s not
been the standard reply to all belligerent inquiries. 'Do you call
yourself a gentleman, sir?'--'Never mind, sir.' 'Did I offer to say
anything to the young woman, sir?'--'Never mind, sir.' 'Do you want
your head knocked up against that wall, sir?'--'Never mind, sir.' It is
observable, too, that there would appear to be some hidden taunt in this
universal 'Never mind,' which rouses more indignation in the bosom of
the individual addressed, than the most lavish abuse could possibly
awaken.

We do not mean to assert that the application of this brevity to
himself, struck exactly that indignation to Mr. Pickwick's soul, which
it would infallibly have roused in a vulgar breast. We merely record the
fact that Mr. Pickwick opened the room door, and abruptly called out,
'Tupman, come here!'

Mr. Tupman immediately presented himself, with a look of very
considerable surprise.

'Tupman,' said Mr. Pickwick, 'a secret of some delicacy, in which that
lady is concerned, is the cause of a difference which has just arisen
between this gentleman and myself. When I assure him, in your presence,
that it has no relation to himself, and is not in any way connected with
his affairs, I need hardly beg you to take notice that if he continue to
dispute it, he expresses a doubt of my veracity, which I shall consider
extremely insulting.' As Mr. Pickwick said this, he looked encyclopedias
at Mr. Peter Magnus.

Mr. Pickwick's upright and honourable bearing, coupled with that force
and energy of speech which so eminently distinguished him, would have
carried conviction to any reasonable mind; but, unfortunately, at that
particular moment, the mind of Mr. Peter Magnus was in anything but
reasonable order. Consequently, instead of receiving Mr. Pickwick's
explanation as he ought to have done, he forthwith proceeded to work
himself into a red-hot, scorching, consuming passion, and to talk about
what was due to his own feelings, and all that sort of thing; adding
force to his declamation by striding to and fro, and pulling his
hair--amusements which he would vary occasionally, by shaking his fist
in Mr. Pickwick's philanthropic countenance.

Mr. Pickwick, in his turn, conscious of his own innocence and rectitude,
and irritated by having unfortunately involved the middle-aged lady in
such an unpleasant affair, was not so quietly disposed as was his wont.
The consequence was, that words ran high, and voices higher; and at
length Mr. Magnus