The messenger fortunately found Mr.Solomon Pell in court, regaling himself, business being rather slack, with a cold collation of an Abernethy biscuit and a saveloy.The message was no sooner whispered in his ear than he thrust them in his pocket among various professional documents, and hurried over the way with such alacrity, that he reached the parlour before the messenger had even emancipated himself from the court.
"Gentlemen," said Mr.Pell, touching his hat, "my service to you all.
I don't say it to flatter you, gentlemen, but there are not five other men in the world, that I'd have come out of that court for, to-day.""So busy, eh?" said Sam.
"Busy!" replied Pell; "I'm completely sewn up, as my friend the late Lord Chancellor many a time used to say to me, gentlemen, when he came out from hearing appeals in the House of Lords.Poor fellow! he was very susceptible of fatigue; he used to feel those appeals uncommonly.I actually thought more than once that he'd have sunk under 'em; I did indeed."Here Mr.Pell shook his head and paused; on which, the elder Mr.Weller, nudging his neighbour, as begging him to mark the attorney's high connections, asked whether the duties in question produced any permanent ill effects on the constitution of his noble friend.
"I don't think he ever quite recovered them," replied Pell; "in fact I'm sure he never did.`Pell,' he used to say to me many a time, `how the blazes you can stand the head-work you do, is a mystery to me.'--`Well,'
I used to answer, ` I hardly know how I do it, upon my life'--`Pell,'
he'd add, sighing, and looking at me with a little envy--friendly envy, you know, gentlemen, mere friendly envy; I never minded it--`Pell, you're a wonder; a wonder.' Ah! you'd have liked him very much if you had known him, gentlemen.Bring me three penn'orth of rum, my dear."Addressing this latter remark to the waitress in a tone of subdued grief, Mr.Pell sighed, looked at his shoes, and the ceiling; and, the rum having by that time arrived, drunk it up.
"However," said Pell, drawing a chair to the table, "a professional man has no right to think of his private friendships when his legal assistance is wanted.By the bye, gentlemen, since I saw you here before, we have had to weep over a very melancholy occurrence."Mr.Pell drew out a pocket-handkerchief, when he came to the word weep, but he made no further use of it than to wipe away a slight tinge of rum which hung upon his upper lip.
"I saw it in the Advertiser, Mr.Weller," continued Pell."Bless my soul, not more than fifty-two! Dear me--only think."These indications of a musing spirit were addressed to the mottled-faced man, whose eyes Mr.Pell had accidentally caught; on which, the mottled-faced man, whose apprehension of matters in general was of a foggy nature, moved uneasily in his seat, and opined that indeed, so far as that went, there was no saying how things was brought about; which observation, involving one of those subtle propositions which it is difficult to encounter in argument, was controverted by nobody.
"I have heard it remarked that she was a very fine woman, Mr.Weller,"said Pell in a sympathising manner.
"Yes, sir, she wos," replied the elder Mr.Weller, not much relishing this mode of discussing the subject, and yet thinking that the attorney, from his long intimacy with the late Lord Chancellor, must know best on all matters of polite breeding."She wos a wery fine 'ooman, sir, ven Ifirst know'd her.She wos a widder, sir, at that time.""Now, it's curious," said Pell, looking round with a sorrowful smile;"Mrs.Pell was a widow."
"That's very extraordinary," said the mottled-faced man.
"Well, it is a curious coincidence," said Pell.
"Not at all," gruffly remarked the elder Mr.Weller.
"More widders is married than single wimin.""Very good, very good," said Pell, "you're quite right, Mr.Weller.
Mrs.Pell was a very elegant and accomplished woman; her manners were the theme of universal admiration in our neighbourhood.I was proud to see that woman dance; there was something so firm and dignified, and yet natural, in her motion.Her cutting, gentlemen, was simplicity itself.Ah! well, well! Excuse my asking the question, Mr.Samuel," continued the attorney in a lower voice, "was your mother-in-law tall?""Not wery," replied Sam.
"Mrs.Pell was a tall figure," said Pell, "a splendid woman, with a noble shape, and a nose, gentlemen, formed to command and be majestic.
She was very much attached to me--very much--highly connected, too.Her mother's brother, gentlemen, failed for eight hundred pounds, as a Law Stationer.""Vell," said Mr.Weller, who had grown rather restless during this discussion, "vith regard to bis'ness."The word was music to Pell's ears.He had been revolving in his mind whether any business was to be transacted, or whether he had been merely invited to partake of a glass of brandy and water, or a bowl of punch, or any similar professional compliment, and now the doubt was set at rest without his appearing at all eager for its solution.His eyes glistened as he laid his hat on the table, and said:
"What is the business upon which--um? Either of these gentlemen wish to go through the court? We require an arrest; a friendly arrest will do, you know; we are all friends here, I suppose?""Give me the dockyment, Sammy," said Mr.Weller, taking the will from his son, who appeared to enjoy the interview amazingly."Wot we rekvire, sir, is a probe o' this here.""Probate, my dear sir, probate," said Pell.
"Well, sir," replied Mr.Weller sharply, "probe and probe it, is wery much the same; if you don't understand wot I mean, sir, I dessay I can find them as does.""No offence, I hope, Mr.Weller," said Pell, meekly."You are the executor, I see," he added, casting his eyes over the paper.
"I am, sir," replied Mr.Weller.
"These other gentlemen, I presume, are legatees, are they?" inquired Pell with a congratulatory smile.