Pickwick Abroad: A Companion to the Pickwick Papers — page 170: what you’re looking at

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g- “ Oh, it, is, is it,” eried Mr. Tupman.. 154 shunned by all upright and good men for their conduct. They then hope to redeem their characters by enacting the bully, and exercising their physical superiority upon the person of some feeble individual who deems them unfit for his acquaintance. An action 1s the result—the culprits are pun- ished as they deserve—but the stupid dis- tribution of the law allows them to pass the time of that imprisonment to which the tribunal appealed to has condemned them, in a debtor’s instead of a felon’s jail. So far from being sent to the treadmill, which they so richly merit, they are allowed to intrude themselves into that tenement where the victims of misfortune, and not ‘he agents of moral or social outrage should alone be permitted to abide., And happy is it for them if they can find friends or dupes to maintain them while they suffer the penalty of that, cowardly and indecent sonduct, which began in the most treacher- bus desertion, and ended in the most dis- gusting bullying. But let us return to the jovial party, whoin we left for a moment to make the above remarks. | Mr. Weller, senior, was in the midst of an amusing anecdote, and Mr. Pickwick was In the. midst of an excellent glass of punch—Mr. Tupman was fast asleep in his chair—Mr. Winkle and Mr Snodgrass seemed very much inclined to imitate ‘their friend’s example, each having one eye close shut, and the other only half open—and M. Dumont and Mr. Weller were listening very patiently to the old coachman’s story, when a tremendous ring at the front door bell cut short the anecdote, interrupted’ Mr. Pickwick in the diseussion of his punch, “made Mr. Samuel Weller start upon his legs, awoke Mr. Tupman, and compelled Mr. ‘Snoderass and Mr. their eyes. “ Who can this be, at eleven at night?” said Mr. Pickwick. ‘Ah! who indeed 2” nebeei Mr. Tupman, rubbing his eyes. | “That is exactly what I Mvand to know,” returned Mr. Pickwick, looking sternly upon his follower through his memorable spec- ‘ Well—I dare say we shall see when Sam has opened the door.” | Mr. Weller, junior, hastened to answer the summons at the front door, and re-. turned to the room ushering in a tall Gen- el A PICKWICK ABROAD. Winkle to open | 4. darme, six fee! high, the very appearance | of whom frightened Mr. Snodgrass into hys- terics, and Mr. Winkle behind the curtain. “Do not ibe alarmed, gentlemen,” cried _ % Dumont; “it is only one of my men, whom ~ L informed that I was coming to pass an hour or two with you, in order that he should know where to find me in case of my presence being required. a This announcement tranquilized the gen- tlemen present; Mr. Snodgrass turned his hysterics off in a violent ‘cough, and Mr. Winkle emer ged from behind the curtain, while Dunant conversed with the Gen- ’ darme who had just arrived, in their own language, and ina hurried tone of voice. “ What do you think the meaning of this can be?” inquired Mr. T'upman of Mr. Pickwick. | ‘“ T have been conjecturing for ‘Hate last ten minutes,” answered that truly learned and great man ; “and the result of my re- flection is—” “Ts what?’ cried we Tupman, impa- tiently. toe “Ts that I cannot come to any feasible See conclusion,” answered Mr. Pickwick. It is evident, that Mr Tupman felt the | entire weight of this erudite reply, from the circumstance of his not asking Mr. Pick- wick any more questions; although it is just probable that he had not obtained all the information he required. “© Gentlemen,” said M: Dumont, when he had conversed for about ten minutes with the stranger, “ Iam going to perform a very unpleasant office. A female has been de- tected in a most audacious cheat, and is now in charge at the office of the nearest commissary of police. I must hasten thither to witness the depositions, and superintend her conveyance to prison. But this female is not a stranger to some of hp who are here present.” 5 “ Indeed !” cried Mr. Pickwick « It cannot be the wife of our grocer, I hope!” “Nor the apple-woman at the corner of the Faubourg St. Honore ?” said Mr. Tup- man, with tears in his expressive eyes. “Nor the old woman in the ereat-coat, who sweeps the crossing by the Madeline ?” exclaimed Mr. Winkle. “Nor the pale and sentimental-looking female that sells matches round the cor- ner ?” demanded the poetic Mr. Snodgrass. No, gentlemen,” returned M. Dumont with a smile; “it is neither the grocer’s wife, the beggar, the sweeper of the cross- LOO) . (CO) SalCO)