[The Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens]@TWC D-Link bookThe Pickwick Papers CHAPTER XL 17/21
'Stumpy and Deacon,' said the new-comer. Nobody answered; the next man who came in, was bailed by the whole three; and he in his turn shouted for another firm; and then somebody else roared in a loud voice for another; and so forth. All this time, the man in the spectacles was hard at work, swearing the clerks; the oath being invariably administered, without any effort at punctuation, and usually in the following terms:-- 'Take the book in your right hand this is your name and hand-writing you swear that the contents of this your affidavit are true so help you God a shilling you must get change I haven't got it.' 'Well, Sam,' said Mr.Pickwick, 'I suppose they are getting the HABEAS-CORPUS ready ?' 'Yes,' said Sam, 'and I vish they'd bring out the have-his-carcase. It's wery unpleasant keepin' us vaitin' here.
I'd ha' got half a dozen have-his-carcases ready, pack'd up and all, by this time.' What sort of cumbrous and unmanageable machine, Sam Weller imagined a habeas-corpus to be, does not appear; for Perker, at that moment, walked up and took Mr.Pickwick away. The usual forms having been gone through, the body of Samuel Pickwick was soon afterwards confided to the custody of the tipstaff, to be by him taken to the warden of the Fleet Prison, and there detained until the amount of the damages and costs in the action of Bardell against Pickwick was fully paid and satisfied. 'And that,' said Mr.Pickwick, laughing, 'will be a very long time.
Sam, call another hackney-coach.
Perker, my dear friend, good-bye.' 'I shall go with you, and see you safe there,' said Perker. 'Indeed,' replied Mr.Pickwick, 'I would rather go without any other attendant than Sam.
As soon as I get settled, I will write and let you know, and I shall expect you immediately.
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