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"I am requested, sir, to express a hope," said Mr. Pugstyles, with a distant bow, "that on receiving a requisition to that effect from a great majority of your constituents, you will not object at once to resign your seat in favour of some candidate whom they think they can better trust."

To which Mr. Gregsbury read the following reply, which, anticipating the request, he had composed in the form of a letter, whereof copies had been made to send round to the newspapers.

'MY DEAR PUGSTYLES,

'Next to the welfare of our beloved island-this great and free and happy country, whose powers and resources are, I sincerely believe, illimitable-I value that noble independence which is an Englishman's proudest boast, and which I fondly hope to bequeath to my children untarnished and unsullied. Actuated by no personal motives, but moved only by high and great constitutional considerations which I will not attempt to explain, for they are really beneath the comprehension of those who have not made themselves masters, as I have, of the intricate and arduous study of politics, I would rather keep my seat, and intend doing so.

'Will you do me the favour to present my compliments to the constituent body, and acquaint them with this circumstance?

'With great esteem,
'My dear Pugstyles,

etc., etc.' "Then you will not resign, under any circumstances?" asked the spokesman.

Mr. Gregsbury smiled, and shook his head.

"Then good morning, sir," said Pugstyles, angrily.

"God bless you," said Mr. Gregsbury. And the deputation, with many growls and scowls, filed off as quickly as the narrowness of the staircase would allow of their getting down.

The last man being gone, Mr. Gregsbury rubbed his hands and chuckled, as merry fellows will, when they think they have said or done a more than commonly good thing.

Examination of Mr. Winkle and Sam Weller.

Judge. What is the first case on the file, Brother Buzfuz? Buzfuz. Bardell versus Pickwick, my Lud.

Judge. Who is your first witness?

Buz. Samuel Weller, my Lud.

Judge. Call Samuel Weller.

Sam Weller, upon hearing his name, stepped briskly into the witness-box, put his hat on the floor, his arms on the rail, and took a bird's-eye view of the assembled Court.

Judge. What's your name, sir?

Sam. Sam. Weller, my Lord.

Judge. Do you spell it with a V or a W

Sam. That depends upon the taste and fancy of the speller, my Lord. I never had occasion to spell it more than once or twice in my life, but I spells it with a V.

Here a voice in the gallery exclaimed aloud—“Quite right, too, Samivel; quite right. Put it down a we, my Lord, put it down a we.'

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Judge. Do you know who that is who has dared to address the Court?

Sam. I rayther suspect it is my father, my Lord.
Judge. Do you see him here now?

Sam. "No, I don't, my Lord," replied Sam, staring right up into the lantern in the roof of the court.

Judge. If you could have pointed him out, I would have committed him instantly.

Sam bowed his acknowledgments, and turned with unimpaired cheerfulness of countenance towards Serjeant Buzfuz. Buz. Now, Mr. Weller.

Sam.
Buz.

Now, sir.

I believe you are in the service of Mr. Pickwick? Speak up, if you please, Mr. Weller.

Sam. I mean to speak up, sir; I am in the service of that 'ere gen'l'man, and a wery good service it is.

Buz.
Sam.

Little to do, and plenty to get, I suppose?

Oh, quite enough to get, sir, as the soldier said ven they ordered him three hundred and fifty lashes.

Judge. You must not tell us what the soldier, or any other man, said, sir; it's not evidence.

Sam. Wery good, my Lord.

Buz. Do you recollect anything particular happening on the morning when you were first engaged by the defendant? Eh, Mr. Weller?

Sam.

Buz.

Yes, I do, sir.

Have the goodness to tell the jury what it was.

Sam. I had a reg'lar new fit out o' clothes that mornin', gen'l'men of the jury, and that was a wery partickler and uncommon circumstance vith me in those days.

Judge. You had better be careful, sir.

Sam. So Mr. Pickwick said at the time, my Lord, and I was wery careful o' that 'ere suit o' clothes; wery careful, inLord.

deed, my

The Judge looked sternly at Sam for full two minutes, but Sam's features were so perfectly calm and serene that the Judge said nothing, and motioned Serjeant Buzfuz to proceed. Buz. Do you mean to tell me, Mr. Weller-do you mean to tell me, that you saw nothing of the fainting on the the plaintiff in the arms of the defendant?

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of

Sam. Certainly not. I was in the passage till they called me up, and then the old lady wasn't there.

Buz. Now, attend, Mr. Weller. You were in the passage till they called you up, and yet saw nothing of what was going forward. Have you a pair of eyes, Mr. Weller?

Sam. Yes, I have a pair o' eyes, and that's just it. If they was a pair o' patent double million magnifyin' gas microscopes of hextra power, p'raps I might be able to see through a flight o' stairs, and a deal-door; but bein' only eyes, you see, my wision's limited.

Buz. It's perfectly useless, my Lud, attempting to get at any evidence, through the impenetrable stupidity of this witStand down, sir.

ness.

Sam. Would any other gen'l'man like to ask me anythin'? Buz. Go down, sir!!!

Sam went down accordingly.

Judge. Who is your next witness, Brother Buzfuz?

Buz. Nathaniel Winkle, my Lud.

Judge. Call Nathaniel Winkle.

Mr. Winkle entered the witness-box, and bowed to the

Judge.

Judge. Don't look at me, sir; look at the jury.

Mr. Winkle obeyed the mandate.

Judge. What's your name, sir?

Winkle. W-Winkle.

Judge. What's your Christian name, sir?

Winkle. Na-thaniel, sir.

Judge. Daniel-any other name?

Winkle. Na-thaniel, sir.

Judge. Nathaniel Daniel-or Daniel Nathaniel?

Winkle. No, my Lord, only Na-thaniel-not Daniel at all. Judge. Why did you tell me it was Daniel, then?

Winkle. I d-didn't, my Lord.

Judge. You did, sir; how could I have got Daniel in my notes, unless you had told me so?

Buz. Now, Mr. Winkle, attend to me, if you please. I believe you are a particular friend of Mr. Pickwick, are you not? Winkle. I-I have known Mr. Pickwick, now-as well as I can recollect at this moment, nearly

Buz. Pray, Mr. Winkle, do not evade the question. Are you, or are you not, a particular friend of Mr. Pickwick ? Winkle. I-I was just about to say, that

Buz. Will you, or will you not, answer my question? Judge. If you don't answer the question, sir, you'll be committed.

Buz Come, sir, yes or no, if you please.

Winkle. Y-Yes-I am.

Buz. Yes, you are!! And why couldn't you say so at once, sir? Perhaps you know Mrs. Bardell, too-eh, Mr. Winkle?

Winkle. I-I don't know her-I-I've seen her.

Buz. Oh, you don't know her, but you've seen her. What do you mean by that, Mr. Winkle?

Winkle. I mean that I am not intimate with her, but that I have seen her, when I went to call upon my friend, Mr. P-Pickwick, in G-Goswell Street.

Judge. Will you stop that stammering, Mr. Winkle!!! Winkle. My Lord, it's a natural impediment in my spspeech-which I c-can by no p-possibility g-get over. Buz. Oh, get down, Mr. Winkle.

The Art of Proposing.

When Mr. Pickwick descended to the room in which he and Mr. Peter Magnus had spent the preceding evening, he found that gentleman with the major part of the contents of the

two bags, the leathern hat-box, and the brown-paper parcel of the night before, displayed to all possible advantage on his person, while he himself was pacing up and down the room in a state of the utmost excitement and agitation.

"Good morning, sir," said Mr. Peter Magnus. you think of this, sir?"

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"What do

Very effective indeed," replied Mr. Pickwick, surveying the garments of Mr. Peter Magnus with a good-natured smile. "Yes, I think it'll do," said Mr. Magnus. "Mr. Pickwick, sir, I have sent up my card."

"Have you?" said Mr. Pickwick.

"And the waiter brought back word that she would see me at cleven-at eleven, sir. It only wants a quarter now."

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Very near the time," said Mr. Pickwick.

Yes, it is rather near," replied Mr. Magnus, near to be pleasant-eh! Mr. Pickwick, sir?"

" rather too

"Confidence is a great thing in these cases," observed Mr. Pickwick.

"I believe it is, sir," said Mr. Peter Magnus. "I am very confident, sir. Really, Mr. Pickwick, I do not see why a man should feel any fear in such a case as this, sir. What is it, sir? There's nothing to be ashamed of; it's a matter of mutual accommodation, nothing more. Husband on one side, wife on the other. That's my view of the matter, Mr. Pickwick.”

"It is a very philosophical one," replied Mr. Pickwick. “But breakfast is waiting, Mr. Magnus. Come."

Down they sat to breakfast, but it was evident, notwithstanding the boasting of Mr. Peter Magnus, that he laboured under a very considerable degree of nervousness, of which loss of appetite, a propensity to upset the tea-things, a spectral attempt at drollery, and an irresistible inclination to look at the clock every other second, were among the principal symp

toms.

"He-he-he," tittered Mr. Magnus, affecting cheerfulness, and gasping with agitation. "It only wants two minutes, Mr. Pickwick. Am I pale, sir?"

"Not very," replied Mr. Pickwick.

There was a brief pause.

"I beg your pardon, Mr. Pickwick; but have you ever done this sort of thing in your time?" said Mr. Magnus.

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