Mr Nupkins debated the matter within himself for a few seconds, and

then, rising from his chair, and requesting Mr Pickwick and Sam to

follow him, led the way into a small room which opened into the

justice-parlour. Desiring Mr Pickwick to walk to the upper end of the

little apartment, and holding his hand upon the half-closed door, that

he might be able to effect an immediate escape, in case there was the

least tendency to a display of hostilities, Mr Nupkins expressed his

readiness to hear the communication, whatever it might be.

I will come to the point at once, sir,' said Mr Pickwick; 'it affects

yourself and your credit materially. I have every reason to believe, Sir,

that you are harbouring in your house a gross impostor!'

'Two,' interrupted Sam. 'Mulberry agin all natur, for tears and

willainny!'

Sam,' said Mr Pickwick, 'if I am to render myself intelligible to this

gentleman, I must beg you to control your feelings.'

Wery sorry, Sir,' replied Mr Weller; 'but when I think o' that 'ere Job, I

can't help opening the walve a inch or two.'

'In one word, Sir,' said Mr Pickwick, 'is my servant right in suspecting

that a certain Captain Fitz-Marshall is in the habit of visiting here?

Because,' added Mr Pickwick, as he saw that Mr Nupkins was about

to offer a very indignant interruption, 'because if he be, I know that

person to be a - '

'Hush, hush,' said Mr Nupkins, closing the door. 'Know him to be

what, Sir?'

'An unprincipled adventurer - a dishonourable character - a man who

preys upon society, and makes easily-deceived people his dupes, Sir;

his absurd, his foolish, his wretched dupes, Sir,' said the excited Mr

Pickwick.

'Dear me,' said Mr Nupkins, turning very red, and altering his whole

manner directly. 'Dear me, Mr - '

Pickvick,' said Sam.

Pickwick,' said the magistrate, 'dear me, Mr Pickwick - pray take a

seat - you cannot mean this? Captain Fitz-Marshall!'

Don't call him a cap'en,' said Sam, 'nor Fitz-Marshall neither; he ain't

neither one nor t'other. He's a strolling actor, he is, and his name's

Jingle; and if ever there was a wolf in a mulberry suit, that 'ere Job

Trotter's him.'

The Pickwick Papers