"goodness gracious! is that you, mr. bumble, sir? " said mrs. mann, thrusting her head out of the window in well-affected ecstasies of joy. "(susan, take oliver and them two brats upstairs, and wash 'em heart alive! mr. bumble, how glad i am to see you, sure-ly! "

now, mr. bumble was a fat man, and a choleric; so, instead of responding to this open-hearted salutation in a kindred spirit, he gave the little wicket a tremendous shake, and then bestowed upon it a kick which could have emanated from no leg but a beadle's.

"lor, only think," said mrs. mann, running out,—for the three boys had been removed by this time,—'only think of that! that i should have forgotten that the gate was bolted on the inside, on account of them dear children! walk in sir; walk in, pray, mr. bumble, do, sir."

although this invitation was accompanied with a curtsey that might have softened the heart of a church-warden, it by no means mollified the beadle.

"do you think this respectful or proper conduct, mrs. mann," inquired mr. bumble, grasping his cane, "to keep the parish officers a waiting at your garden-gate, when they come here upon porochial business with the porochial orphans? are you aweer, mrs. mann, that you are, as i may say, a porochial delegate, and a stipendiary? "

what does mr. bumble's cane symbolize in the passage?

a. his social ineptitude

b. his extreme insecurity

c. his self-conscious displays of authority

d. his ability to handle difficult situations