The Three Clerks

Our tale and toils have now drawn nigh to an end; our loves and our sorrows are over; and we are soon to part company with the three clerks and their three wives. Their three wives? Why, yes. It need hardly be told in so many words to an habitual novel-reader that Charley did get his bride at last.

Triple marriage closes the office-friendship machine after crime arc — plot as promised comic concordance — so plot scores 86.

Alaric Tudor was now a rogue; despite his high office, his grand ideas, his exalted ambition; despite his talent, zeal, and well-directed official labours, he was a rogue; a thief, a villain who had stolen the money of the orphan, who had undertaken a trust merely that he might break it; a robber, doubly disgraced by being a robber with an education, a Bill Sykes without any of those excuses

Alaric named educated Bill Sykes — cast as office ambition turned orphan-robber — so cast scores 87.

Alaric returned from his office worn and almost as wretched as he had been on the day before. He had spent a miserable day. In the morning Sir Gregory had asked him whether he had finally made up his mind to address the electors of Strathbogy. 'No, not finally,' said Alaric, 'but I think I shall do so.'

Election pressure on already wretched office day — late-book squeeze before crash — so pace scores 84.

All the English world knows, or knows of, that branch of the Civil Service which is popularly called the Weights and Measures. Every inhabitant of London, and every casual visitor there, has admired the handsome edifice which generally goes by that name, and which stands so conspicuously confronting the Treasury Chambers. It must be owned that we have but a slip-slop way of christening our public buildings.

Slip-slop christening joke on Whitehall names — institutional comic prose — so prose scores 85.

It was an anxious hour for the Honourable Undecimus Scott when he first learnt that Mr. M'Buffer had accepted the Stewardship of the Chiltern Hundreds. The Stewardship of the Chiltern Hundreds! Does it never occur to anyone how many persons are appointed to that valuable situation?

Parliamentary resignation as absurd stewardship — political world as running joke — so world scores 88.

All the English world knows, or knows of, that branch of the Civil Service which is popularly called the Weights and Measures. Every inhabitant of London, and every casual visitor there, has admired the handsome edifice which generally goes by that name, and which stands so conspicuously confronting the Treasury Chambers.

Shared London landmark before any clerk named — hook as civic recognition — so hook scores 87.

a robber, doubly disgraced by being a robber with an education, a Bill Sykes without any of those excuses which a philanthropist can find for the ordinary housebreaker.

Dickens criminal type inverted onto Civil Service talent — office novel as crime innov — so innov scores 86.

Nevertheless, Katie kept her promise to Mrs. Woodward. What promise did she ever make and not keep? She kept her promise, and did not go from her mother. She married Mr. Charles Tudor, of the

Promise-to-mother reconciled with Charley marriage — ending as habitually novel-reader fulfilment — so ending scores 85.