"Mr.Justice Stareleigh (who sat in the absence of the Chief Justice, occasioned by indisposition), was a most particularly short man, and so fat, that he seemed all face and waistcoat.He rolled in, upon two little turned legs, and having bobbed gravely to the bar, who bobbed gravely to him, put his little legs underneath his table, and his little three-cornered hat upon it; and when Mr.Justice Stareleigh had done this, all you could see of him was two queer little eyes, one broad pink face, and somewhere about half of a big and very comical-looking wig.
The judge had no sooner taken his seat, than the officer on the floor of the court called out "Silence!" in a commanding tone, upon which another officer in the gallery cried "Silence!" in an angry manner, whereupon three or four more ushers shouted "Silence!" in a voice of indignant remonstrance.
This being done, a gentleman in black, who sat below the judge, proceeded to call over the names of the jury; and after a great deal of bawling, it was discovered that only ten special jurymen were present.Upon this, Mr.Serjeant Buzfuz prayed a tales ; the gentleman in black then proceeded to press into the special jury, two of the common jurymen; and a green-grocer and a chemist were caught directly.
"Answer to your names, gentlemen, that you may be sworn," said the gentleman in black."Richard Upwitch.""Here," said the green-grocer.
"Thomas Groffin."
"Here," said the chemist.
"Take the book, gentlemen.You shall well and truly try--""I beg this court's pardon," said the chemist, who was a tall, thin, yellow-visaged man, "but I hope this court will excuse my attendance.""On what grounds, sir?" said Mr.Justice Stareleigh.
"I have no assistant, my Lord," said the chemist.
"I can't help that, sir," replied Mr.Justice Stareleigh."You should hire one.""I can't afford it, my Lord," rejoined the chemist.
"Then you ought to be able to afford it, sir," said the judge, reddening;for Justice Stareleigh's temper bordered on the irritable, and brooked not contradiction.
"I know I ought to do, if I got on as well as I deserved, but I don't, my Lord," answered the chemist.
"Swear the gentleman," said the judge, peremptorily.
The officer had got no further than the "You shall well and truly try,"when he was again interrupted by the chemist.
"I am to be sworn, my Lord, am I?" said the chemist.
"Certainly, sir," replied the testy little judge.
"Very well, my Lord," replied the chemist, in a resigned manner."Then there'll be murder before this trial's over; that's all.Swear me, if you please, sir;" and sworn the chemist was, before the judge could find words to utter.
"I merely wanted to observe, my Lord," said the chemist, taking his seat with great deliberation, "that I've left nobody but an errand-boy in my shop.He is a very nice boy, my Lord, but he is not acquainted with drugs; and I know that the prevailing impression on his mind is, that Epsom salts means oxalic acid; and syrup of senna, laudanum.That's all, my Lord."With this, the tall chemist composed himself into a comfortable attitude, and, assuming a pleasant expression of countenance, appeared to have prepared himself for the worst.
Mr.Pickwick was regarding the chemist with feelings of the deepest horror, when a slight sensation was perceptible in the body of the court;and immediately afterwards Mrs.Bardell, supported by Mrs.Cluppins, was led in, and placed in a drooping state, at the other end of the seat on which Mr.Pickwick sat.An extra sized umbrella was then handed in by Mr.
Dodson, and a pair of pattens by Mr.Fogg, each of whom had prepared a most sympathising and melancholy face for the occasion.Mrs.Sanders then appeared, leading in Master Bardell.At sight of her child, Mrs.Bardell started; suddenly recollecting herself, she kissed him in a frantic manner;then relapsing into a state of hysterical imbecility, the good lady requested to be informed where she was.In reply to this, Mrs.Cluppins and Mrs.
Sanders turned their heads away and wept, while Messrs.Dodson and Fogg intreated the plaintiff to compose herself.Serjeant Buzfuz rubbed his eyes very hard with a large white handkerchief, and gave an appealing look towards the jury, while the judge was visibly affected, and several of the beholders tried to cough down their emotions.
"Very good notion that, indeed," whispered Perker to Mr.Pickwick."Capital fellows those Dodson and Fogg; excellent ideas of effect, my dear sir, excellent."As Perker spoke, Mrs.Bardell began to recover by slow degrees, while Mrs.Cluppins, after a careful survey of Master Bardell's buttons and the button-holes to which they severally belonged, placed him on the floor of the court in front of his mother,--a commanding position in which he could not fail to awaken the full commiseration and sympathy of both judge and jury.This was not done without considerable opposition, and many tears, on the part of the young gentleman himself, who had certain inward misgivings that the placing him within the full glare of the judge's eye was only a formal prelude to his being immediately ordered away for instant execution, or for transportation beyond the seas, during the whole term of his natural life, at the very least.
"Bardell and Pickwick," cried the gentleman in black, calling on the case, which stood first on the list.
"I am for the plaintiff, my Lord," said Mr.Serjeant Buzfuz.
"Who is with you, brother Bufzuz?" said the judge.Mr.Skimpin bowed, to intimate that he was.
"I appear for the defendant, my Lord," said Mr.Serjeant Snubbin.
"Anybody with you, brother Snubbin?" inquired the court.
"Mr.Phunky, my Lord," replied Serjeant Snubbin.
"Serjeant Buzfuz and Mr.Skimpin for the plaintiff," said the judge, writing down the names in his note-book, and reading as he wrote; "for the defendant, Serjeant Snubbin and Mr.Monkey.""Beg your Lordship's pardon, Phunky."