Pickwick Abroad: A Companion to the Pickwick Papers — page 133: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

y e just tell your master—’—‘“Stay, interrupted Mr. Muzzlewhite, “this affair will only do us harm. How much is your bill, youngster ?” “'Three pound seven,” returned the interest- ing youth, producing a dirty piece of paper. “ Well—here’s ten bob towards it,” ex- claimed Mr. Muzzlewhite, throwing half-a- sovereign on the table. The sum was soon made up amongst the directors, all of whom contributed something, with the exception of Captain Walsingham and Messieurs Snuffery and Muggins—the first turning away to the window and whistling, with his hands in his pockets, as his friends subscribed for him; the second pretending to be asleep the moment any- thing like payment was spoken of; and the third being really in a state of somnolency under the table. “ What is the amount of the capital upon which the Company works ?’. demanded Mr. Muzzlewhite, when the three pound seven had been with difficulty raised amongst the directors, and when the printer’s boy had taken himself off. “Capital—one million,” answered Cap- tain Walsingham. “We couldn’t do it upon léss.”" “Oh! no—decidedly not,” Muzzlewhite. Rich men do things cautiously and by hundred: or thousands: but individuals without a sow invariably found their specu lations upon millions. Not that we would cried Mr wish to disparage the eminent Company of, which we are now treating : on the contrary, we believe it to have been as highly re- spectable as it was considered to be by any one of its directors. “ But how shall we dispose of the shares ?” inquired Mr. Watkins Welladay. “ By advertisement, to be sure,” returned Captain Walsingham. “ We must placard all the walls—bill the Magazines—” “ What! the powder magazines of Wool- wich ?” interrupted Mr. Muzzlewhite. “ No—Frazer’s, Blackwood's, and the Old Monthly, to be sure,” exclaimed Cap- tain Walsingham ; “and perhaps the G'en- tLemai’s.” “ But where is the money to come from, to do all this?” inquired Mr. Snuffery. + “Where!” echoed Captain Walsingham, assuming a tone and attitude of the deepest indignation: “where? Why—from the Company’s bankers, I should hope.” “Qh! very well,” returned Mr. Snuffery, PICKWICK ABROAD. =* é 121 stay,’ | who was not however exacily aware that any account had been as yet opened ata banker’s, or indeed that the Company was possessed of any account to open: but he did not choose, as he afterwards expressed himself, to irritate by useless interrogation the man to whom he owed his bread—and and water, he might have added. . “ Certainly,” continued Captain Walsing- ham, “I have made arrangements with a capitalist, who will advance us five hun- dred pounds upon the strength of our firm, provided we take it out half in wine, and half in cigars. He did want to throw in a few pump-handles and patent. axle-trees; but that did not suit my purpose. Now, the fact is—old Muggins must give us his acceptance—(there’s no use my speechify- ing any longer, since he’s asleep)—and Vl manage the rest.” “ Yes,” objected Mr. Welladay ; “but will any bankers open an account with wine and cigars ?” “ Well, you are green, for the director ot a Joint-Stock Company!” ejaculated Mr. Snuffery. “We must raise money upon them, don’t you see ?” ko “ And we must make haste about it too, gentlemen,” continued Captain Horatio Clarence Walsingham; “ for 1 understand that some low chap, an auctioneer—or some such thing in May-fair, is going to establish his Asphalte Company. But, thank God,” added Captain Walsingham, with the reli- gious fervor which the subject very natu- rally originated, “held be obliged to take the pump-handles and patent axle-trees— aye, andthe pumps, and the wheels them- selves too—before hell raise enough to carry his schemes into execution.” “ How I abominate upstarts !” exclaimed Mr. Muzzlewhite, who had himself risen from the honest though somewhat mean em- ploy of cad to an omnibus, through the va- rious steps of hackney coaech-man, cab-pro- prietor, horse-jobber, and parish clerk, to be (as we now find him) occupying the respon- sible and desirable place of director of a public Institution. ’ “But enough of the auctioneer and his Company,” resumed Captain Walsingham ; “let me make a few more observa- tions before I declare that the sitting of this day’s committee is over. I am sure you will all be delighted to hear that I have secured the patronage and support of Puffemorf—the sub-editor of the Morning TLea-pot |” GOnileooo SS (C@