His head was sunk upon his bosom, and perpetual snoring, with a partial choke occasionally, were the only audible indications of the great man′s presence.
The temptation to be present at the ball, and to form his first impressions of the beauty of the Kentish ladies, was strong upon Mr. Tupman. The temptation to take the stranger with him was equally great. He was wholly unacquainted with the place and its inhabitants, and the stranger seemed to possess as great a knowledge of both as if he had lived there from his infancy. Mr. Winkle was asleep, and Mr. Tupman had had sufficient experience in such matters to know that the moment he awoke he would, in the ordinary course of nature, roll heavily to bed. He was undecided. ′Fill your glass, and pass the wine,′ said the indefatigable visitor.
Mr. Tupman did as he was requested; and the additional stimulus of the last glass settled his determination.
′Winkle′s bedroom is inside mine,′ said Mr. Tupman; ′I couldn′t make him understand what I wanted, if I woke him now, but I know he has a dress-suit in a carpet bag; and supposing you wore it to the ball, and took it off when we returned, I could replace it without troubling him at all about the matter.′
′Capital,′ said the stranger, ′famous plan—damned odd situation—fourteen coats in the packing-cases, and obliged to wear another man′s—very good notion, that—very.′
′We must purchase our tickets,′ said Mr. Tupman.
′Not worth while splitting a guinea,′ said the stranger, ′toss who shall pay for both—I call; you spin—first time—woman— woman—bewitching woman,′ and down came the sovereign with the dragon (called by courtesy a woman) uppermost.
Mr. Tupman rang the bell, purchased the tickets, and ordered chamber candlesticks. In another quarter of an hour the stranger was completely arrayed in a full suit of Mr. Nathaniel Winkle′s.
′It′s a new coat,′ said Mr. Tupman, as the stranger surveyed himself with great complacency in a cheval glass; ′the first that′s been made with our club button,′ and he called his companions′ attention to the large gilt button which displayed a bust of Mr. Pickwick in the centre, and the letters ′P. C.′ on either side.
′"P. C."′ said the stranger—′queer set out—old fellow′s likeness, and "P. C."—What does "P. C." stand for—Peculiar Coat, eh?′
Mr. Tupman, with rising indignation and great importance, explained the mystic device.
′Rather short in the waist, ain′t it?′ said the stranger, screwing himself round to catch a glimpse in the glass of the waist buttons, which were half-way up his back. ′Like a general postman′s coat —queer coats those—made by contract—no measuring— mysterious dispensations of Providence—all the short men get long coats—all the long men short ones.′ Running on in this way, Mr. Tupman′s new companion adjusted his dress, or rather the dress of Mr. Winkle; and, accompanied by Mr. Tupman, ascended the staircase leading to the ballroom.
′What names, sir?′ said the man at the door. Mr. Tracy Tupman was stepping forward to announce his own titles, when the stranger prevented him.
′No names at all;′ and then he whispered Mr. Tupman, ′names won′t do—not known—very good names in their way, but not great ones—capital names for a small party, but won′t make an impression in public assemblies—incog. the thing— gentlemen from London—distinguished foreigners—anything.′ The door was thrown open, and Mr.
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