'I will even go further than this, Mr Winkle,' continued Mr Phunky, in

a most smooth and complacent manner. 'Did you ever see anything in

Mr Pickwick's manner and conduct towards the opposite sex, to

induce you to believe that he ever contemplated matrimony of late

years, in any case?'

'Oh, no; certainly not,' replied Mr Winkle.

'Has his behaviour, when females have been in the case, always been

that of a man, who, having attained a pretty advanced period of life,

content with his own occupations and amusements, treats them only

as a father might his daughters?'

Not the least doubt of it,' replied Mr Winkle, in the fulness of his

heart. 'That is - yes - oh, yes - certainly.'

'You have never known anything in his behaviour towards Mrs.

Bardell, or any other female, in the least degree suspicious?' said Mr

Phunky, preparing to sit down; for Serjeant Snubbin was winking at

him.

N-n-no,' replied Mr Winkle, 'except on one trifling occasion, which, I

have no doubt, might be easily explained.'

Now, if the unfortunate Mr Phunky had sat down when Serjeant

Snubbin had winked at him, or if Serjeant Buzfuz had stopped this

irregular cross-examination at the outset (which he knew better than

to do; observing Mr Winkle's anxiety, and well knowing it would, in all

probability, lead to something serviceable to him), this unfortunate

admission would not have been elicited. The moment the words fell

from Mr Winkle's lips, Mr Phunky sat down, and Serjeant Snubbin

rather hastily told him he might leave the box, which Mr Winkle

prepared to do with great readiness, when Serjeant Buzfuz stopped

him.

Stay, Mr Winkle, stay!' said Serjeant Buzfuz, 'will your Lordship have

the goodness to ask him, what this one instance of suspicious

behaviour towards females on the part of this gentleman, who is old

enough to be his father, was?'

'You hear what the learned counsel says, Sir,' observed the judge,

turning to the miserable and agonised Mr Winkle. 'Describe the

occasion to which you refer.'

My Lord,' said Mr Winkle, trembling with anxiety, 'I - I'd rather not.'

Perhaps so,' said the little judge; 'but you must.'

The Pickwick Papers