As Sam Weller spoke, the little door flew open, and Brother Tadger

appeared, closely followed by the Reverend Mr Stiggins, who no sooner

entered, than there was a great clapping of hands, and stamping of

feet, and flourishing of handkerchiefs; to all of which manifestations of

delight, Brother Stiggins returned no other acknowledgment than

staring with a wild eye, and a fixed smile, at the extreme top of the

wick of the candle on the table, swaying his body to and fro,

meanwhile, in a very unsteady and uncertain manner.

'Are you unwell, Brother Stiggins?' whispered Mr Anthony Humm.

I am all right, Sir,' replied Mr Stiggins, in a tone in which ferocity was

blended with an extreme thickness of utterance; 'I am all right, Sir.'

Oh, very well,' rejoined Mr Anthony Humm, retreating a few paces.

I believe no man here has ventured to say that I am not all right, Sir?'

said Mr Stiggins.

Oh, certainly not,' said Mr Humm. 'I should advise him not to, Sir; I

should advise him not,' said Mr Stiggins.

By this time the audience were perfectly silent, and waited with some

anxiety for the resumption of business.

'Will you address the meeting, brother?' said Mr Humm, with a smile

of invitation.

No, sir,' rejoined Mr Stiggins; 'No, sir. I will not, sir.'

The meeting looked at each other with raised eyelids; and a murmur

of astonishment ran through the room.

It's my opinion, sir,' said Mr Stiggins, unbuttoning his coat, and

speaking very loudly - 'it's my opinion, sir, that this meeting is drunk,

sir. Brother Tadger, sir!' said Mr Stiggins, suddenly increasing in

ferocity, and turning sharp round on the little man in the drab shorts,

YOU are drunk, sir!' With this, Mr Stiggins, entertaining a

praiseworthy desire to promote the sobriety of the meeting, and to

exclude therefrom all improper characters, hit Brother Tadger on the

summit of the nose with such unerring aim, that the drab shorts

disappeared like a flash of lightning. Brother Tadger had been

knocked, head first, down the ladder.

Upon this, the women set up a loud and dismal screaming; and

rushing in small parties before their favourite brothers, flung their

arms around them to preserve them from danger. An instance of

affection, which had nearly proved fatal to Humm, who, being

The Pickwick Papers