As the ancient clerk deliberately folded and superscribed the note, Mr. Cruncher, after surveying him in silence until he came to the blotting-paper stage, remarked:

`I suppose they'll be trying Forgeries this morning?'

`That's quartering,' said Jerry. `Barbarous!'

`It is the law,' remarked the ancient clerk, turning his surprised spectacles upon him. `It is the law.

`It `shard in the law to spile a man, I think. It `shard enough to kill him, but it's wery hard to spile him, sir.'

`Not at all,' returned the ancient clerk. `Speak well of the law. Take care of your chest and voice, my good friend, and leave the law to take care of itself. I give you that advice.'

`It's the damp, sir, what settles on my chest and voice,' said Jerry. `I leave you to judge what a damp way of earning a living mine is.'

`Well, well,' said the old clerk; `we all have our various ways of gaining a livelihood. Some of us have damp ways, and some of us have dry ways. Here is the letter. Go along.'