They're going, Mrs. Raddle, they're going,' said the miserable Bob. 'I

am afraid you'd better go,' said Mr Bob Sawyer to his friends. 'I

thought you were making too much noise.'

It's a very unfortunate thing,' said the prim man. 'Just as we were

getting so comfortable too!' The prim man was just beginning to have

a dawning recollection of the story he had forgotten.

It's hardly to be borne,' said the prim man, looking round. 'Hardly to

be borne, is it?'

Not to be endured,' replied Jack Hopkins; 'let's have the other verse,

Bob. Come, here goes!'

'No, no, Jack, don't,' interposed Bob Sawyer; 'it's a capital song, but I

am afraid we had better not have the other verse. They are very violent

people, the people of the house.'

Shall I step upstairs, and pitch into the landlord?' inquired Hopkins,

or keep on ringing the bell, or go and groan on the staircase? You

may command me, Bob.'

I am very much indebted to you for your friendship and good- nature,

Hopkins,' said the wretched Mr Bob Sawyer, 'but I think the best plan

to avoid any further dispute is for us to break up at once.'

Now, Mr Sawyer,' screamed the shrill voice of Mrs. Raddle, 'are them

brutes going?'

They're only looking for their hats, Mrs. Raddle,' said Bob; 'they are

going directly.'

Going!' said Mrs. Raddle, thrusting her nightcap over the banisters

just as Mr Pickwick, followed by Mr Tupman, emerged from the

sitting-room. 'Going! what did they ever come for?'

'My dear ma'am,' remonstrated Mr Pickwick, looking up.

Get along with you, old wretch!' replied Mrs. Raddle, hastily

withdrawing the nightcap. 'Old enough to be his grandfather, you

willin! You're worse than any of 'em.'

Mr Pickwick found it in vain to protest his innocence, so hurried

downstairs into the street, whither he was closely followed by Mr

Tupman, Mr Winkle, and Mr Snodgrass. Mr Ben Allen, who was

dismally depressed with spirits and agitation, accompanied them as

far as London Bridge, and in the course of the walk confided to Mr

Winkle, as an especially eligible person to intrust the secret to, that he

The Pickwick Papers