We cannot be completely sure whether Mr Tupman was somewhat annoyed at the rude tone in which he was told to pass the wine which the stranger quickly poured for himself and passed on, or whether he felt very properly scandalised at an important member of the Pickwick Club being shamefully compared to a dismounted Bacchus.

Mr Tupman passed the wine, coughed twice, and looked at the stranger for several seconds with a stern gaze. The stranger, however, appeared perfectly relaxed, and quite calm under his searching glance, so Mr Tupman gradually relaxed, and reverted to the subject of 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 satisfied with what he saw. He said, 'Just the thing.'