Everything, however, points to show the all but comtemptuous opinion that was held of this Trundle. Wardle had been there two or three days when Winkle and the others came over from Eatanswill, yet he had never told Mr. Pickwick or Winkle that Trundle was to be married at Christmas, and that they were all to be invited to the wedding. By the oddest of coincidences, Tupman and Snodgrass, getting down from the coach at the "Angel," were met by Wardle, who at once said, "I have _just been_ telling Pickwick that we must have you all down at Christmas. We're going to have a wedding." But I doubt if this _be_ an oversight. The fact was, no one thought anything of that cypher Trundle, or of his marriage--a matter of no importance to anybody. That this is the true explanation is plain, for Snodgrass, fancying that the wedding was of _his_ lady, turned pale. What was old Wardle's remark? Most significant of Trundle's _status_. "Don't be frightened," he said, "_it's only_ Trundle _there_ and Bella." "Only Trundle there," _i.e._, only that poor insignificant thing there! No more depreciatory words could be chosen, or put into the mouth of an honest country gentleman. I am certain that old Wardle gave his child reluctantly to this soft sort of fellow--"Only Trundle there!" Then for the shooting party. We hear of Tupman and Winkle even, with their guns, &c., but not a sign of this Trundle, a country gentleman, supposed to enjoy field sports. If Tupman and Winkle had to carry their guns reversed "like privates at a funeral," was Trundle excepted? We cannot tell, for he is not even named. Or was he of the shooting party at all? It has always seemed astonishing that Winkle should have been allowed, particularly by Mr. Pickwick, to join the _second_ shooting party. Everyone seemed to have forgotten his first performance, when he might have shot his friend Tupman dead, and, as it was, "peppered" him severely. Tupman would naturally have objected to so dangerous a companion. Wardle, at whose home the casualty occurred, merely said, "I beg my friend Winkle's pardon, though; he has had some practice." Was this ironical? I fancy the whole scene had passed out of the author's mind.