who were called in, in the order in which their respective

appointments stood upon the file. Every time this door was opened to

let a party out, the next party made a violent rush to get in; and, as in

addition to the numerous dialogues which passed between the

gentlemen who were waiting to see the judge, a variety of personal

squabbles ensued between the greater part of those who had seen

him, there was as much noise as could well be raised in an apartment

of such confined dimensions.

Nor were the conversations of these gentlemen the only sounds that

broke upon the ear. Standing on a box behind a wooden bar at

another end of the room was a clerk in spectacles who was 'taking the

affidavits'; large batches of which were, from time to time, carried into

the private room by another clerk for the judge's signature. There were

a large number of attorneys' clerks to be sworn, and it being a moral

impossibility to swear them all at once, the struggles of these

gentlemen to reach the clerk in spectacles, were like those of a crowd

to get in at the pit door of a theatre when Gracious Majesty honours it

with its presence. Another functionary, from time to time, exercised

his lungs in calling over the names of those who had been sworn, for

the purpose of restoring to them their affidavits after they had been

signed by the judge, which gave rise to a few more scuffles; and all

these things going on at the same time, occasioned as much bustle as

the most active and excitable person could desire to behold. There

were yet another class of persons - those who were waiting to attend

summonses their employers had taken out, which it was optional to

the attorney on the opposite side to attend or not - and whose

business it was, from time to time, to cry out the opposite attorney's

name; to make certain that he was not in attendance without their

knowledge.

For example. Leaning against the wall, close beside the seat Mr

Pickwick had taken, was an office-lad of fourteen, with a tenor voice;

near him a common-law clerk with a bass one.

A clerk hurried in with a bundle of papers, and stared about him.

'Sniggle and Blink,' cried the tenor.

Porkin and Snob,' growled the bass. 'Stumpy and Deacon,' said the

new-comer.

Nobody answered; the next man who came in, was bailed by the whole

three; and he in his turn shouted for another firm; and then

somebody else roared in a loud voice for another; and so forth.

The Pickwick Papers