“So are you, sir,” said Pott, addressing Mr. Ben Allen.

Ben admitted the soft impeachment.

“And are both deeply imbued with those blue principles, which, so long as I live, I have pledged myself to the people of these kingdoms to support and to maintain?” suggested Pott.

“Why, I don’t exactly know about that,” replied Bob Sawyer. “I am⁠—”

“Not buff, Mr. Pickwick,” interrupted Pott, drawing back his chair, “your friend is not buff, sir?”

“No, no,” rejoined Bob, “I’m a kind of plaid at present; a compound of all sorts of colours.”