Pickwick Abroad: A Companion to the Pickwick Papers — page 147: what you’re looking at

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

yt v of Mr. Peter Muggins? Why elling Rhee stationed at their windows to gaze n¢ individuals that stopped at Mr. Mug- gins’ door ? And why had the Major, who sided on the first floor, been persuaded allow tHe fa algo thy to use it upon this oc- sion ? These questions can all be an- peri vith six words, of which four are aon Pitiae 3 1 ro ee gave a grand cand did Muggins give a grand Gay “Because Cay in Horatio Clarence Walsingham wasiabout to lead to the hy- ne mal altar Art intha, eldest daughter of eter Muggins, Esq. © Any years ago it was the custom for the guests to arrive at about four o'clock: then, some fashionable innoyator changed the important. moment till six. In the ti of George the Second, dancing com- eed at seven; and this state of things continued: for some time without interrup- tion. Butat length a duke or duchess is- sued cards” for. ‘eight, and then another fashionable person, “changed the hour into nine. The truth is, that ‘unless the eentle- men hg ve a suffic ient time allowed them to dri Ps couple of bottles of wine or so each, after dinner, they cannot be expected to make. themselves as agreea le as they do when they join th 0 to a ball or evening: te ty. Ev the hour of arrival gets later aun un- derstand th: it is the intention of certain fashionables at the West End, when, in the course of the next season, they receive cards for a ball or soiree, not to go till the oe morning. rs. Muggins had issued her cards eh precis ely ; ” and, therefore, at i Félisely ¢ here was not a soul pre- sent. Tat half. ee eight, a few old ladie ows, and young gentlemen of fifty. he their appearance; and at nine, the ~ rooms began to fill. me T's ell, e you are at last,” said Mr. iesies as the Capt ; whose knock at the fr ont dor he had recognised, aud whom had n the passage. 4 astened to meet hat news in M city to ay ” Oh! all as right as the mail,” replied Saptain aise@hath as he hung a mag- oak upon a peg in the hall, and ificent | ho hun hung himself upon Mr. piueeins’ arm. ee, A more ore es were wer ‘disposed oL.” “ So much the better,” said Mr. Muggins.. ' @y % | ‘PICKWICK ABROAD. ere. the inquisitive people of the house' ° @. a " <4 P 4 9 | 133 been. fabricated: in the morning at | “ But just excuse me one moment;” and Mr. Muggins led his future eon-ia: tw into the back ground-floor room, where Mary was arranging the supper. “T’see you mean to do the thing in a slap-up style,” observed Captain Walsing- ham, as his eye glanced over'the prepara- _ tions we have before slightly alluded to. — “ Qh! on these occasions, you know—it looks avell,”? whispered Mr. Muggins: then, addressing himself aloud to. his domestie, he cried, « Mary, | am very uneasy about them tivo tarts. Mrs. M. declares she made three dozen and four.” “Tauk-a-daisy, Sir,’ ejaculated’ Mary, ¢ — woulda think o’ counting tarts on right of a party? I’m sure if they was al gone, I shouldn't ha’ knowed wot had becomed on ’em.’ ¢ “It’s very strange,” Ghsamted Mr. Mug- “very strange, particularly as that cold veal-pie that was left the day before yesterday, at our dinner, has. never been ac- counted for.” “Weal-pie! wot weal-pie ?” iS mtadod the indignant servant. ““ For my part, I hates weal- -pie like pison: it always gives me a hindigestion.” “ Well, well—Mary,” s said Mr. Muggins, “we won’t say no more about it at present. —Now, Walsingham, let us walk up-stairs.’ And Mr. Mugzins led the-way to t drawing-room, where the Captain ‘found h intended in,close conversation with a small group of eight or nine cousins who had just arrived from the country. “Here’s Horatio!” said Miss Aramintha to her relatives, ina whisper loud enough to be heard all over the room; and the in- teresting object of her devotion ‘glanced, towards his dancing-shoes, and then at the gi ceiling, in order to encotrage a belief. that his ear had not caught the ‘remark. , “What a fine young man!” observed o of the cousins to Miss Aramintha Muggins. The Captain advanced towards the group, paid his respects in a peculiarly re- freshing and off-hand manner to his intended, and was tl Seep in due course the Misses 8 to one of whom todg shortly bontavled that it had been a very * fine day, and to another that he was afraid it; would be a wet evening. All this was exceedingly charming ; and as a conversa tion was thus began, a great deal of laugh ing and gigg cling soon * commenced in the corner where the Captain and the group of young ladies were stationed. , “ * % s° “a JOO CONMUC <SriGO@