Page:The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club.djvu/449

367 I

THE PICKWICK CLUB. 367

after a great commotion, all the people who had got up to look for the culprit, sat down again. The little Judge turned to the witness as soon as his indignation would allow him to speak, and said —


 * ' Do you know who that was, Sir ? "

" I rayther suspect it was my father, my Lord," replied Sara.

'' Do you see lym here now ?" said the Judge.

" No, I don't, my Lord," replied Sam, staring right up into the lan- tern in the roof of the Court.

"If you could have pointed him out, I would have committed him instantly," said the Judge. [Sam bowed his acknowledgments and turned, with unimpaired cheerfulness of countenance, towards Ser"-eant Buzfuz.

" Now, Mr. Weller," said Sergeant Buzfuz

" Now, Sir," replied Sara.

" I believe you are in the service of Mr. Pickwick, the defendant in this case. Speak up, if you please, Mr. Weller."

"I mean to speak up, Sir," replied Sam, " I am in the service o' that 'ere gen'l'man, and a wery good service it is."

" Little to do, and plenty to get, I suppose ?" said Sergeant Buzfuz, with jocularity.

" Oh, quite enough to get. Sir, as the soldier said ven they ordered him three hundred and fifty lashes," replied Sam.

" You must not tell us vhat the soldier, or any other man, said, Sir," interposed the Judge, " it's not evidence."

" Wery good, my Lord," replied Sam.

"Do you recollect anything particular happening on the morning when you were first engaged by the defendant, eh, Mr. Weller ?" said Sergeant Buzfuz.

" Yes I do, Sir," rejilied Sam.

" Have the goodness to tell the Jury what it was." ■ " I had a reg'lar new fit out o' clothes that mornin', gen'l'men of the jury," said Sam, " and that was a wery partickler and uncommon cir- cumstance vith me in those days."

Hereupon there was a general laugh ; and the little Judge, looking with an angry countenance over his desk, said, " You had better be careful. Sir."

" So Mr. Pickwick said at the time, my Lord," replied Sam, " and I was wery careful o' that 'ere suit o' clothes ; wery careful indeed, my Lord."

The Judge looked sternly at Sam for full two minutes, but Sam's features were so perfectly calm and serene that he said nothing, and motioned Sergeant Buzfuz to proceed.

" Do you mean to tell me, Mr. Weller," said Sergeant Buzfuz, fold- ing his arms emphatically, and turning half round to the Jury, as if in mute assurance that he would bother the witness yet — " Do you mean to tell me, Mr. Weller, that you saw nothing of this fainting on the part of the plaintiff in the arms of the defendant, which you have heard described by the witnesses ? "