Pickwick Abroad: A Companion to the Pickwick Papers — page 191: what you’re looking at

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

te PICKWICK He heat! Mierewieniiveds about an he and a quarter behind the appointed time. **You will take some lunch before you | ‘i go out,” cried Mr. Muggins, and having summoned his domestic, he was proceeding to order up. the tray, when he was very stopped by an announce- unceremonio ment on the | he f the servant, that the cold meat, to which he slightly alluded, had ceased to exist. “he cold weal is all eat up,” said the domestic, leaning with considerable ease of manner over the back of Captain Walsing- ‘ham’s chair; an attitude which caused that gentleman to assure her that she was an excellent young woman for a limited num- ber of individuals at a tea-party. “The cold meat gone! exclaimed Mr. Muggins ; ‘and where is it gone to, ' pray?” . “The way of all flesh, to be sure,” was: “ You don’t suppose that I can the reply. live avon nothink ?” “And yet,” observed Captain Walsing: ham, “there are people in T'artary—the realms of my friend the Great Cham —who breakfast upon the lightest and most wholesome thing *you can conceive. It neither sits heavy upon their stomachs, nor costs their masters a single fraction.” “And what 3 is that inwallyable article ?” demanded Mr. Muggins, hastily, probably with iew of adopting the same in his own household, he having a constant eye as well as to the cold meat. “ What is it? ¢ ied the aptain, “ why —air, to b i “And 1 ood to eat?” inquired young Mai » Mugains, who was a F, ill-looking youth of six- ith large red hands, very buxom and | long light hair, resenybling an infinite number of ckeins of packthread tied negligently together. — “Good to eat?” aed the Captain dis- pels ; “yes—and to fatten on, too! I know iM urticle of food that is fidier than air—wh e is have got nothing else,” he added in a lower tone of voice. “ But about this cold meat, Mary,” con- tinued a Muggins: “I shall really be eaten of house and home! _ It was only last P hight that the rats devoured the brim- stone off all the matches, and the cat over- turned the milk-jug into’ the tinder-box !” “ Well—never mind the lunch,” cried Captain Walsingham. “ Are you ready, Peter *" “ABROAD. 175 | - “Quite,” answered the he opal E 5 of the econ omical Mr. Muggins.: | “Then let us brush.” ry « Whiat—onr’ hats ¢” 2 “ No—off,” returned the Captain; and with these words, he rose, intimateda te porary farewell to his intended catherine law through the truly original and polite ‘ medium of aslap on the back that made the old gentleman reel; ‘and then issued from the house, swinging himself from side to side as if Ke were ae with . Vig tus’s dance. The young scion of the glori. ous race of the Muggins's sneaked along by his side : and in this manner they passed over Waterloo bridge and entered the Strand. “ Where are we going?” inquired Mastet Muggins, timidly. “Going?” cried t e Captain: “no fash ionable men ever know where they are eoing—unless it be to the devil. “ But, » heavens !” ejaculated Horatio Clarence, stepping back two paces, and e al ae hig companion from top i toe, “ a en not keep me in susp 4 “ What ?” exclainitid mie Whiecins a considerably alarmed at the strange com ~~ duct of his companion, — | . “Who built your coat, my dear boy ? a ‘demanded Captain Walsingham. — ° “Why?” asked the youth, coloring even => to the erown of his head. . | “ Because it is horrible,” answered the gallant Captain : “the skirts too wide—the waist too loose—the collar too low—” “And: what is there in a coat?” inquired the uninitiated Master Muggins with a va cant stare. | “A coat!” exclaimed the *Captain. “ What is thai acoat? The stampof © a gentleman—the passport to peer te | token of taste—the criterion of manne birth, rank—every thing, in fine !” “ Indeed !” said the wondering youth. « Yes—indeed !” eried his com n. “Tf I had met you in the Park, with that coat on, I should have cut you. But come to my tailor, and he shall equip you. If you were in Tartary, all you would have ft to do would be to run into the woods, Kill eS a lion ona tiger, take his skin off, make two holes in it, ~ thrust your arms through, and take care that the tail fell properly down i you would then hayea coat, ready made in the best fashion of t coun- try. But here they have no such adyan- tages. This is my tailor’s shop. BY ad . % * . comichooks.coim