At the period just preceding the advent advent of Bartleby , I had two persons as copyists in my employment , and a promising lad as an office-boy .

he soliloquised soliloquise in an undertone of peevish displeasure , while relieving relieve me of my horse : looking look , meantime , in my face so sourly that I charitably conjectured conjecture he must have need of divine aid to digest his dinner , and his pious ejaculation ejaculation had no reference to my unexpected advent advent .