'Not knowin', can't say.'
'For what other reason, Sir,' pursued Mr. Pickwick,'are these subpoenas served upon them, if not for this?''Very good plant, Mr. Pickwick,' replied Jackson,slowly shaking his head. 'But it won't do. No harm in trying, but there's little to be got out of me.'
Here Mr. Jackson smiled once more upon the company, and, applying his left thumb to the tip of his nose, worked a visionary coffee-mill with his right hand, thereby performing a very graceful piece of pantomime (then much in vogue, but now, unhappily,almost obsolete) which was familiarly denominated'taking a grinder.'