On his looking up, the row of heads suddenly disappeared, and the sound of pens travelling at a furious rate over paper, immediately succeeded.
A sudden ring at the bell which hung in the office, summoned Mr.Jackson to the apartment of Fogg, from whence he came back to say that he (Fogg) was ready to see Mr.Pickwick if he would step upstairs.

Upstairs Mr.
Pickwick did step accordingly, leaving Sam Weller below.

The room door of the one-pair back, bore inscribed in legible characters the imposing words, 'Mr.Fogg'; and, having tapped thereat, and been desired to come in, Jackson ushered Mr.Pickwick into the presence.
'Is Mr.Dodson in ?' inquired Mr.Fogg.
'Just come in, Sir,' replied Jackson.
'Ask him to step here.' 'Yes, sir.' Exit Jackson.
'Take a seat, sir,' said Fogg; 'there is the paper, sir; my partner will be here directly, and we can converse about this matter, sir.' Mr.Pickwick took a seat and the paper, but, instead of reading the latter, peeped over the top of it, and took a survey of the man of business, who was an elderly, pimply-faced, vegetable-diet sort of man, in a black coat, dark mixture trousers, and small black gaiters; a kind of being who seemed to be an essential part of the desk at which he was writing, and to have as much thought or feeling.
After a few minutes' silence, Mr.Dodson, a plump, portly, stern-looking man, with a loud voice, appeared; and the conversation commenced.
'This is Mr.Pickwick,' said Fogg.
'Ah! You are the defendant, Sir, in Bardell and Pickwick ?' said Dodson.
'I am, sir,' replied Mr.Pickwick.
'Well, sir,' said Dodson, 'and what do you propose ?' 'Ah!' said Fogg, thrusting his hands into his trousers' pockets, and throwing himself back in his chair, 'what do you propose, Mr Pickwick ?' 'Hush, Fogg,' said Dodson, 'let me hear what Mr.Pickwick has to say.' 'I came, gentlemen,' said Mr.Pickwick, gazing placidly on the two partners, 'I came here, gentlemen, to express the surprise with which I received your letter of the other day, and to inquire what grounds of action you can have against me.' 'Grounds of--' Fogg had ejaculated this much, when he was stopped by Dodson.
'Mr.Fogg,' said Dodson, 'I am going to speak.' 'I beg your pardon, Mr.
Dodson,' said Fogg.
'For the grounds of action, sir,' continued Dodson, with moral elevation in his air, 'you will consult your own conscience and your own feelings.
We, Sir, we, are guided entirely by the statement of our client.

That statement, Sir, may be true, or it may be false; it may be credible, or it may be incredible; but, if it be true, and if it be credible, I do not hesitate to say, Sir, that our grounds of action, Sir, are strong, and not to be shaken.

You may be an unfortunate man, Sir, or you may be a designing one; but if I were called upon, as a juryman upon my oath, Sir, to express an opinion of your conduct, Sir, I do not hesitate to assert that I should have but one opinion about it.' Here Dodson drew himself up, with an air of offended virtue, and looked at Fogg, who thrust his hands farther in his pockets, and nodding his head sagely, said, in a tone of the fullest concurrence, 'Most certainly.' 'Well, Sir,' said Mr.Pickwick, with considerable pain depicted in his countenance, 'you will permit me to assure you that I am a most unfortunate man, so far as this case is concerned.' 'I hope you are, Sir,' replied Dodson; 'I trust you may be, Sir.