Pickwick Abroad: A Companion to the Pickwick Papers — page 188: what you’re looking at

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

¥ % 172 b> and took my wife every three months to. ‘my ulal and I candidl Versailles, because at those periods re- | lady’s interrogations. ceived her income. Well—what “" u| “Poor creature | " said she, 12 a compassion- think the traitress has done ?” ~ /ate.tone of voice; “and are you now peni- “T really do not know,” said I. “ Per- | tent ?” haps she declares nee: you have ceased to! I burst into tears, and my well-affected love her.” sorrow produced an immediate impression “Oh! no—no! B. quite diroad as that, | upon the lady. She took me by the ha Anastasie,” replied the Count, “for that I | led me to her carriage, which w s waiting it never could ave forgiven. Guess again !” | the Rue Vivienne, and ordered the coachman * Appropriated her money to her own | to drive to Passy. use,” was my suggestion. “ You are another of my son’s victims,” said “ No—nor yet half so bad as that. Guess | the Countess de Franconville—for she was once more,” cried M. de Franconyille. ¢ Well—run i in debt,” said I. “ Neither !” exclaimed the Count, “She has not run in debt, but she has run away with the colonel of the —th hussars. “Impossible!” cried 1. “Madame de Franconville—that, young lady—so beau- tiful—so chaste—so innocent—and so un- atiected |” ~ “ Perfectly true,” said the Count coolly ; “and I am very glad of it, as a volatile friend of mine declares whenever any acci- dent befals him. She has written a peni- tent letter—no one knows anything about for some weeks I was happy and comfort. it in the fashionable world—and so, when | able in an abode where every one treated me she comes back, she cannot utter a word with kindness and respect. I passed as the against my own follies, But I must leave widow of an officer in the army, who was you now, for my horse is waiting, and I | closely related to the Countess; and I can- lites) an affairOf hotor by torch-light at | didly confess that those few weeks were the eight o'clock. You see that I have not | happiest of my life. They are pleasing re- much time to spare—especially as before J | Miniscences to which the mind looks back as go, | have to order supper at Grillon’s for | the traveller glances towards the green fields myself, my antagonist, the doctor, and the | aad trees ring, i ce the desertupon which seconis, at eleven precisely. It will be an he is entering. J ee oxcellent supper, and it would therefore be | But this state xustence was not destined a great pity if either of us were killed, as | t0 continue fora yl ength of time, Beatance at in that case he would lose the entertain- | ing the young Cout vik eae ace at that an accident has thrown you in my way. I will make that reparation to you which he doubtless never would. You shall inhabit my house at Passy, and there you may lead a comfortable existence. Nor shall I forget you inmy will. I have already heard of your loves with Germilly, and of the unfor- tunate death of that young man. You might dwell in my town residence, but there you will be lable to meet my son, —and such jn- terviews cannot be too religiously. avoided. My benefactress fulfilled her promise ; and ment.” ive peaceful residel D Ce, v h ile sther was “ Adieu!” said I; and fhiving received a|in Pans. He We S il his de em hage > , his handsome ring, which the Count drew from | looks were terrific, Bae gg ae pc "strange his finger and presentedto me, I parted with and wild. He threw L f int to a chair, and buried his face in his ae . « Anastasie,” said he at length, “Tam un done, unless you come to my assistance. My one whose disposition was naturally ood, al- though dissipation and the vicious usages of a corrupt society had changed or disfigured many noble attributes of hissoul. mother does not speak to me—I haye drawn Seareely had I parted with the Count, | £° heavily upon her bankers, that she has when I was accosted by a lady, elegantly closed my account with them, and Tam to- ‘dressed. She questioned me—somewhat tally dependent on her! I have just lost a rudely and imperiously, as I at first thought large sum of mcney at play, and—O God ! —relative to the particulars of my conver- I was mad at the time—’ 4 a sation with the young nobleman-—The lady |, “ What have you done bs aid J, dreadful- was past the middle age; andina few. mo- ly alarmed. ments I could not fail to perceive the striking Cia! have forg gee my mother s name toa resenablance which was borne to her by M. cheque,” he continued. “ It will be pr esent- de Franconville. A certain H SuRperiGy enter ed | ed to-mor oy morning, and I shall be ruined; Re rey lied to -all the my seducer’s mother; “and I am delighted GoOmiGcdooks (A) (GO)