.

'Very good,' retorted Perker. 'And you know how she comes here, I
suppose; I mean on what grounds, and at whose suit?'

'Yes; at least I have heard Sam's account of the matter,' said Mr.
Pickwick, with affected carelessness.

'Sam's account of the matter,' replied Perker, 'is, I will venture to
say, a perfectly correct one. Well now, my dear Sir, the first question
I have to ask, is, whether this woman is to remain here?'

'To remain here!' echoed Mr. Pickwick.

'To remain here, my dear Sir,' rejoined Perker, leaning back in his
chair and looking steadily at his client.

'How can you ask me?' said that gentleman. 'It rests with Dodson and
Fogg; you know that very well.'

'I know nothing of the kind,' retorted Perker firmly. 'It does NOT rest
with Dodson and Fogg; you know the men, my dear Sir, as well as I do. It
rests solely, wholly, and entirely with you.'

'With me!' ejaculated Mr. Pickwick, rising nervously from his chair, and
reseating himself directly afterwards.

The little man gave a double-knock on the lid of his snuff-box, opened
it, took a great pinch, shut it up again, and repeated the words, 'With
you.'

'I say, my dear Sir,' resumed the little man, who seemed to gather
confidence from the snuff--'I say, that her speedy liberation or
perpetual imprisonment rests with you, and with you alone. Hear me out,
my dear Sir, if you please, and do not be so very energetic, for it
will only put you into a perspiration and do no good whatever. I say,'
continued Perker, checking off each position on a different finger, as
he laid it down--'I say that nobody but you can rescue her from this den
of wretchedness; and that you can only do that, by paying the costs
of this suit--both of plaintive and defendant--into the hands of these
Freeman Court sharks. Now pray be quiet, my dear sir.'

Mr. Pickwick, whose face had been undergoing most surprising changes
during this speech, and was evidently on the verge of a strong burst of
indignation, calmed his wrath as well as he could. Perker, strengthening
his argumentative powers with another pinch of snuff, proceeded--

'I have seen the woman, this morning. By paying the costs, you can
obtain a full release and discharge from the damages; and further--this
I know is a far greater object of consideration with you, my dear sir--a
voluntary statement, under her hand, in the form of a letter to me, that
this business was, from the very first, fomented, and encourage