"Never mind what you know, Sir. Did you or did you not get him from there?" thundered the Serjeant. "Of course I did." "Of course you did. Then what's the use of all this juggling. It does you no good with My Lord and the Jury. I tell you plainly, Mr. Pickwick, we mean to have all out of you. Now Sir, was this man of yours an experienced valet?" "Certainly not." "He had, of course, some training in his profession in other families?" "Not that I know of." "Not that you know of. Do you dare to persist in that, Sir?" "Why not?" "Don't ask _me_ questions, Sir, I'm asking _you_. Do you deny, Sir, that the man was neither more nor less than a common Boots in the yard of a Public House, wearing an old tattered hat and jacket--very different from the suit in which you have rigged him up here to-day?" Mr. Pickwick was astonished and silent. He was suffering. He had never dreamed of this view. "Why," he said, "I suppose--" "We want none of your supposes, Sir, answer yes or no." "Well he certainly was such as you describe." A flutter ran round the court. "And this creature of yours, you would impose on the Jury as a trained man servant. You may go down Sir." PLEA FOR "DODSON AND FOGG." This famous firm of city attornies has become a bye-word in legal history--being considered the most notorious of practitioners for sharp, underhand, scheming practices. Boz was always vehement against the abuses of the law, but his generous ardour sometimes led him to exaggerated and wholesale statements that were scarcely well founded. This is found in some degree even in the sweeping attacks in _Bleak House_. But he was so vivid, so persuasive, in his pictures, that there was no appeal. The unreasoning fury of Mr. Pickwick is specially shown in the case of Jingle, whom he pursued with an animosity that was almost frantic. One would think it was some public enemy he was hunting down for the public good. Poor Jingle had really done nothing so monstrous, after all. He had "chaffed" Dr. Slammer, "run off" with the spinster aunt--nothing so uncommon in those days--had been consigned to the Fleet for non-payment of his debts, and there showed penitence and other signs of a good heart. His one serious offence was passing himself off as a naval officer, and under an assumed name. But he had _crossed_ Mr. Pickwick--had ridiculed him--had contemptuously sent a message to "Tuppy." When he dared to play a practical joke on his persecutor, his infamy passed beyond bounds. Here was the key to Mr. Pickwick's nature--any lack of homage or respect was an offence against morality. So with Dodson and Fogg. He had settled in his mind that a condescending visit to these gentlemen, with a little explanation and remonstrance would completely disarm them. His fury on his advances being rejected was extraordinary.