Chapter XXV

Showing, Among A Variety Of Pleasant Matters, How Majestic And

Impartial Mr Nupkins Was; And How Mr Weller Returned Mr Job

Trotter's Shuttlecock As Heavily As It Came - With Another

Matter, Which Will Be Found In Its Place

Violent was Mr Weller's indignation as he was borne along; numerous

were the allusions to the personal appearance and demeanour of Mr

Grummer and his companion; and valorous were the defiances to any

six of the gentlemen present, in which he vented his dissatisfaction.

Mr Snodgrass and Mr Winkle listened with gloomy respect to the

torrent of eloquence which their leader poured forth from the sedan-

chair, and the rapid course of which not all Mr Tupman's earnest

entreaties to have the lid of the vehicle closed, were able to check for

an instant. But Mr Weller's anger quickly gave way to curiosity when

the procession turned down the identical courtyard in which he had

met with the runaway Job Trotter; and curiosity was exchanged for a

feeling of the most gleeful astonishment, when the all-important Mr

Grummer, commanding the sedan-bearers to halt, advanced with

dignified and portentous steps to the very green gate from which Job

Trotter had emerged, and gave a mighty pull at the bell-handle which

hung at the side thereof. The ring was answered by a very smart and

pretty-faced servant-girl, who, after holding up her hands in

astonishment at the rebellious appearance of the prisoners, and the

impassioned language of Mr Pickwick, summoned Mr Muzzle. Mr

Muzzle opened one half of the carriage gate, to admit the sedan, the

captured ones, and the specials; and immediately slammed it in the

faces of the mob, who, indignant at being excluded, and anxious to

see what followed, relieved their feelings by kicking at the gate and

ringing the bell, for an hour or two afterwards. In this amusement

they all took part by turns, except three or four fortunate individuals,

who, having discovered a grating in the gate, which commanded a

view of nothing, stared through it with the indefatigable perseverance

with which people will flatten their noses against the front windows of

a chemist's shop, when a drunken man, who has been run over by a

dog- cart in the street, is undergoing a surgical inspection in the back-

parlour.

At the foot of a flight of steps, leading to the house door, which was

guarded on either side by an American aloe in a green tub, the sedan-

chair stopped. Mr Pickwick and his friends were conducted into the

hall, whence, having been previously announced by Muzzle, and

ordered in by Mr Nupkins, they were ushered into the worshipful

presence of that public-spirited officer.

The scene was an impressive one, well calculated to strike terror to

the hearts of culprits, and to impress them with an adequate idea of

The Pickwick Papers