He is a member of your club, or I am mistaken?' said the lieutenant

inquiringly.

Certainly not,' responded Mr Pickwick.

And never wears your club-button?' said the lieutenant.

No - never!' replied the astonished Mr Pickwick.

Lieutenant Tappleton turned round to his friend Doctor Slammer,

with a scarcely perceptible shrug of the shoulder, as if implying some

doubt of the accuracy of his recollection. The little doctor looked

wrathful, but confounded; and Mr Payne gazed with a ferocious aspect

on the beaming countenance of the unconscious Pickwick.

Sir,' said the doctor, suddenly addressing Mr Tupman, in a tone

which made that gentleman start as perceptibly as if a pin had been

cunningly inserted in the calf of his leg, 'you were at the ball here last

night!'

Mr Tupman gasped a faint affirmative, looking very hard at Mr

Pickwick all the while.

That person was your companion,' said the doctor, pointing to the

still unmoved stranger.

Mr Tupman admitted the fact.

'Now, sir,' said the doctor to the stranger, 'I ask you once again, in the

presence of these gentlemen, whether you choose to give me your

card, and to receive the treatment of a gentleman; or whether you

impose upon me the necessity of personally chastising you on the

spot?'

'Stay, sir,' said Mr Pickwick, 'I really cannot allow this matter to go

any further without some explanation. Tupman, recount the

circumstances.'

Mr Tupman, thus solemnly adjured, stated the case in a few words;

touched slightly on the borrowing of the coat; expatiated largely on its

having been done 'after dinner'; wound up with a little penitence on

his own account; and left the stranger to clear himself as best he

could.

He was apparently about to proceed to do so, when Lieutenant

Tappleton, who had been eyeing him with great curiosity, said with

considerable scorn, 'Haven't I seen you at the theatre, Sir?' 'Certainly,'

replied the unabashed stranger.

The Pickwick Papers