quire
within or without. All is gloom and silence in the house; even the
voice of the child is hushed; his infant sports are disregarded when his
mother weeps; his "alley tors" and his "commoneys" are alike neglected;
he forgets the long familiar cry of "knuckle down," and at tip-cheese,
or odd and even, his hand is out. But Pickwick, gentlemen, Pickwick,
the ruthless destroyer of this domestic oasis in the desert of Goswell
Street--Pickwick who has choked up the well, and thrown ashes on the
sward--Pickwick, who comes before you to-day with his heartless tomato
sauce and warming-pans--Pickwick still rears his head with unblushing
effrontery, and gazes without a sigh on the ruin he has made. Damages,
gentlemen--heavy damages is the only punishment with which you can
visit him; the only recompense you can award to my client. And for
those damages she now appeals to an enlightened, a high-minded, a
right-feeling, a conscientious, a dispassionate, a sympathising, a
contemplative jury of her civilised countrymen.' With 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. C