emptied his glass, which he had filled about two minutes before, and

poured out another, with the air of a man who was used to it.

The wine was passed, and a fresh supply ordered. The visitor talked,

the Pickwickians listened. Mr Tupman felt every moment more

disposed for the ball. Mr Pickwick's countenance glowed with an

expression of universal philanthropy, and Mr Winkle and Mr

Snodgrass fell fast asleep.

'They're beginning upstairs,' said the stranger - 'hear the company -

fiddles tuning - now the harp - there they go.' The various sounds

which found their way downstairs announced the commencement of

the first quadrille.

'How I should like to go,' said Mr Tupman again.

'So should I,' said the stranger - 'confounded luggage, - heavy smacks

nothing to go in - odd, ain't it?'

Now general benevolence was one of the leading features of the

Pickwickian theory, and no one was more remarkable for the zealous

manner in which he observed so noble a principle than Mr Tracy

Tupman. The number of instances recorded on the Transactions of

the Society, in which that excellent man referred objects of charity to

the houses of other members for left-off garments or pecuniary relief is

almost incredible. 'I should be very happy to lend you a change of

apparel for the purpose,' said Mr Tracy Tupman, 'but you are rather

slim, and I am - '

Rather fat - grown-up Bacchus - cut the leaves - dismounted from the

tub, and adopted kersey, eh? - not double distilled, but double milled

ha! ha! pass the wine.'

Whether Mr Tupman was somewhat indignant at the peremptory tone

in which he was desired to pass the wine which the stranger passed

so quickly away, or whether he felt very properly scandalised at an

influential member of the Pickwick Club being ignominiously

compared to a dismounted Bacchus, is a fact not yet completely

ascertained. He passed the wine, coughed twice, and looked at the

stranger for several seconds with a stern intensity; as that individual,

however, appeared perfectly collected, and quite calm under his

searching glance, he gradually relaxed, and reverted to the subject of

the ball.

'I was about to observe, Sir,' he said, 'that though my apparel would

be too large, a suit of my friend Mr Winkle's would, perhaps, fit you

better.'

The Pickwick Papers