“Never was such cards,” said the fat gentleman.

A solemn silence; Mr. Pickwick humorous, the old lady serious, the fat gentleman captious, and Mr. Miller timorous.

“Another double,” said the old lady, triumphantly making a memorandum of the circumstance, by placing one sixpence and a battered halfpenny under the candlestick.

“A double, sir,” said Mr. Pickwick.

“Quite aware of the fact, Sir,” replied the fat gentleman sharply.