dozen after
dozen
Punctually , as the hour struck , Captain Kedgick returned to hand him to the room of state ; and he had no sooner got him safe there , than he bawled down the staircase to his fellow-citizens below , that Mr Chuzzlewit was ` receiving . ' Up they came with a rush . Up they came until the room was full , and , through the open door , a dismal perspective of more to come , was shown upon the stairs . One after another , one after another , dozen after dozen , score after score , more , more , more , up they came ; all shaking hands with Martin . Such varieties of hands , the thick , the thin , the short , the long , the fat , the lean , the coarse , the fine ; such differences of temperature , the hot , the cold , the dry , the moist , the flabby ; such diversities of grasp , the tight , the loose , the short-lived , and the lingering ! Still up , up , up , more , more , more ; and ever and anon the Captain 's voice was heard above the crowd -- ` There 's more below ! there 's more below .