Pickwick Abroad: A Companion to the Pickwick Papers — page 134: what you’re looking at

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

y bY as 4 122 _ PICKWICK ABROAD. & “No!” exclaimed several voices in tones expressive of the deepest admiration. “ Do I, or do I not look like a man who is deceiving you ?” calmly returned the Chair- man as he glanced complacently and _phi- lanthropically around upon his great co-cper- ators. ~ . __. “No—no,” echoed from all present save Mr. Muggins and the Chairman himself. “Well, then,” continued Captain Walsing- ham, “sincel deserve all your confidence, as the Great Cham used to observe to those faithful slaves whom he intended to put to death,— I will show you that I mean to retain it. Here, gentlemen—here is a paragraph which will appear in the Zea-pot of to-morrow morning. Mr. Snuffery, do me the favor, as treasurer, to read it?” Mr. Snuffery, who,notwithstanding the na- ture of his appomtment, had nothing to trea- sure up but the speeches of the Chairman, immediately complied with that individual’s request, and read the contents of a little piece of paper, which was handed to him, as follows :— “Tue Duxe or Wet.ineton.—lIt is a well-known fact that this illustrious com- mander gave peace to Europe by the achieve- * ments he and his gallant followers performed at Waterloo. » The reputation of his Grace is the most eminént that can be conceived: it seems to stand alone in the English annals of renown—its supernal lustre throws all others into a deepshade. Yet even this en- viable and extensive reputation may even- tually find a rival; and if such be the will of destiny, then will the honor of this great competition be decidedly awarded te Wal- singham and Company’s Asphaltum.” “ Well, I never could have fancied what was coming,” exclaimed Mr. Welladay, as the treasurer brought the perusal of this most erudite paragraph to a conclusion. “ It was Puffemorf’s. idea,’ exclaimed Captain Walspizbam. “ Why—it will cre- ate a more powerful sensation in the fashion- able world than Twaddlehem’s new novel.” “Very good, very good,” observed Mr. Cherryburton, whose nose seemed to indicate that he was not indifferent to cherry-brandy. “ Tt ain’t bad,” kindly assented Mr. Moles- worthy. “ What ain’t ?—the brandy ?” murmured Mr. Muggins from beneath the table, where he had just awoke: “ask the Cheerman then to pour me out another thimble-full.” But the Chairman perceived that there was not another thimble-full, nor yet half an one, to pour out ; so Mr. Miggins and his re- quest were disregarded. | “ Where did you first see this wonderful Asphaltum ? inquired Mr. Welladay of the gallant captain at the head of the table. “ Upon the Boulevards in Paris,” was the reply. “And while I think of it,” continued the Chairman,” I forgot to mention that I have written to some very eminent gentle- men—friends of mine—who are at. present residing in the French metropolis, and who will not only establish agencies, e¢ cetera, for us, but will also take a considerable number of shares,” “ So much the better,” ejaculated Mr. Welladay, casting a glance of the deepest admiration at the respectable Chairman. “ Nay—more than that,” contmued Cap- tam Walsingham, “ I am every minute ex- pecting a reply to my lettejg The foreign delivery is late to-day.” Scarcely were the words out of the Chair- man’s mouth, when the well-known double- knock of the postman echoed through the house. How many an anxicus bosom heaves, and hearts beat quickly at that thrilling sound, upon which often—too often, hang life and death, joy or sorrow, prosperity or despair ! ' : ». * The landlady made her appearance witha letter, for which Mr. Welladay paid the post age, as the chairman seemed to be absorbed in the examination of the address, which was not in the hand-writing of Mr. Pickwick, as he had expected itto be. But it was a very singular and truly original hand-writing—not running parallel with the top of the paper, but curiously obliqued from one corner to another—in other words diagonal. The ca- pital letters, too, were, by way of variation, placed in the middle of sentences : indeed, not to keep the reader any longer in suspense, the superscription stood thus :— “capting Valsinghame eskvire “ number six , “noo Cut “ Lundun.” Captain Walsingham felt convinced that Mr. Pickwick could not be the author of so extraordinary a specimen of orthography. He therefore tore the letter open, and to his most unfeigned astonishment perused the fol- jowing document :— 66 Sir, “TI don’t say persisely that you shall have yor vay vith the guvner, nor, does 1 insin- LNOOKS,.EO (-) (COUN