Our Mutual Friend Book 3, Part 14, Chapter 12

Meaning Mischief

• Mr. and Mrs. Lammle are getting desperate. All of their schemes to get quick money have failed and it's only a matter of time before they're totally bankrupt. But Alfred still has another plan up his sleeve. He thinks he can plant suspicions in Mr. Boffin's mind and get him to fire Mr. Rokesmith as his secretary. With this accomplished, Alfred plans on becoming Rokesmith's replacement.
• Mr. Fledgeby shows up at the door, and Alfred uses this opportunity to ask him if he (Fledgeby) can use his influence to get Mr. Riah to back off on Alfred's debt.
• In case you missed it, here's the situation. Alfred's debts are due to be paid, and he thinks that Mr. Riah is the man he's in debt with. In reality, Mr. Riah is just a puppet of Fledgeby, who runs the whole money-lending operation. So Fledgeby is being completely manipulative when he tells Alfred he'll plead his case to Mr. Riah.
• Fledgeby leaves the Lammles' house and goes straight to his office to order Mr. Riah to call in all their debts and ruin them. He's a jerk… although the Lammles are no saints either.