said
Fogg; "get out, sir; get out of this office, Sir, and come back, Sir,
when you know how to behave yourself." Well, Ramsey tried to speak, but
Fogg wouldn't let him, so he put the money in his pocket, and sneaked
out. The door was scarcely shut, when old Fogg turned round to me, with
a sweet smile on his face, and drew the declaration out of his coat
pocket. "Here, Wicks," says Fogg, "take a cab, and go down to the Temple
as quick as you can, and file that. The costs are quite safe, for he's a
steady man with a large family, at a salary of five-and-twenty shillings
a week, and if he gives us a warrant of attorney, as he must in the end,
I know his employers will see it paid; so we may as well get all we can
get out of him, Mr. Wicks; it's a Christian act to do it, Mr. Wicks, for
with his large family and small income, he'll be all the better for
a good lesson against getting into debt--won't he, Mr. Wicks, won't
he?"--and he smiled so good-naturedly as he went away, that it was
delightful to see him. He is a capital man of business,' said Wicks, in
a tone of the deepest admiration, 'capital, isn't he?'

The other three cordially subscribed to this opinion, and the anecdote
afforded the most unlimited satisfaction.

'Nice men these here, Sir,' whispered Mr. Weller to his master; 'wery
nice notion of fun they has, Sir.'

Mr. Pickwick nodded assent, and coughed to attract the attention of
the young gentlemen behind the partition, who, having now relaxed their
minds by a little conversation among themselves, condescended to take
some notice of the stranger.

'I wonder whether Fogg's disengaged now?' said Jackson.

'I'll see,' said Wicks, dismounting leisurely from his stool. 'What name
shall I tell Mr. Fogg?'

'Pickwick,' replied the illustrious subject of these memoirs.

Mr. Jackson departed upstairs on his errand, and immediately returned
with a message that Mr. Fogg would see Mr. Pickwick in five minutes; and
having delivered it, returned again to his desk.

'What did he say his name was?' whispered Wicks.

'Pickwick,' replied Jackson; 'it's the defendant in Bardell and
Pickwick.'

A sudden scraping of feet, mingled with the sound of suppressed
laughter, was heard from behind the partition.

'They're a-twiggin' of you, Sir,' whispered Mr. Weller.

'Twigging of me, Sam!' replied Mr. Pickwick; 'what do you mean by
twigging me?'

Mr. Weller replied by pointing with his thumb over his shoulder, and Mr.