Pickwick Abroad: A Companion to the Pickwick Papers — page 183: what you’re looking at

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

‘ i oe , . tis 3 «' PICKWICK ABROAD. % > 167 h. for him ( m vain.as it was for,the . «] accept ur offer !” cried Alphonse, not. me who ruined m cousin !” | @ little astonished at the coolness with whieh I was about to utter the fatal name, when | agonist spoke; then looking sternly, a foot-step, ascending the stairs, fell upon my | towards us, he exclaimed, “and you wh ears, andi, bectiatel for a moment. It will | respective causes I shall now avenge with be necess ry here to. observe that my mo- one blow, dare not, by word or action, to 1 ha | encountered the profligate noble- | interfere caused my ruin, the evening is memorable day, at the Opera, : ‘related all that had befallen me. The. Count had inquired the address of the house in which I resided; and at that mo- - ment—-as I stood in the passage with my _ former lover on one side, and my new friend : g the other—the step that I heard was the ep of de eile aad in another in- alant he was before us. “This is my seducer!” cried I in a firm tone of yoice, addressing myself to Al- phonse, | A horrible scream echoed through the passage, and a faint, voice exclaimed, “ And that is the villain who also robbed me of peace and tranquillity for ever!” It was Alphonse’s cousin, who, pale and ghastly, leaning against the wall, and pointing to- wards de Franconyille, had spoken these words, “ Wretch !” cried Alphonse, springing for- ward, and catching the young nobleman by _ the throat; “ two victims; ah! that is too much! But the deeper is the debt you have to pay to liquidate the claims ofyengea ce!” “One champion for two ladies |” eclame! -d, you the Count, scornfully : “ upon my word, have enough upon your hands.” “ Taunts shall not serve as subterfuges !” 34 here—in the very ‘a le iny bas driven these house, to whi u women—Ss ulford me the means of avenging: it is very )possil ssib] [may gratify you. Let me ne co ed, raising an ele- gant little watch from his waistcoat pocket, and negligently dropping it back again, “ it is now close upon three o'clock ? hour that,I promised to meet the Marquis de vrai at, the shooting gallery. Happy idea! a little practice may not be amiss—es- pecially as I have twenty thousand francs. upon the match. So, if pistols be your weapons, here are mine. Choose the one you like the better! .They are both charged! It is very lucky that I had an engagement this morning, at the shooting-gallery, or I should not have had these pretty weapons with me |” ls ie ial 12 < yar z Just the | ith the dispensation of Provi- dence !” a « ok ¢ My female companion sank senseless upon | the floor of the passage, and I watched proceedings of th horror. ( pie | -“ If I die,” said the Count, as he retreated to the end of the passage, “I must be bu- ried in Pere Lachaise. It would not be aris- tocratic to,lie elsewhere. I hope, however, that 1 shall be spared to see the shooting match to-day, and to taste those truffles which Beauyillers procured for me and the Marquis a few days ago.” “ Are you ready ?” dlerianded Alphonse, “ T await your pleasure,” returned the Count, with a bow and a smile as polite and calm as if he were acknowledging a civility or a favor, » “ We will fire together,” said Alphonse, pointing to a clock which stood in the middle of the passage, facing. the stair-case, “ the moment the bell of that clock shall have struck the third stroke of the next hour, which is three !” “ Anything to afford you pleasure,” an- swered the Count. “ We have nearly half a minute yet to wait.” * About,” observed Germilly. “The weather is particularly cold to-day,” , said the Count. “ If I survive this encoun- ter, I shall immediately proceed to the next cafe, and take a glass of hot punch: and if I do not I would really advise you w do so.” At this moment the clock struck once— then twice—then thrice—and_ both. pistols were fired at the same instant. Alphonse started—leapt up in the air—and fell hea- vily upon the ground. Not a murmur es- caped his lips. “yr “ Well” exclaimed the Count, walking leisurely up to the body, and satisfying him- self that Germilly was no more, “I was afraid that this would be the result. You see that when I hold the pistol in this posi- tion, I cannot help hitting my man; in Tact, I never fail. d morning, ladies; I must not keep the uis waiting any longer! I will just step ac os the way and take a glass of punch, and can then let the Commissary of re know what has happened. Adieu, two Meath species % my ro ¥ | he gh bat ary 7 7 ¥ ¢, e ~ - all , COMIC OOO KS.CO