Pickwick Abroad: A Companion to the Pickwick Papers — page 177: what you’re looking at

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PICKWIOK ABROAD. erence; for I assure you-I am as honest as any one in the whole prison.” ‘As she, uttered these words, the old woman laid her right hand upon her heart, and reaching her left behind her, transferred Anastasie’s purse very cleverly from the. - table to her own pocket. She then has- tened out. of the room, and. concealed the plunder in a secure: place, till the disturb- ance which the old crone expected would follow the discovery of the loss, of the purse, should have subsided. In the course of the afternoon, Anastasie’s mother arrived with provisions. The ex- cellent old lady had, first made up her mind to terminate her cares in the Seine; but she at length hit upon the more eliyi- ble and less fatal method of drowning them in the bottle—a system we strongly recom- mend to the consideration of all people who may be suicidically inclined, Having at- tended to the immediate comforts of her daughter, and implored her to be more cir- cumspect in future, if she in any way es- caped punishment on this occasion, the affec- tionate parent took a speedy departure, as she was then engaged in an affair with a Russian nobleman whom she had deter- mined to ease of his ready money that same evening, with the aid of a dozen of her friends and confederates. It was about half-past four o'clock, and | 16! % Mr. Weller drew the cuff of his right sleeve across his eyes, | | “Alas! alas!” cried Anastasie; “dis is vary kind of you gentlemans! De friends desert me—dem as I have wronged, dey come to. me!” ; ) bic, | _“ Young o’oman, young o’oman,” exclaim-_ ed old Mr. Weller, in a voice which was much hoarser, because it was more im- pressive, than usual, “is them real tears, or. is they halligator’s tears ?” ° “Crocodile’s, you mean,” suggested Mr. Pickwick. “Vell, crocodiles is like halligators, an’ | halligators is like. crocodiles,” returned Mr. Weller, senior; “or at all ewents they’re so, unkimmonly alike, that if you must be eaten up by von on ’em, [| rayther think it vould’nt matter werry much vich on ’em it wos as dewoured you,” > “Poor Anastasie ! murmured. Mr, Tup- man: “and is it come to this? he added, as if there were any doubt to be entertained upon the matter. “ You see wot it is,” éontinned Mr. Wel- ler, the elder, moralizing: “ ven a hoss is stubborn, an’ obstinate, he frets his-self b his perwerse disposition into all kinds of un- pleasantness, an’ goes to the knackers a long vile afore his feller-creatures.” ; “Can. nothing save you?” demanded Mr, | Tupman; “must you be tried—ignomin- Anastasie was just wondering what could : lously tried ?” have become of her purse, when the door of her apartment was thrown open, and three individuals slowly advaneed toward her, The well-known features of Mr. ‘Tupman first met her glance; bebind him was the old yventleman in ctacles and black- gaiteys whom she bad seen at the Hotel du Rhin with Mr. Wegsworth Muffley ; and last of all was an uncommon fat individual, with an exceeding red face, a capacious striped Waistcoast, aud tops and cords upon his legs, The moment the calvaleade was thus re- vealed to the eyes. of the fair delinquent, she had recourse to those articles which all females enlist in their, service on such oc- “T tell you wot it is, Sir,” said Mr. Wel- ler, senior, advancing toward Mr. Pickwick, and speaking in a most mysterious tone of voice ; “you must send an’ per-seut your wery respectful compliments to the king, and tell his majesty that Miss Wolage here begs his pardon, an’ kisses his feet, an’ all them kinds o’gammon, an’ she’s sure to get off. The name of Pickvick vill penetrate to the wery heart o’ the French king, ‘an’ get this young gal set free agin.” “fT am afraid. my worthy friend,” said Mr. Pickwick, “that you vastly over-rate the extent of my influence, and that even the king himself has not the power of ar- casions,—viz. an Alpine-white pocket hand- | resting the course of justice.” kerchief. a Niagarian fall of tears, and a), “How many turnkeys is there here Vesuvian eruption of sighs, Mr. Tupman immediately seated himself beside the prisoner, and forgetting all bis wrongs, hastened to console her to the ut- most ,of his power: Mr. »Pickwick com- suddenly demanded old Mr. Weller after a long pause. “Why ?” said Mr. Pickwick. “Cos I'll tackle von on’em, you'll kuock down vVother, and Mr. Tupman can carry menced a fine speech, which the aspect of off the young gal on his back.” was the an- the miserable room effectually put a stop to swer, delivered amidst innumerable winks in the midst of an oriental simile; and old and nods, ‘ . ‘ 1 , . ae « Lg CONniicoaol< ; (