We cannot be completely sure if Mr Tupman was rather angry at the rude tone in which he was told to pass the wine, especially as the stranger quickly poured some for himself and passed it on. Perhaps he was quite rightly surprised and shocked to hear himself, an important member of the Pickwick Club, being shamefully compared to Bacchus, the fat God of Wine.

Mr Tupman passed the wine, then coughed twice to show his feelings. He looked at the stranger for several seconds with a rather angry expression. The stranger, however, appeared perfectly relaxed, and didn't seem to notice the way Mr Tupman was glaring at him, so Mr Tupman slowly relaxed, and went back to talking about the ball.

'I was about to say, Sir,' he said, 'that though my clothing would be too large, a suit of my friend Mr Winkle's would, perhaps, fit you better.'

The stranger measured Mr Winkle with his eye, and seemed very pleased with what he saw. He said, 'Just the thing.'