Page:The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club.djvu/533

441 THE PICKWICK CLUB

441

violence that the windows rattled in their frames, and the bedsteads trembled again. Mr. Pickwick started up, and remained for some minutes fixed in mute astonishment at the scene before him.

On the floor of the room, a man in a broad-skirted green coat, with cor- deroy knee smalls and grey cotton stockings, was performing the most popular steps of a hornpipe, with a slang and burlesque caricature of grace and lightness, which, combined with the very appropriate character of his costume, was inexpressibly absurd. Another man, evidently very drunk, who had probably been tumbled into bed by his companions, was sitting up between the sheets, warbling as much as he could recollect of a comic song, with the most intensely sentimental feeling and expression ; while a third, seated on one of the bedsteads, was applauding both per- formers with the air of a profound connoisseur, and encouraging them by such ebullitions of feeling as had already roused Mr. Pickwick from his sleep.

This last man was an admirable specimen of a class of gentry which never can be seen in full perfection but in such places ; — they may be met with, in an imperfect state, occasionally about stable-yards and public houses ; but they never attain their full bloom except in these hot-beds, which would almost seem to be considerately provided by the Legislature for the sole purpose of rearing them.

He was a tall fellow, with an olive complexion, long dark hair, and very thick bushy whiskers meeting under his chin. He wore no necker- chief, as he had been playing rackets all day, and his open shirt collar displayed their full luxuriance. On his head he wore one of the com- mon eighteenpenny French skull-caps, with a gawdy tassel dangling therefrom, very happily in keeping with a common fustian coat. His legs, which, being long, were afflicied with weakness, graced a pair of Oxford-mixture trousers, made to show the full symmetry of the limlTs. Being somewhat negligently braced, however, and, moreover, but imper- fectly buttoned, they fell in a series of not the most graceful folds over a pair of shoes sufficiently down at heel to display a pair of very soiled white stockings. There was a rakish vagabond smartness, and a kind of boastful rascality, about the whole man, that was worth a mine of gold.

This figure was the first to perceive that Mr. Pickwick was looking on ; upon which he winked to the Zephyr, and entreated him, with mock gravity, not to wake the gentleman.

"Why, bless the gentleman's honest heart and soul!" said the Ze- phyr, turning round and affecting the extremity of surprise ; " the gentleman is awake. Hem ; Shakspeare. How do you do. Sir ? How is Mary and Sarah, Sir? and the dear old lady at home, Sir — eh. Sir? Will you have the kindness to put my compliments into the first little parcel you're sending that way. Sir, and say that I would have sent 'em before, only I was afraid they might be broken in the waggon, Sir?"

" Don't overwhelm the gentleman with ordinary civilities when you see he's anxious to have something to drink," said the gentleman with the whiskers, with a jocose air. " Why don't yoy ask the gentleman what he'll take?"