Pickwick Abroad: or, The Tour in France — page 247: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

198 Pickwick Abroad. also wore long ringlets and a plurality of chains, and was attired in a green cut-away coat with brass buttons, the remainder of his attire, with the exception of his linen, being jet black. To be brief, there was a kind of out-and-out rakish and knowing appearance about these two gentlemen, that qualified them amazingly well for their respective names, the former delighting in the appellation of Peacock, and the latter illustrating the patronymic of Brandenbergh. ‘“‘ Capital fun, wasn’t it Peacock ?’”’ blandly appealed Mr. Branden- bergh to his friend, to prevent the possibility of his ever being dis- tantly suspected of leasing. ’ ) ‘‘Rummest lark I ever had,” was the reply, corroborative of the truth of a tale just invented and related by his companion. “T should think it must have been very amusing,” observed Mr. Pickwick, waking up from a doze of ten minutes, during which Mr. Brandenbergh’s tale had lasted. “Why, what do you think?” continued Mr. Brandenbergh, after a moment’s prudent reflection: ‘‘ the lawyers, who chiefiy_employ the gentleman with whom I am studymg for the bar, are such sharp fellows that they advertise something in the following terms :- ‘Messieurs Hookem and Sharpe beg to inform their friends and the public, that they undertake, at every court, to carry gentlemen through any ordeal which violation of the laws may have subjected them to; that the counsel they employ are peculiarly happy im confounding witnesses during cross-examination; and that they have already saved several noblemen and gentlemen from the gallows, transporta- tion, and the treadmill, respectively for great or minor offences. Business done on ready money terms only.,— What do you think of that for a specimen of the practice of Hookem and Sharpe, who more- over undertake to bribe sheriffs’ officers, prove alzbis, get a man straw bail? &c., &e., &e.”’ . Mr. Pickwick ded think that two more unmitigated rogues than the legal gentlemen alluded to, were not at that moment unhung ; but he contented himself with an expression of astonishment at their great and versatile talents in every branch of their profession. “Ah!” continued Mr. Brandenbérgh, to the infinite delight of Mr. Pickwick ; ‘‘ it is no wonder that they did well; for they commenced upon an excellent foundation. They purchased a busmess in which ninety-seven suits-at-law, with rich and obstinate clients, had been already commenced ; and they bought up at five per cent. all the bad bills of the young men about London. That was the way to get on in the profession, and I’m glad I belong to it. But they were born lawyers, you may say; and I only came into the full possession of my talents when I was about twenty-one.”’ ‘And a very pretty little reversion it must have been,” said Mr. Pickwick, innocently, as he awoke from his third doze. Mr. Bran- denbergh looked confused—Mr. Peacock politely requested Mr. Pick- wick to “go it again,” encouraging him at the same time so to do by calling him “a good old fellow”—and the remainder of the party sipped the wine from the glasses they held in their hands. “Pray,” said Mr. Winkle, addressing himself to Mr. Peacock, whose degagé air he considerably admired, ‘‘ have you left London long, Sir 2” Gomicbooks (E(0)