He describes the poor innocent lady putting a bill in her window, "and let me entreat the attention of the Jury to the wording of this document--'Apartments furnished for a single gentleman!' Mrs. Bardell's opinions of the opposite sex, gentlemen, were derived from a long contemplation of the inestimable qualities of her lost husband. She had no fear--she had no distrust--she had no suspicion--all was confidence and reliance. 'Mr. Bardell,' said the widow: 'Mr. Bardell was a man of honour--Mr. Bardell was a man of his word--Mr. Bardell was no deceiver--Mr. Bardell was once a single gentleman himself; to single gentlemen I look for protection, for assistance, for comfort, and for consolation--in single gentlemen I shall perpetually see something to remind me of what Mr. Bardell was, when he first won my young and untried affections; to a single gentleman, then, shall my lodgings be let.' Actuated by this beautiful and touching impulse (among the best impulses of our imperfect nature, gentlemen), the lonely and desolate widow dried her tears, furnished her first floor, caught her innocent boy to her maternal bosom, and put the bill up in her parlour window. Did it remain there long? No. The serpent was on the watch, the train was laid, the mine was preparing, the sapper and miner was at work. Before the bill had been in the parlour window three days--three days, gentlemen--a being, erect upon two legs, and bearing all the outward semblance of a man, and not of a monster, knocked at the door of Mrs. Bardell's house. He enquired within." Those who attended the Reading will recall the admirable briskness, and more admirable spirit with which Boz delivered the passage "by the evidence of the unimpeachable female whom I shall place in that"--here he brought down his palm with a mighty slap on the desk, and added, after a moment's pause, "_Box_ before you." It was that _preceding_ of the stroke that told. So real was it, one fancied oneself listening to some obstreperous counsel. In all true acting--notably on the French boards--the gesture should a little precede the utterance. So the serjeant knew something of art. When Mr. Pickwick gave an indignant start on hearing himself described as a heartless villain how cleverly does the capable Buzfuz turn the incident to profit. [Picture: Mr. Pickwick as a Monster]