his eyes for an instant, bowed slightly round, and was once more
deeply immersed in the case before him: which arose out of an
interminable law suit, originating in the act of an individual,
deceased a century or so ago, who had stopped up a pathway leading
from some place which nobody ever came from, to some other place
which nobody ever went to.

With such a pair the case was literally given away. Perker should have
secured a man like the present Mr. Gill or Mr. Charles Matthews--they
might have "broken down" the witnesses, or laughed the case out of court.

We may speculate--why did Perker make this foolish selection? As to
Snubbin there was some excuse, as it was the custom that Serjeants only
should lead in the Court of Common Pleas. But for the choice of Phunky,
Perker's stupidity alone was responsible.

Under these conditions Serjeant Snubbin's conduct of the case and his
"handling" of the witnesses was truly inefficient. He lost every
opportunity for helping his client. He "led" in a quiet, gentlemanly and
almost indifferent way. His first opportunity came in examining Mrs.
Cluppins. As we have seen, she had deposed to hearing, when the door was
"on the jar," Mr. Pickwick make those speeches which Mrs. Bardell had
taken to be a proposal. Now here was the moment to show the ambiguity
and that Mr. Pickwick was speaking of his servant. It might have been
brought out that Sam was actually engaged that day, and that she had met
him on the stairs, etc. But Snubbin declined to ask her a single
question, saying that Mr. Pickwick admitted the accuracy of her
statement. But this was beside the matter, and the Serjeant need not
have impeached her accuracy.

When Phunky came to Winkle, the inexperience of the tyro was shown at
once. Again, here was the moment to have extracted from the witness a
full explanation of Mr. Pickwick's ambiguous speeches to Mrs. Bardell.
He could have "brought out" as "clear as the light of day" that Mr.
Pickwick was speaking of his engagement of a valet and have shown that
the valet was to be engaged that very morning. It would have been
impossible to resist such an explanation. But the thing was not thought
of. From him also could have been drawn a vast deal favourable to Mr.
Pickwick such as his disgust and annoyance at Mrs. Bardell's behaviour,
his wish to be rid of her, his complaints of her conduct. But no, there
was only the foolish question as