Humorous stories; Legal stories; London (England) -- Fiction; Trials (Breach of promise) -- Fiction
'Ah, Ramsey--a precious seedy-looking customer. 'Well, sir,' says
old Fogg, looking at him very fierce--you know his way--'well, Sir,
have you come to settle?' 'Yes, I have, Sir,' said Ramsey, putting
his hand in his pocket, and bringing out the money, 'the debt
two-pound ten, and the costs three pound five, and here it is, sir;'
and he sighed like bricks, as he lugged out the money, done up in a
bit of blotting paper. Old Fogg looked first at the money, and then
at him, and then he coughed in his rum way, so that I knew something
was coming. 'You don't know there's a declaration filed, which
increases the costs materially, I suppose?' said Fogg. 'You don't
say that Sir,' said Ramsey, starting back; 'the time was only out
last night, Sir.' 'I do say it, though,' said Fogg, 'my clerk's just
gone to file it. Hasn't Mr. Jackson gone to file that declaration in
Bullman and Ramsey, Mr. Wicks?' Of course I said yes, and then Fogg
coughed again, and looked at Ramsey. 'My God!' said Ramsey; 'and
here have I nearly driven myself mad, scraping this money together,
and all to no purpose.' 'None at all,' said Fogg, coolly; 'so you
had better go back and scrape some more together, and bring it here
in time.' 'I can't get it, by God,' said Ramsey, striking the desk
with his fist. 'Don't bully me, Sir,' said Fogg, getting into a
passion on purpose. 'I am not bullying you, Sir,' said Ramsey. 'You
are,' said Fogg; 'get out, Sir, get out of this office, Sir, and come
back, Sir, when you know how to behave yourself.' Well, Ramsey tried
to speak, but Fogg wouldn't let him, so he put the money in his
pocket, and sneaked out. The door was scarcely shut, when old Fogg
turned round to me, with a sweet smile on his face, and drew the
declaration out of his coat pocket. 'Here, Wicks,' says Fogg, 'take
a cab, and go down to the Temple as quick as you can, and file that.
The costs are quite safe, for he's a steady man with a large family,
at a salary of five-and-twenty shillings a week, and if he gives us a
warrant of attorney, as he must in the end, I know his employers will
see it paid; so we may as well get all we can out of him, Mr. Wicks;
it's a Christian act to do it, Mr. Wicks, for with his large family
and small income, he'll be all the better for a good lesson against
getting into debt,--won't he, Mr. Wicks, won't he?'--and he smiled so
goodnaturedly as he went away, that it was delightful to see him.
'He is a capital man of business,' said Wicks, in a tone of the
deepest admiration, 'capital, isn't he?'
The other three cordially subscribed to this opinion, and the
anecdote afforded the most unlimited satisfaction.
'Nice men these here, Sir,' whispered Mr. Weller to his master; 'wery
nice notion of fun they has, Sir.'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account