Pickwick Abroad: A Companion to the Pickwick Papers — page 19: what you’re looking at

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ie a. het lait 5 minister in cabinet-coun- a quarter of an hour had slanetdl since Pickwick and Mr. Winkle had looked at their watches as above- ugpals ed, when ‘the door of the coffe -room was suddenly thrown open, and es gentleman of about two or’ three and twenty bounced into the apartment. He was dressed in clothes somewhat the worse for wear; and » «his: closely- -buttoned double- -waistcoat suf- bs not a ves ige of linen to be*seen, ! y on account of the chilly. weather, ad gains ‘the inclemency of which: his head was protected by an old black velvet cap. Without condesce ding to shut the door behind him, the ‘stranger walked straight up ta the fire- -place, pulled the bell with extreme violence, and then, turning his back to the fire, he put his hands ‘behind him, pulled asunder his coat-tails, and whistled an opera air, apparently not having noticed _ the presence of Mr. Pickwick and: Mr. _ Winkle. with the utmost alacrity; but when he 2 ~ «saw that he was summoned by the young . imace, which was not unnoticed by Mr. Pickwick, whose closely observing faculties nothing, however trivial, was known to es- cape. fe 2 « Waiter” » said the young gentleman, in a loud, authoritative tone of voice, “ ‘Idine at home to day.” a " “Very good, sir,” observed the waiter, with extreme indifference, 4 epee six o'clock, Waiter—do you hear ?” cried the ° ung gentleman. k fe Yoh si sir, ’ returned the waiter, ‘inform master of it, sir.” “ And let me have some game, waiter,” continued the young gentleman, rendering his voice as commanding as he could, in ~ order to conquer the indifference of the wait- er, a task he found by no means easy. “ Perhaps these gentlemen dine here too,” observed the young man, now, for the first time, affecting to notice Map ickvick and Mr. Winkle. “We do so—and at the same hour,” Pua Mr. Pickwick mildly. _ “Then we'll dine together,” exclaimed the young gentleman, without once reflect- om that his oposition might not be agree- ; le. "s , ‘Perhaps these gentlemen,” began the | walter, “would rather : at Oh ! with much pleasure,” said Mr. v The waiter answered the bell gentleman in question, he made a slight “Ty will a ry ane ee ot » © ‘Y ae Oe is daa Te ® i mee" 3 a PICKWICK ABROAD. » é' 13 Pickwick, endl the waiter, and ad- dressing himself to the stranger in allusion to the proposed plan of dining together. The waiter made no farther, remark, but walked twice round the room, pretending to dust a couple of chairs on which no one had been seated that day, and to arrange @ curtain which had not been touched since he last disposed it in its proper folds ; hav- ing done which, he glided out of the room. “You are strangers, gentlemen ?” said the young man, the moment the waiter had left the apartment. Me We only arrived in France this morn- ing,” returned Mr. Pickwick. “ And I have been here six weeks,” claimed the young gentleman. “Confou ed bore! but I have been detained here against my will.” “Bad roaas, I suppose, anil Mr. Pick- wick, “and you did not like to venture upon them ?” ‘No—curse the roads,” replied the stran- ger. “The fact is, my bankers are in Ire- land—the north of Ireland—and I have been kept here waiting for my remittances.” “How very provoking |” alpoulated the kind-hearted Mr. Pickwick. “ Great nuisance,”»said the young gentle- man; “ articularly when one has several Pate in his’ banker’s hands.” “Very annoying indeed |” chimed in the e ually sympathetic Winkle; “is it not, Pickwick ¢” he added, in a manner requir- ing corroboration of his assertion, “« Pickwick !” exclaimed the young gen- tleman, as if he did not already very well know that such was the name of the illus- trious individual in whose august presence ‘| he stood, * Yes, ‘indeed? said Mr. Pickwick, mildly ; “my name is Pickwick !” “The deuce! who would have thought it?” cried the young gentleman in an ecsta- cy of joy; and flinging himself upon Mr. Pickwick, he embraced him cordially, “ Dear me—sir—my dear sir’—exclaim ed Mr. Pickwick, almost smothered, and unable to sustain the entire weight of the enthusiastic stranger—‘ really, I have not the pleasure—I don’t know——” “ A thousand pardons, my dear sir!” said the young gentleman, at, length relinquish- ing. his hold. “I am indeed very impru- dent—hang me if I ain't; but this honor was so unexpected-—so unlooked- for—tak- ing one so infernally by surprise “No apology, my dear sir,” ‘said Mr. Pick- GOuM LOO a % a % wr : dh 2 . -& o® <S (c©) An