"Now, sir," said Mr. Skimpin, "have the goodness to let his Lordship and the jury know what your name is, will you?" and Mr. Skimpin inclined his head on one side to listen with great sharpness to the answer, and glanced at the jury meanwhile, as if to imply that he rather expected Mr. Winkle's natural taste for perjury would induce him to give some name which did not belong to him.
"Winkle," replied the witness.
"What's your Christian name, sir?" angrily inquired the little judge.
"Nathaniel, sir."
"Daniel,--any other name?"
"Nathaniel, sir--my Lord, I mean."
"Nathaniel Daniel, or Daniel Nathaniel?"
"No, my Lord, only Nathaniel; not Daniel at all."
"What did you tell me it was Daniel for, then, sir?" inquired the judge.
"I didn't, my Lord," replied Mr. Winkle.
"You did, sir," replied the judge, with a severe frown.
"How could I have got Daniel on my notes, unless you told me so, sir?"
This argument was, of course, unanswerable.
"Mr. Winkle has rather a short memory, my Lord," interposed Mr. Skimpin, with another glance at the jury. "We shall find means to refresh it before we have quite done with him, I daresay."
"You had better be careful, sir," said the little judge, with a sinister look at the witness.
Poor Mr. Winkle bowed, and endeavoured to feign an easiness of manner, which, in his then state of confusion, gave him rather the air of a disconcerted pickpocket.
"Now, Mr. Winkle," said Mr. Skimpin, "attend to me, if you please, sir; and let me recommend you, for your own sake, to bear in mind his Lordship's injunction to be careful. I believe you are a particular friend of Pickwick, the defendant, are you not?"
"I have known Mr. Pickwick now, as well as I recollect at this moment, nearly--"
"Pray, Mr. Winkle, do not evade the question. Are you, or are you not, a particular friend of the defendant's?"
"I was just about to say, that--"
"Will you, or will you not, answer my question, sir?"
"If you don't answer the question you'll be committed, sir," interposed the little judge, looking over his note-book.
"Come, sir," said Mr. Skimpin, "yes or no, if you please."
"Yes, I am," replied Mr. Winkle.