ad summoned his
son.

'The first matter relates to your governor, Sammy,' said Mr. Weller.
'He's a-goin' to be tried to-morrow, ain't he?'

'The trial's a-comin' on,' replied Sam.

'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,