'Placed me in such an extremely awkward situation,' continued Mr. Pickwick. 'Very,' was the reply of his followers, as they coughed slightly, and looked dubiously at each other. This behaviour was not lost upon Mr. Pickwick. He remarked their incredulity. They evidently suspected him. It may be reasonably supposed that Mr. Pickwick had not been very discreet, or sufficiently cautious in his general behaviour to his landlady. As we know, he was rather too effusive in his relations with the fair sex. One of his weaknesses was _kissing_. He would kiss everybody who was young or good-looking. His maxim was "Kiss early and kiss often." Who can forget his _systematic_ method of greeting the engaging Arabella? "He (1) took off his spectacles, (2) in great haste, and (3) taking both the young lady's hands in his (4) kissed her (5) a great many times (6) perhaps a greater number of times than was absolutely necessary." Old rogue! I have little doubt that on his return home from his tours he encircled the buxom figure of Mrs. Bardell--all of course in his own paternal and privileged way. It should be borne in mind also that Mr. Pickwick was almost invariably drawn into his more serious scrapes and embarrassments by this devotion to the sex. The night in the boarding school garden--the affair with the spinster lady--his interview with Arabella from the top of the wall--his devotion to Mrs. Pott and Mrs. Dowler--and much more that we do not hear of, show that he was a gallant elderly gentleman. Oh, he was a "sly dog, he was." There is a curious burst of Mr. Pickwick's which seems to hint at a sort of tender appreciation on his side. When the notice of trial was sent to him, in his first vehemence, he broke out that Mrs. Bardell had nothing to do with the business, "_She hadn't the heart to do it_." Mr. Pickwick could not speak with this certainty, unless he knew the lady's feelings pretty well. _Why_ hadn't she the heart to do it? Because she was sincerely attached to him and his interests and was "a dear creature." This, however, was a fond delusion of the worthy gentleman's. Persons of her class are not quite so disinterested as they appear to be, especially if they have to interpret the various paternal and comforting advances made to them by their well to do lodgers.