“Are you Mr. Perker’s servant?” inquired Mr. Pickwick.

“I am Mr. Perker’s laundress,” replied the woman.

“Ah,” said Mr. Pickwick, half aside to Sam, “it’s a curious circumstance, Sam, that they call the old women in these inns, laundresses. I wonder what’s that for?”

“ ’Cos they has a mortal awersion to washing anythin’, I suppose, Sir,” replied Mr. Weller.