'This way,' said his new friend, apparently much relieved as they

turned down a by-street; 'we shall soon be there.'

'Shall we?' said Sam, quite unmoved by the announcement of his

close vicinity to the select footmen of Bath.

Yes,' said Mr John Smauker. 'Don't be alarmed, Mr Weller.'

Oh, no,' said Sam.

You'll see some very handsome uniforms, Mr Weller,' continued Mr

John Smauker; 'and perhaps you'll find some of the gentlemen rather

high at first, you know, but they'll soon come round.'

That's wery kind on 'em,' replied Sam. 'And you know,' resumed Mr

John Smauker, with an air of sublime protection - 'you know, as

you're a stranger, perhaps, they'll be rather hard upon you at first.'

They won't be wery cruel, though, will they?' inquired Sam.

No, no,' replied Mr John Smauker, pulling forth the fox's head, and

taking a gentlemanly pinch. 'There are some funny dogs among us,

and they will have their joke, you know; but you mustn't mind 'em,

you mustn't mind 'em.'

'I'll try and bear up agin such a reg'lar knock down o' talent,' replied

Sam.

'That's right,' said Mr John Smauker, putting forth his fox's head, and

elevating his own; 'I'll stand by you.'

By this time they had reached a small greengrocer's shop, which Mr

John Smauker entered, followed by Sam, who, the moment he got

behind him, relapsed into a series of the very broadest and most

unmitigated grins, and manifested other demonstrations of being in a

highly enviable state of inward merriment.

Crossing the greengrocer's shop, and putting their hats on the stairs

in the little passage behind it, they walked into a small parlour; and

here the full splendour of the scene burst upon Mr Weller's view.

A couple of tables were put together in the middle of the parlour,

covered with three or four cloths of different ages and dates of

washing, arranged to look as much like one as the circumstances of

the case would allow. Upon these were laid knives and forks for six or

eight people. Some of the knife handles were green, others red, and a

few yellow; and as all the forks were black, the combination of colours

was exceedingly striking. Plates for a corresponding number of guests

The Pickwick Papers