“Ah, to be sure!” interposed Perker; “come, account for this idleness. You see Mr. Pickwick’s only astonishment is, that it wasn’t all over, months ago.”

“Why the fact is,” replied Mr. Winkle, looking at his blushing young wife, “that I could not persuade Bella to run away, for a long time. And when I had persuaded her, it was a long time more before we could find an opportunity. Mary had to give a month’s warning, too, before she could leave her place next door, and we couldn’t possibly have done it without her assistance.”