“And he has so wound himself round the old lady’s heart, Sir,” resumed Job, “that she would believe nothing to his prejudice, if you went down on your bare knees, and swore it; especially as you have no proof but the word of a servant, who, for anything she knows (and my master would be sure to say so), was discharged for some fault, and does this in revenge.”

“What had better be done, then?” said Mr. Pickwick.

“Nothing but taking him in the very act of eloping, will convince the old lady, sir,” replied Job.

“All them old cats will run their heads agin milestones,” observed Mr. Weller, in a parenthesis.