d
who hopes he has been pretty well since their last meeting, folds his
arms, and looks at his gentleman as much as to say 'Here I am--full of
evidence--Tap me!' And the gentleman does tap him presently, and with
great discretion too; drawing off the evidence by little and little,
and making it run quite clear and bright in the eyes of all present.
Then, Kit's gentleman takes him in hand, but can make nothing of him;
and after a great many very long questions and very short answers, Mr
Sampson Brass goes down in glory.

To him succeeds Sarah, who in like manner is easy to be managed by Mr
Brass's gentleman, but very obdurate to Kit's. In short, Kit's
gentleman can get nothing out of her but a repetition of what she has
said before (only a little stronger this time, as against his client),
and therefore lets her go, in some confusion. Then, Mr Brass's
gentleman calls Richard Swiveller, and Richard Swiveller appears
accordingly.

Now, Mr Brass's gentleman has it whispered in his ear that this witness
is disposed to be friendly to the prisoner--which, to say the truth, he
is rather glad to hear, as his strength is considered to lie in what is
familiarly termed badgering. Wherefore, he begins by requesting the
officer to be quite sure that this witness kisses the book, then goes
to work at him, tooth and nail.

'Mr Swiveller,' says this gentleman to Dick, when he had told his tale
with evident reluctance and a desire to make the best of it: 'Pray sir,
where did you dine yesterday?'--'Where did I dine yesterday?'--'Aye,
sir, where did you dine yesterday--was it near here, sir?'--'Oh to be
sure--yes--just over the way.'--'To be sure. Yes. Just over the way,'
repeats Mr Brass's gentleman, with a glance at the court.--'Alone,
sir?'--'I beg your pardon,' says Mr Swiveller, who has not caught the
question--'Alone, sir?' repeats Mr Brass's gentleman in a voice of
thunder, 'did you dine alone? Did you treat anybody, sir? Come!'--'Oh
yes, to be sure--yes, I did,' says Mr Swiveller with a smile.--'Have
the goodness to banish a levity, sir, which is very ill-suited to the
place in which you stand (though perhaps you have reason to be thankful
that it's only that place),' says Mr Brass's gentleman, with a nod of
the head, insinuating that the dock is Mr Swiveller's legitimate sphere
of action; 'and attend to me. You were waiting about here, yesterday,
in expectation that this trial was coming on. You dined over the way.
Yo