 said Mr. Pickwick, »very hasty. Tupman; your hand.«
    The dark shadow passed from Mr. Tupman's face, as he warmly grasped the hand
of his friend.
    »I have been hasty, too,« said he.
    »No, no,« interrupted Mr. Pickwick, »the fault was mine. You will wear the
green velvet jacket?«
    »No, no,« replied Mr. Tupman.
    »To oblige me, you will,« resumed Mr. Pickwick.
    »Well, well, I will,« said Mr. Tupman.
    It was accordingly settled that Mr. Tupman, Mr. Winkle, and Mr. Snodgrass,
should all wear fancy dresses. Thus Mr. Pickwick was led by the very warmth of
his own good feelings to give his consent to a proceeding from which his better
judgment would have recoiled - a more striking illustration of his amiable
character could hardly have been conceived, even if the events recorded in these
pages had been wholly imaginary.
    Mr. Leo Hunter had not exaggerated the resources of Mr. Solomon Lucas. His
wardrobe was extensive - very extensive - not strictly classical perhaps, nor
quite new, nor did it contain any one garment made precisely after the fashion
of any age or time, but everything was more or less spangled; and what can be
prettier than spangles! It may be objected that they are not adapted to the
daylight, but everybody knows that they would glitter if there were lamps; and
nothing can be clearer than that if people give fancy balls in the day-time, and
the dresses do not show quite as well as they would by night, the fault lies
solely with the people who give the fancy balls, and is in no wise chargeable on
the spangles. Such was the convincing reasoning of Mr. Solomon Lucas; and
influenced by such arguments did Mr. Tupman, Mr. Winkle, and Mr. Snodgrass,
engage to array themselves in costumes which his taste and experience induced
him to recommend as admirably suited to the occasion.
    A carriage was hired from the Town Arms, for the accommodation of the
Pickwickians, and a chariot was ordered from the same repository, for the
purpose of conveying Mr. and Mrs. Pott to Mrs. Leo Hunter's grounds, which Mr.
Pott, as a delicate acknowledgment of having received an invitation, had already
confidently predicted in the Eatanswill Gazette »would present a scene of varied
and delicious enchantment - a bewildering coruscation of beauty and talent - a
lavish and prodigal display of hospitality - above all, a degree of splendour
softened by
