| 468 | 469 | 470 | 471 | 472 |
| 1 | 198 | 396 | 594 | 792 |
|
this beautiful peroration, Mr Serjeant Buzfuz sat down, and Mr
Justice Stareleigh woke up.
'
Call Elizabeth Cluppins,' said Serjeant Buzfuz, rising a minute
afterwards, with renewed vigour.
The nearest usher called for Elizabeth Tuppins; another one, at a little
distance off, demanded Elizabeth Jupkins; and a third rushed in a
breathless state into King Street, and screamed for Elizabeth Muffins
till he was hoarse.
Meanwhile Mrs. Cluppins, with the combined assistance of Mrs.
Bardell, Mrs. Sanders, Mr Dodson, and Mr Fogg, was hoisted into the
witness-box; and when she was safely perched on the top step, Mrs.
Bardell stood on the bottom one, with the pocket-handkerchief and
pattens in one hand, and a glass bottle that might hold about a
quarter of a pint of smelling-salts in the other, ready for any
emergency. Mrs. Sanders, whose eyes were intently fixed on the
judge's face, planted herself close by, with the large umbrella, keeping
her right thumb pressed on the spring with an earnest countenance,
as if she were fully prepared to put it up at a moment's notice.
'Mrs. Cluppins,' said Serjeant Buzfuz, 'pray compose yourself, ma'am.'
Of course, directly Mrs. Cluppins was desired to compose herself, she
sobbed with increased vehemence, and gave divers alarming
manifestations of an approaching fainting fit, or, as she afterwards
said, of her feelings being too many for her.
'
Do you recollect, Mrs. Cluppins,' said Serjeant Buzfuz, after a few
unimportant questions - 'do you recollect being in Mrs. Bardell's back
one pair of stairs, on one particular morning in July last, when she
was dusting Pickwick's apartment?'
'
'
'
'
Yes, my Lord and jury, I do,' replied Mrs. Cluppins.
Mr Pickwick's sitting-room was the first-floor front, I believe?'
Yes, it were, Sir,' replied Mrs. Cluppins.
What were you doing in the back room, ma'am?' inquired the little
judge.
'My Lord and jury,' said Mrs. Cluppins, with interesting agitation, 'I
will not deceive you.'
'
You had better not, ma'am,' said the little judge.
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