st obsolete)
which was familiarly denominated 'taking a grinder.' (Imagine a
modern solicitor's clerk "Taking a grinder!")

'No, no, Mr. Pickwick,' said Jackson, in conclusion; 'Perker's people
must guess what we served these subpoenas for. If they can't, they
must wait till the action comes on, and then they'll find out.'

Mr. Pickwick bestowed a look of excessive disgust on his unwelcome
visitor, and would probably have hurled some tremendous anathema at
the heads of Messrs. Dodson and Fogg, had not Sam's entrance at the
instant interrupted him.

'Samuel Weller?' said Mr. Jackson, inquiringly.

'Vun o' the truest things as you've said for many a long year,'
replied Sam, in a most composed manner.

'Here's a subpoena for you, Mr. Weller,' said Jackson.

'What's that in English?' inquired Sam.

'Here's the original,' said Jackson, declining the required
explanation.

'Which?' said Sam.

'This,' replied Jackson, shaking the parchment.

'Oh, that's the 'rig'nal, is it?' said Sam. 'Well, I'm wery glad
I've seen the 'rig'nal, 'cos it's a gratifyin' sort o' thing, and
eases vun's mind so much.'

'And here's the shilling,' said Jackson. 'It's from Dodson and
Fogg's.'

'And it's uncommon handsome o' Dodson and Fogg, as knows so little of
me, to come down vith a present,' said Sam. 'I feel it as a wery
high compliment, sir; it's a wery hon'rable thing to them, as they
knows how to reward merit werever they meets it. Besides wich, it's
affectin to one's feelin's.'

As Mr. Weller said this, he inflicted a little friction on his right
eye-lid, with the sleeve of his coat, after the most approved manner
of actors when they are in domestic pathetics.

Mr. Jackson seemed rather puzzled by Sam's proceedings; but, as he
had served the subpoenas, and had nothing more to say, he made a
feint of putting on the one glove which he usually carried in his
hand, for the sake of appearances; and returned to the office to
report progress.

Another of Mr. Pickwick's foolish and self-willed proceedings was the
interview with Serjeant Snubbin, which he so positively insisted upon.
We may wonder now-a-days would any K.C. of position have condescended to
allow such a proceeding? I fancy it would be thought "irregular:" though
perhaps _ex gratia_, and from the oddity of the proposal,