g had ejaculated this much, when he was stopped by
Dodson.

'Mr. Fogg,' said Dodson, 'I am going to speak.' 'I beg your pardon, Mr.
Dodson,' said Fogg.

'For the grounds of action, sir,' continued Dodson, with moral elevation
in his air, 'you will consult your own conscience and your own feelings.
We, Sir, we, are guided entirely by the statement of our client. That
statement, Sir, may be true, or it may be false; it may be credible, or
it may be incredible; but, if it be true, and if it be credible, I do
not hesitate to say, Sir, that our grounds of action, Sir, are strong,
and not to be shaken. You may be an unfortunate man, Sir, or you may be
a designing one; but if I were called upon, as a juryman upon my oath,
Sir, to express an opinion of your conduct, Sir, I do not hesitate to
assert that I should have but one opinion about it.' Here Dodson drew
himself up, with an air of offended virtue, and looked at Fogg, who
thrust his hands farther in his pockets, and nodding his head sagely,
said, in a tone of the fullest concurrence, 'Most certainly.'

'Well, Sir,' said Mr. Pickwick, with considerable pain depicted in
his countenance, 'you will permit me to assure you that I am a most
unfortunate man, so far as this case is concerned.'

'I hope you are, Sir,' replied Dodson; 'I trust you may be, Sir. If
you are really innocent of what is laid to your charge, you are more
unfortunate than I had believed any man could possibly be. What do you
say, Mr. Fogg?'

'I say precisely what you say,' replied Fogg, with a smile of
incredulity.

'The writ, Sir, which commences the action,' continued Dodson, 'was
issued regularly. Mr. Fogg, where is the PRAECIPE book?'

'Here it is,' said Fogg, handing over a square book, with a parchment
cover.

'Here is the entry,' resumed Dodson. '"Middlesex, Capias MARTHA
BARDELL, WIDOW, v. SAMUEL PICKWICK. Damages #1500. Dodson & Fogg for the
plaintiff, Aug. 28, 1827." All regular, Sir; perfectly.' Dodson coughed
and looked at Fogg, who said 'Perfectly,' also. And then they both
looked at Mr. Pickwick.

'I am to understand, then,' said Mr. Pickwick, 'that it really is your
intention to proceed with this action?'

'Understand, sir!--that you certainly may,' replied Dodson, with
something as near a smile as his importance would allow.

'And that the damages are actually laid at fifteen hundred pounds?' said
Mr. Pickwick.

'To which understanding you may add my assurance, that if we cou