Page:The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club.djvu/326

258 258 POSTHUMOUS PAPERS OF

and all the other specials murmured their admiration of the magnanimity of Mr. Nupkins.

" Now, Mr. Jinks," said the magistrate, '' swear Grummer.*'

G rummer was sworn directly; but as Grummer wandered, and Mr. Nupkins' dinner was nearly ready, Mr. Nupkins cut the matter short, by putting leading questions to Grummer, which Grummer answered as nearly in the affirmative as he could. So the examination went off, all very smooth and comfortable ; and two assaults were proved against Mr. Waller, and a threat against Mr. Winkle, and a push against Mr. Snod- grass. And when all this was done to the magistrate's satisfaction, the magistrate and Mr. Jinks consulted in whispers.

The consultation having lasted about ten minutes, Mr. Jinks retired to his end of the table ; and the magistrate, with a preparatory cough, drew himself up in his chair, and was proceeding to commence his address, when Mr. Pickwick interposed.

" I beg your pardon, Sir, for interrupting you," said Mr. Pickwick ; '' but before you proceed to express, and act upon, any opinion you may have formed on the statements which have been made here, I must claim my right to be heard, so far as I am personally concerned."

" Hold your tongue. Sir," said the magistrate, peremptorily.


 * ' I must submit to you. Sir,"—- said Mr. Pickwick.

" Hold your tongue, Sir," interposed the magistrate, " or I shall order an officer to remove you."

" You may order your officers to do whatever you please. Sir," said Mr. Pickwick; " and I have no doubt, from the specimen I have had of the subordination preserved among them, that whatever you order, they will execute ; but I shall take the liberty, Sir, of claiming my right to be heard, until I am removed by force."

" Pickvick and principle," exclaimed Mr. Weller, in a very audible voice.

" Sam, be quiet," said Mr. Pickwick.


 * ' Dumb as a drum vith a hole in it," replied Sam.

Mr. Nupkins looked at Mr. Pickwick with a gaze of intense astonish- ment, at his displaying such unwonted temerity ; and was apparently about to return a very angry reply, when Mr. Jinks pulled him by tiie sleeve, and whispered something in his ear. To this, the magistrate returned a half-audible answer, and then the whispering was renewed. Jinks was evidently remonstrating.

At length the magistrate, gulping down with a very bad grace his disinclination to hear anything more, turned to Mr. Pickwick, and said sharply — " What do you want to say? "

" First," said Mr. Pickwick, sending a look through his spectacles, under which even Nupkins quailed. " First, I wish to know what I and my friend have been brought here for ? "

'< Must I tell him ? " whispered the magistrate to Jinks.

" I think you had better. Sir," whispered Jinks to the magistrate.

" An information has been sworn before me," said the magistrate, '"■ that it is apprehended you are going to fight a duel, and that the