Page:The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club.djvu/433

353 THE PICKWICK CLUB. 853

to a kind of pulpit, with a brass rail, on his left hand.
 * < That's the witness-box, I suppose ? " said Mr. Pickwick, pointing

" That's the witness-box, my dear Sir," replied Perker, disinterring a quantity of papers from the blue bag, which Lowten had just depo- sited at his feet<

" And that," said Mr. Pickwick, pointing to a couple of enclosed seats on his right, *' that's where the jurymen sit, is it not ? "

" The identical place, my dear Sir," replied Perker, tapping the iid of his snuff-box.

Mr. Pickwick stood up in a state of great agitation, and took a glance at the court. There were already a pretty large sprinkling of spectators in the gallery, and a numerous muster of gentlemen in wigs in the barristers' seats, who presented, as a body, all that pleasing and extensive variety of nose and whisker for which the bar of England is so justly celebrated. Such of the gentlemen as had got a brief to carry, carried it in as conspicuous a manner as possible, and occasionally scratched their noses therewith, to impress the fact more strongly on the observation of the spectators. Other gentle- men, who had no briefs to show, carried under their arms goodly octavos, with a red label behind, and that under-done-pie-crust-coloured cover, which is technically known as " law calf." Others, who had neither briefs nor books, thrust their hands into their pockets, and looked as wise as they conveniently could ; while others, again, moved here and there with great restlessness and earnestness of manner, content to awaken thereby, the admiration and astonishment of the uninitiated strangers. The whole, to the great wonderment of Mr. Pickwick, were divided into little groups, who were chatting and discussing the news of the day in the most unfeeling manner possible, — ^just as if no trial at all were coming on.

A bow from Mr. Phunky, as he entered, and took his seat behind the row appropriated to the King's Counsel, attracted Mr. Pickwick's attention ; and he had scarcely returned it, when Mr. Sergeant Snubbin appeared, followed by Mr. Mallard, who half hid the Sergeant behind a large crimson bag, which he placed on his table, and, after shaking hands with Perker, withdrew. Then there entered two or three more Sergeants, and among them, one with a fat body and a red face, who nodded in a friendly manner to Mr.' Sergeant Snubbin, and said it was a fine morning.

" Who's that red-faced man, who said it was a fine morning, and nodded to our counsel ? " whispered Mr. Pickwick.

" Mr. Sergeant Buzfuz," replied Perker. " He's opposed to us ; he leads on the other side. That gentleman behind him, is Mr. Skim- pin, his junior."

Mr. Pickwick was just on the point of inquiring, with great abhorrence of the man's cold-blooded villainy, how Mr. Sergeant Buzfuz, who was counsel for the opposite party, dared to presume to tell Mr. Sergeant Snubbin, who was counsel for him, that it was a fine morning, — when he was interrupted by a general rising of the barristers, and a loud cry

C Silence ! " from the officers of the court. Looking round, he d that this was caused by the entrance of the judge.