his hands in a dark closet, hurried to

the door, and turning the handle, beheld the appearance which is

described in the next chapter.

The Pickwick Papers