Mr. Micawber coughed, and drank his punch with an air of exceeding satisfaction—still glancing at Traddles, as if he desired to have his opinion.
“Why, the plain state of the case, Mrs. Micawber,” said Traddles, mildly breaking the truth to her, “I mean the real prosaic fact, you know—”
“Just so,” said Mrs. Micawber, “my dear Mr. Traddles, I wish to be as prosaic and literal as possible on a subject of so much importance.”
“—Is,” said Traddles, “that this branch of the law, even if Mr. Micawber were a regular solicitor—”
“Exactly so,” returned Mrs. Micawber. (“Wilkins, you are squinting, and will not be able to get your eyes back.”)
“—Has nothing,” pursued Traddles, “to do with that. Only a barrister is eligible for such preferments; and Mr. Micawber could not be a barrister, without being entered at an inn of court as a student, for five years.”
“Do I follow you?” said Mrs. Micawber, with her most affable air of business. “Do I understand, my dear Mr. Traddles, that, at the expiration of that period, Mr. Micawber would be eligible as a Judge or Chancellor?”
“He would be eligible,” returned Traddles, with a strong emphasis on that word.
“Thank you,” said Mrs. Micawber. “That is quite sufficient. If such is the case, and Mr. Micawber forfeits no privilege by entering on these duties, my anxiety is set at rest. I speak,” said Mrs. Micawber, “as a female, necessarily; but I have always been of opinion that Mr. Micawber possesses what I have heard my papa call, when I lived at home, the judicial mind; and I hope Mr. Micawber is now entering on a field where that mind will develope itself, and take a commanding station.”
I quite believe that Mr. Micawber saw himself, in his judicial mind’s eye, on the woolsack. He passed his hand complacently over his bald head, and said with ostentatious resignation: