Pickwick Abroad: A Companion to the Pickwick Papers — page 17: what you’re looking at

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

al 7 el oy sf a bis, @? . rd * oe . - ” ‘wit , : P * | x | age ns | ¥ ” ‘ae. ” wh ¥ : ? i | ie eae OF a s et ‘ ¥ A. PERS ICK ABROAD, a 1] ) “Young frogs’ legs, I fancy, sir,” said ie waiter, with the utmost coolness; and vaving assured himself of the truth of his statement by a glance at the dish, he added, re . sy sir—they are frogs’ legs.” | In one moment Mr. Pickwiek’s lap re- . ceived the contents of Mr. ‘l'upman’s stom- ach, and Mr. Winkle rushed towards the bell, and pulled it with all his might, although the waiter we in the room. As for Mr. Pickwick, he was so bewildered. by the coupminicals n made by the waiter, the idea of having eaten frogs’ legs, and the A certainty of haying been made a hand-basin ~ of by Mr. Tupman, that, in a moment) of -yenial desperation, he seized the nearest » bottle upon the table, and haying poured out a tumbler of its contents, drank it at a . Mr. Weller, who had left the apartment only a few minutes before the commence- -ment of this extraordinary scene to look -.. after his own luncheon, hastened to the ¥ coffee-r oom the moment he heard the bell rs ie , Tinging with all the violence that oe ~_kle’s arms could impart to the wire. en . «he beheld the confusion that prevailed, and |) ard: Mr. Winkle vituperating the waiter as a sort of accompaniment to the music he was making with the bell, it immediately occurred to Mr. Weller’s mind that the said waiter had been abusing his revered mas- ter; and, without any more ado, he commu- -nicated to the unoffending waiter’s nose so fierce a blow, and followed it up by another on the chest to such purpose, that the unfortunate waiter fell over the table, and scattered the remnants of the luncheon on a? floor. The other domesties of the hotel kissed the ground, and were about to inflict summary and .condign punishment on Mr. , Weller. But their pugnacious determina- ‘ tions were stopped by the interference of Mr. Pickwick, who, with extraordinary | prompetnae, rose from his chair like a doll eapiug out of a child’s box by means of a _ spring; and holding back Mr. Winkle with one hand, while he waved the other over his head, he proceeded to address the servile crew. His eloquence produced an imme- _ diate effeet—the matter was explained to _ the satisfaction of all parties—and the _. Waiter undertook to pardon Mr. Weller, on a small douceur being slipped into his hand, - but not before Mr. Winkle had informed the domestics that it was very lucky they were ushed into the coffee-room in a body, just. at the moment when their fellow-servant. thus pacifically inclined, or they would have ‘known the reason why. Peace being thus ae ans Tupman hastened to bed, having only just strength enough remaining to desire the pretty chambermaid to follow him with the warming-pan, - The domestics retired to the kitchen— Mr, Pickwick changed his trowsers and ~ washed himself— which ceremony being performed, he» and Mr. Winkle, having declined to eat any more luncheon, indem- nified themselves with a hot glass of excel- lent brandy-and-water, by the céffee-room fire. The waiter was summoned, after Mr. Pickwick and Mr. Winkle had held a con- sultation, at which Mr. Pickwick presided in due form, relative to the dinner; and it being thoroughly understood that no anti- Anglican meats were tobe seryed up, the waiter was desired to have that repast on table at six o'clock, and to call Mr. Tupman at five. | e ’y > 7 . _ CHAPTER IIL. Mr. Weller’s letter to his wife.—The reader is imroiuced to a young gentleman who is well acquainied with the world.—Mr. Weller’s adven- ture at the Theatre, 4 } Wuen Mr. Samuel Weller had partaken ot a copluus repast in the kitchen of Meurice’s hotel, he ‘repaired to the bed-room which was destined for his reception. Being armed with writing materials and a glass of brandy- and-water, he took a seat at the table, and prepared himself to compose an epistle to his beloved spouse, whom he had left behind him at Dulwich Lodge. : “Wery particklerly good you air,” ob- served Sam, apostrophising the brandy-and- water, and smacking his lips after a long draught of the tempting beverage; “and may ve meet as frequently as con-wenient, as the gen’leman said to the pus vich he fuun’ in the street. An’ now for this ’ere little he-pistle of mine,” continued Sam— “and, mind ve put in as much—or p’rhaps rather more than the yaiter’s informed us of—not forgetting about the vine and the sudger’s trowsers.” | With these words Mr. Weller applied himself manfully to the task, and never left off till he had accomplished the following letter. Comic yoo .S CO) ry