ere not much below the usual type of middle-class solicitors. What
they did was in the ordinary course. With Mr. Pickwick they were most
forbearing, and even indulgent. There was one rather doubtful passage,
but even here he offers extenuation. This was their treatment of poor
Ramsey, which, at first sight, seems very bad indeed.

'There was such a game with Fogg here, this mornin',' said the man in
the brown coat, 'while Jack was upstairs sorting the papers, and you
two were gone to the stamp-office. Fogg was down here opening the
letters, when that chap we issued the writ against at Camberwell, you
know, came in--what's his name again?'

'Ramsey,' said the clerk who had spoken to Mr. Pickwick.

'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
pocke