'informers!' shouted the crowd again.

'We are not,' roared Mr Pickwick, in a tone which, to any

dispassionate listener, carried conviction with it. 'Ain't you, though -

ain't you?' said the young man, appealing to Mr Pickwick, and making

his way through the crowd by the infallible process of elbowing the

countenances of its component members.

That learned man in a few hurried words explained the real state of

the case.

Come along, then,' said he of the green coat, lugging Mr Pickwick

after him by main force, and talking the whole way. Here, No. 924,

take your fare, and take yourself off - respectable gentleman - know

him well - none of your nonsense - this way, sir - where's your

friends? - all a mistake, I see - never mind - accidents will happen -

best regulated families - never say die - down upon your luck - Pull

him UP - Put that in his pipe - like the flavour - damned rascals.' And

with a lengthened string of similar broken sentences, delivered with

extraordinary volubility, the stranger led the way to the traveller's

waiting-room, whither he was closely followed by Mr Pickwick and his

disciples.

Here, waiter!' shouted the stranger, ringing the bell with tremendous

violence, 'glasses round - brandy-and-water, hot and strong, and

sweet, and plenty, - eye damaged, Sir? Waiter! raw beef-steak for the

gentleman's eye - nothing like raw beef-steak for a bruise, sir; cold

lamp-post very good, but lamp-post inconvenient - damned odd

standing in the open street half an hour, with your eye against a

lamp-post - eh, - very good - ha! ha!' And the stranger, without

stopping to take breath, swallowed at a draught full half a pint of the

reeking brandy-and- water, and flung himself into a chair with as

much ease as if nothing uncommon had occurred.

While his three companions were busily engaged in proffering their

thanks to their new acquaintance, Mr Pickwick had leisure to examine

his costume and appearance.

He was about the middle height, but the thinness of his body, and the

length of his legs, gave him the appearance of being much taller. The

green coat had been a smart dress garment in the days of swallow-

tails, but had evidently in those times adorned a much shorter man

than the stranger, for the soiled and faded sleeves scarcely reached to

his wrists. It was buttoned closely up to his chin, at the imminent

hazard of splitting the back; and an old stock, without a vestige of

shirt collar, ornamented his neck. His scanty black trousers displayed

here and there those shiny patches which bespeak long service, and

were strapped very tightly over a pair of patched and mended shoes,

The Pickwick Papers