'We are not,' shouted Mr Pickwick very angrily, and anyone who was not already too excited could have told from his voice that Mr Pickwick was telling the truth.

'You are not, are you?' said the young man to Mr Pickwick. He went quickly through the crowd by using the simple method of putting his elbow into the face of anyone who got in his way. This always works.

Very quickly Mr Pickwick explained what was really happening.

'Come along, then,' said the man in the green coat, pulling Mr Pickwick after him. The young man never stopped talking, and a lot of it was complete nonsense. He talked very quickly, but he never seemed to finish a sentence.

'Here, cabbie, take your money, and go away - this is a respectable gentleman - I know him well - none of your nonsense - this way, Sir - where's your friends? - It's all a mistake, I see - never mind - accidents will happen - even in the best families - never say die - down upon your luck - Pull him UP - Put that in his pipe - like the taste - damned rascals.'

And still talking in this strange way all the time, the stranger led the others to the traveller's waiting-room. Mr Pickwick and the others joined him there.

'Here, waiter!' shouted the stranger, ringing the bell on the table as hard as he could, 'get a drink for everyone - brandy-and-water, hot and strong, and sweet, and plenty - Is your eye damaged, Sir?

Waiter! raw beef-steak for the gentleman's eye - there is nothing like raw beef-steak for an eye that has been hit, Sir; a cold lamp-post is very good, but you look a bit strange standing in the open street for half an hour, with your eye against a lamp-post - eh? Very good - ha! ha!'