-Joe, let down the steps.′ The fat boy rolled slowly off the box, let down the steps, and held the carriage door invitingly open. Mr. Snodgrass and Mr. Winkle came up at the moment.
′Room for you all, gentlemen,′ said the stout man. ′Two inside, and one out. Joe, make room for one of these gentlemen on the box. Now, Sir, come along;′ and the stout gentleman extended his arm, and pulled first Mr. Pickwick, and then Mr. Snodgrass, into the barouche by main force. Mr. Winkle mounted to the box, the fat boy waddled to the same perch, and fell fast asleep instantly.
′Well, gentlemen,′ said the stout man, ′very glad to see you. Know you very well, gentlemen, though you mayn′t remember me. I spent some ev′nin′s at your club last winter—picked up my friend Mr. Tupman here this morning, and very glad I was to see him. Well, Sir, and how are you? You do look uncommon well, to be sure.′
Mr. Pickwick acknowledged the compliment, and cordially shook hands with the stout gentleman in the top-boots.
′Well, and how are you, sir?′ said the stout gentleman, addressing Mr. Snodgrass with paternal anxiety. ′Charming, eh? Well, that′s right—that′s right. And how are you, sir (to Mr. Winkle)? Well, I am glad to hear you say you are well; very glad I am, to be sure. My daughters, gentlemen—my gals these are; and that′s my sister, Miss Rachael Wardle. She′s a Miss, she is; and yet she ain′t a Miss—eh, Sir, eh?′ And the stout gentleman playfully inserted his elbow between the ribs of Mr. Pickwick, and laughed very heartily.
′Lor, brother!′ said Miss Wardle, with a deprecating smile.
′True, true,′ said the stout gentleman; ′no one can deny it. Gentlemen, I beg your pardon; this is my friend Mr. Trundle. And now you all know each other, let′s be comfortable and happy, and see what′s going forward; that′s what I say.′ So the stout gentleman put on his spectacles, and Mr. Pickwick pulled out his glass, and everybody stood up in the carriage, and looked over somebody else′s shoulder at the evolutions of the military.
Astounding evolutions they were, one rank firing over the heads of another rank, and then running away; and then the other rank firing over the heads of another rank, and running away in their turn; and then forming squares, with officers in the centre; and then descending the trench on one side with scaling- ladders, and ascending it on the other again by the same means; and knocking down barricades of baskets, and behaving in the most gallant manner possible. Then there was such a ramming down of the contents of enormous guns on the battery, with instruments like magnified mops; such a preparation before they were let off, and such an awful noise when they did go, that the air resounded with the screams of ladies. The young Misses Wardle were so frightened, that Mr. Trundle was actually obliged to hold one of them up in the carriage, while Mr. Snodgrass supported the other; and Mr. Wardle′s sister suffered under such a dreadful state of nervous alarm, that Mr. Tupman found it indispensably necessary to put his arm round her waist, to keep her up at all. Everybody was excited, except the fat boy, and he slept as soundly as if the roaring of cannon were his ordinary lullaby.
′Joe, Joe!′ said the stout gentleman, when the citadel was taken, and the besiegers and besieged sat down to dinner.
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