ean, Sir?'

'What do I mean,' retorted Sam; 'come, Sir, this is rayther too rich,
as the young lady said when she remonstrated with the pastry-cook, arter
he'd sold her a pork pie as had got nothin' but fat inside. What do I
mean! Well, that ain't a bad 'un, that ain't.'

'Unlock that door, and leave this room immediately, Sir,' said Mr.
Winkle.

'I shall leave this here room, sir, just precisely at the wery same
moment as you leaves it,' responded Sam, speaking in a forcible manner,
and seating himself with perfect gravity. 'If I find it necessary to
carry you away, pick-a-back, o' course I shall leave it the least bit
o' time possible afore you; but allow me to express a hope as you
won't reduce me to extremities; in saying wich, I merely quote wot the
nobleman said to the fractious pennywinkle, ven he vouldn't come out
of his shell by means of a pin, and he conseqvently began to be afeered
that he should be obliged to crack him in the parlour door.' At the end
of this address, which was unusually lengthy for him, Mr. Weller planted
his hands on his knees, and looked full in Mr. Winkle's face, with an
expression of countenance which showed that he had not the remotest
intention of being trifled with.

'You're a amiably-disposed young man, Sir, I don't think,' resumed
Mr. Weller, in a tone of moral reproof, 'to go inwolving our precious
governor in all sorts o' fanteegs, wen he's made up his mind to go
through everythink for principle. You're far worse nor Dodson, Sir;
and as for Fogg, I consider him a born angel to you!' Mr. Weller having
accompanied this last sentiment with an emphatic slap on each knee,
folded his arms with a look of great disgust, and threw himself back in
his chair, as if awaiting the criminal's defence.

'My good fellow,' said Mr. Winkle, extending his hand--his teeth
chattering all the time he spoke, for he had been standing, during the
whole of Mr. Weller's lecture, in his night-gear--'my good fellow, I
respect your attachment to my excellent friend, and I am very sorry
indeed to have added to his causes for disquiet. There, Sam, there!'

'Well,' said Sam, rather sulkily, but giving the proffered hand a
respectful shake at the same time--'well, so you ought to be, and I am
very glad to find you air; for, if I can help it, I won't have him put
upon by nobody, and that's all about it.'

'Certainly not, Sam,' said Mr. Winkle. 'There! Now go to bed, Sam, and
we'll talk further about this in