their arms, and Colonel Bulder, in full military uniform, on horseback,

galloping first to one place and then to another, and backing his horse

among the people, and prancing, and curvetting, and shouting in a

most alarming manner, and making himself very hoarse in the voice,

and very red in the face, without any assignable cause or reason

whatever. Officers were running backwards and forwards, first

communicating with Colonel Bulder, and then ordering the sergeants,

and then running away altogether; and even the very privates

themselves looked from behind their glazed stocks with an air of

mysterious solemnity, which sufficiently bespoke the special nature of

the occasion.

Mr Pickwick and his three companions stationed themselves in the

front of the crowd, and patiently awaited the commencement of the

proceedings. The throng was increasing every moment; and the efforts

they were compelled to make, to retain the position they had gained,

sufficiently occupied their attention during the two hours that ensued.

At one time there was a sudden pressure from behind, and then Mr

Pickwick was jerked forward for several yards, with a degree of speed

and elasticity highly inconsistent with the general gravity of his

demeanour; at another moment there was a request to 'keep back'

from the front, and then the butt-end of a musket was either dropped

upon Mr Pickwick's toe, to remind him of the demand, or thrust into

his chest, to insure its being complied with. Then some facetious

gentlemen on the left, after pressing sideways in a body, and

squeezing Mr Snodgrass into the very last extreme of human torture,

would request to know 'vere he vos a shovin' to'; and when Mr Winkle

had done expressing his excessive indignation at witnessing this

unprovoked assault, some person behind would knock his hat over

his eyes, and beg the favour of his putting his head in his pocket.

These, and other practical witticisms, coupled with the unaccountable

absence of Mr Tupman (who had suddenly disappeared, and was

nowhere to be found), rendered their situation upon the whole rather

more uncomfortable than pleasing or desirable.

At length that low roar of many voices ran through the crowd which

usually announces the arrival of whatever they have been waiting for.

All eyes were turned in the direction of the sally-port. A few moments

of eager expectation, and colours were seen fluttering gaily in the air,

arms glistened brightly in the sun, column after column poured on to

the plain. The troops halted and formed; the word of command rang

through the line; there was a general clash of muskets as arms were

presented; and the commander-in-chief, attended by Colonel Bulder

and numerous officers, cantered to the front. The military bands

struck up altogether; the horses stood upon two legs each, cantered

backwards, and whisked their tails about in all directions; the dogs

barked, the mob screamed, the troops recovered, and nothing was to

The Pickwick Papers