ents in the plaintiff's house in Goswell Street, on one
particular morning, in the month of July last?'

'Yes, I do.'

'Were you accompanied on that occasion by a friend of the name of
Tupman, and another by the name of Snodgrass?'

'Yes, I was.'

'Are they here?' 'Yes, they are,' replied Mr. Winkle, looking very
earnestly towards the spot where his friends were stationed.

'Pray attend to me, Mr. Winkle, and never mind your friends,' said Mr.
Skimpin, with another expressive look at the jury. 'They must tell their
stories without any previous consultation with you, if none has yet
taken place (another look at the jury). Now, Sir, tell the gentlemen
of the jury what you saw on entering the defendant's room, on this
particular morning. Come; out with it, Sir; we must have it, sooner or
later.'

'The defendant, Mr. Pickwick, was holding the plaintiff in his arms,
with his hands clasping her waist,' replied Mr. Winkle with natural
hesitation, 'and the plaintiff appeared to have fainted away.'

'Did you hear the defendant say anything?'

'I heard him call Mrs. Bardell a good creature, and I heard him ask her
to compose herself, for what a situation it was, if anybody should come,
or words to that effect.'

'Now, Mr. Winkle, I have only one more question to ask you, and I beg
you to bear in mind his Lordship's caution. Will you undertake to
swear that Pickwick, the defendant, did not say on the occasion in
question--"My dear Mrs. Bardell, you're a good creature; compose
yourself to this situation, for to this situation you must come," or
words to that effect?'

'I--I didn't understand him so, certainly,' said Mr. Winkle, astounded
on this ingenious dove-tailing of the few words he had heard. 'I was on
the staircase, and couldn't hear distinctly; the impression on my mind
is--'

'The gentlemen of the jury want none of the impressions on your
mind, Mr. Winkle, which I fear would be of little service to honest,
straightforward men,' interposed Mr. Skimpin. 'You were on the
staircase, and didn't distinctly hear; but you will not swear that
Pickwick did not make use of the expressions I have quoted? Do I
understand that?'

'No, I will not,' replied Mr. Winkle; and down sat Mr. Skimpin with a
triumphant countenance.

Mr. Pickwick's case had not gone off in so particularly happy a manner,
up to this point, that it could very well afford to have any additional
suspicion cast upon it. But as it could afford to be pl