Pickwick Abroad: A Companion to the Pickwick Papers — page 103: what you’re looking at

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, -. PICKWICK ABROAD.» with a ‘- hiccup, which aa a little added 4o the interest of this most affecting scene: “tell me—dear Madam—it is not— ‘eh! no, it cannot be—it is not Siff kin’s ?” Mrs. Weston blushed a negative. , , “And it may be Pickwick’s ?” continued ‘the ardent lover. The widow looked an affirmative. “ You, then, may suffer me to hope?” de- manded the,venerable traveller. r. Scuttle’s niece whispered an assent. I must make a note of your permis- sion,” said Mr. Pickwick, with that prudence and presence of mind which never deserted him. . “Tt can be scarcely necessary,” objected the widow, with a deep blush; “and vul- gar eyes May peruse your memoranda.” “ Right—very right,” said ee patesing his lips to the fair hand which he eldimprisoned within his own, and rising lightly from his suppliant posture and the thistle. “I shall reveal my views and wishes to Scuttle in the course of to-mor- row, and have no doubt——” At this interesting crisis, a profane voice dared to break upon the silence of the even- ing; and the following song suddenly burst forth to burden the air with its measures : * a . EVENING. — How gorgeously the sun is sinking 4 In his sharoted Thetis’ lap: He Pritt 9 ocean to be drinking, Before he takes nigevoning nap. ‘ Upon the clouds the moon is riding, As if a charger she bestrode : Throw endless paths her courser guiding, — She trots along the usual road. _ The siaapaortp ahi ads are twinkling, 4 As if they pined at human woe ; Or e’en as if they had an inkling Of all that’s passing here below, . a And as the voice repeated the words “here below” a number of times, with leasing yariations, and) in a rich volume, fr. Pickwick became aware that he and his fair companion could be indebted to no other tl an Mr, Nassau Siffkin, for the har- mony and the yyterrupti They therefore prudent} + determined to avoid any encoun- ter at that moment with the poet, and has- tened towards the house, both not a little pleased with the confessions and avowals muturlly given and received. The horses were now harnessed to the n * for departure. Messieurs Pickwick, | sien and Mrs. Weston, occupie riage; and Messieurs Tupman, Winkle, Jhitty, and Walker, established then selves | the green britzka. Mr. Weller mounted e dickey of the latter—for once being obliged to separate for an hour from his beloved master; and the cavalcade rolled leisurely on the road which leads to Paris, +. le CHAPTER XIX. The arrival of another celebrated personage ‘in France.—The Count Boloski of Bolosk, and Madomegctic Loveminski. Bou.ocne-sur-Mer, as far as regards the English portion of its’ inhabitants, stands with respect to Calais in the same way in which the Queen’s Bench may be compared to the Fleet prison. Bologne is the re- ceptacle for the more gentlemanly and ac- complished allotment of those English swindlers and black-legs who visit the con- tinent, because they find it somewhat in- convenient to reside in their own country ; whereas the coarse and the low adventurer contents himself with Calais. The very equipages which may be seen.in the streets of Boulogne denote the characters of their proprietors: the liveries of their servants arevalso another means of betraying the secret of temporary credit at a tailor’s, and a certainty of the said tailor losing every item of his account. The individuals who grace the open carriages and phaetons just now alluded to, are fine specimens of the impudent and unprincipled portion of man- kind. ‘The men wear fierce whiskers, fur collaxs to their coats in winter, and velvet . frontsin summer, satin stocks, straw-color- ed gloves, and empty green purses, ways) in their pockets. The ladies are, decorate with pink crape bonnets in J uly, and green velvet ones in January; and their dress and manners altogether assimilate much with those unfortunate females who parade the streets of London. The Agnus-Castus, or Chaste-Tree, might be planted with con- siderable advantage in the principal streets and squares at Boulogne; for in no town | under heaven is the protection of its shade. “ and the influence of its presence more re- uired than in this. The French portion of the inhabitants scrupulously avoid all con- nexion with the English: the only class of vebicle, aud every preparation was made | citizens that transact any business at all in ve mm GOmlGeoooks (GO)