slighted by Mr Jingle at a ball, and Winkle almost fights a duel with him, because Jingle had borrowed Winkle's coat and Slammer's second delivers the challenge to the owner of the distinctive coat. Slowboy, Tilly a great clumsy girl; Mrs Peerybingle's nursemaid in The Cricket on the Hearth. Slumkey, Samuel the 'Blue' candidate in the Eatanswill by-election, in The Pickwick Papers. Pickwick's friend and lawyer, Mr Perker, is his election agent. Slyme, Chevy a character in Martin Chuzzlewitt. Smallweed, Mr A moneylender in Bleak House. An evil man who enjoys inflicting emotional pain on other people. He drives Mr George into bankruptcy by calling in debts. Mr Tulkinghorn is his attorney in that case. It has been suggested that his description (together with his grandchildren) fit that of a person with progeria. Smike is the damaged, sickly young man who escapes with Nicholas from the squalid Dotheboys Hall and its sadistic master, Wackford Squeers, in Nicholas Nickleby. Snagsby, Mr The timid proprietor of a law-stationery business who gets involved with Tulkinghorn's and Bucket's secrets, in Bleak House. He is Jo's only friend. He tends to give half-crowns to those whom he feels sorry for. He is married to Mrs Snagsby, who has a strong personality and suspects Mr Snagsby of many secrets, for example she (incorrectly) believes that Jo the crossing sweeper is his son. Snodgrass, Augustus is a member of the Pickwick Club and a travelling companion of Mr Pickwick in the Pickwick Papers. He has a poetic nature, but has apparently not written any verse himself. Sowerberry, Mr is the undertaker to whom Oliver is sold by Mr Bumble in the novel Oliver Twist. Sowerberry, Mrs is the wife of Mr Sowerberry, and mother of Charlotte in the novel Oliver Twist. Sparkler, Edmund Son of Mrs Merdle by a previous marriage, marries Fanny Dorrit in Little Dorrit. Spenlow, Dora is the first wife of David Copperfield in David Copperfield. Spottletoe, Mr and Mrs Close relatives of old Martin Chuzzlewit's (Mrs is old Martin's niece) with designs on inheriting his money in Martin Chuzzlewit. Squeers, Fanny Daughter of Wackford Squeers. Described as "not tall like her mother, but short like her father; from the former she inherited a voice of harsh quality; from the latter a remarkable expression of the right eye, something akin to having none at all." When Nicholas Nickleby becomes her father's assistant she falls