The month of this cave was three yards high and two wide. Those who consulted the oracle had to fast several days, and then to descend a steep ladder till they reached a narrow gullet. They were then seized by the feet, and dragged violently to the bottom of the cave, where they were assailed by the most unearthly noises, howlings, shrieks, bellowings, with lurid lights and sudden glares, in the midst of which uproar and phantasmagoria the oracle was pronounced. The votaries were then seized unexpectedly by the feet, and thrust out of the cave without ceremony. If any resisted, or attempted to enter in any other way, he was instantly murdered.--Plutarch, _Lives_. =Trotley= (_Sir John_), an old-fashioned country gentleman, who actually prefers the obsolete English notions of domestic life, fidelity to wives and husbands, modesty in maids, and constancy in lovers, to the foreign free and easy manners which allow married people unlimited freedom, and consider licentiousness _bon ton_.--Garrick, _Bon Ton_ (1776). (See PRIORY.) =Trotter= (_Job_), servant to Alfred Jingle. A sly, canting rascal, who has at least the virtue of fidelity to his master. Mr. Pickwick’s generosity touches his heart, and he shows a sincere gratitude to his benefactor.--C. Dickens, _The Pickwick Papers_ (1836). _Trotter_ (_Nelly_) fishwoman at old St. Ronan’s.--Sir W. Scott, _St. Ronan’s Well_ (time, George III.). =Trotters=, the Punch and Judy showman; a little, good-natured, unsuspicious man, very unlike his misanthropic companion, Thomas Codlin, who played the panpipes, and collected the money. His real name was Harris, but it had gradually merged into Trotters, with the prefatory adjective “Short,” by reason of the small size of his legs. Short Trotters, however, being a compound name, inconvenient in friendly dialogue, he was called either Trotters or Short, and never Short Trotters, except on occasions of ceremony.--C. Dickens, _The Old Curiosity Shop_, xvii. (1840). =Trotty=, the sobriquet of Toby Veck, ticket-porter and jobman. They called him Trotty from his pace, which meant speed, if it didn’t make it. He could have walked faster, perhaps; most likely; but rob him of his trot, and Toby would have taken to his bed and died. It bespattered him with mud in dirty weather; it cost him a world of trouble; he could have walked with infinitely greater ease; but that was one reason for his clinging to his trot so tenaciously. A weak, small, spare old man; he was a very Herculês, this Toby, in his good intentions.--C. Dickens, _The Chimes_, i. (1844).