“Partly right, Sir,” replied Mr. Peter Magnus, “but partly wrong at the same time; try again, Mr. Pickwick.”

“Really,” said Mr. Pickwick, “I must throw myself on your mercy, to tell me or not, as you may think best; for I should never guess, if I were to try all night.”

“Why, then, he-he-he!” said Mr. Peter Magnus, with a bashful titter, “what should you think, Mr. Pickwick, if I had come down here to make a proposal, Sir, eh? He, he, he!”

“Think! That you are very likely to succeed,” replied Mr. Pickwick, with one of his beaming smiles.