Pickwick Abroad: A Companion to the Pickwick Papers — page 218: what you’re looking at

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

202 you are the victim of the ~ that ever lived.” | ny “ Post-chaise is ready, gen’lemen,” cried the head waiter, who had disappeared for a moment, during the above colloquy, and now returned again to the hall. The bill was paid—the gentlemen step- ped into the vehicle—old Mr. Weller and his son took their seats upon the dickey— and in a few moments the equipage was rolling on the high road to the English me- tropolis, It was about ten o'clock at night when Mr. Pickwick and his companions reached Dulwich Lodge, where numerous relations and iriends had assembled to welcome the urival of the travellers, in consequence of etters which had been dispatched to them fom Paris a few days previously. And then came such a quantity of kissing—and such shaking of hands—and such an interchange of kmd words, compliments, questions, an- swers, and affectionate glances—that an ob- server would have melted into tears of glad- ness at the happy spectacle. Old Wardle, (the father-in-law of Mr. Snodgrass) Mrs. Snodgrass, Mrs. Winkle, Trundle (Mr. War- dle’s son-in-law) and his wife, and a variety of cousins and friends, were there to greet the travellers upon. their return.to England, and to be the first to welcome Pickwick at Home ! On the following morning, immediately after breakfast, a distribution of the various _presents took place. Gloves, bottles of eaw- de-cologne, beautiful little Breguet watches, shoes, and a grand assortment of jewellery, were spread upon the table in Mr. Pick- wick’s study. And around that table was gathered a group of as happy faces as ever an observer could wish to behold ; and while greatest. swindler the division of the booty took place, the task was lightened by a thousand jokes, bon mots, and witty sayings, Some anecdote belonged to almost every article that Mr. Pickwick took up ; and as he tendered the various pre- sents to those for whom they were destined, he made his observations in something like the following manner: he “Here is a beautiful ring for you, Ara- bella,” he said, addressing himself to Mrs. Winkle. “ I recollect purchasing it at a jeweller’s inthe Palais, Royal—the day I had my pocket picked by a thief who begged'to restore me my handkerchief which I had dropped. ‘ This isthe way, Sir? said he, ‘in which you ought to put yonr handkerchief in your pocket; and then you will baffle all the ‘ * PICKWICK ABROAD. * oy, thieves in Europe’— I am exceeaingly ob- liged to you, said 1—‘ Not at all, Sir, retumn- — ed the gentleman; and he walked away. Two minutes afterwards I found that he had robbed me of my purse.” fe we “ Well, I never!” exclaimed all the ladies at once. i, ROO Fy “ And here is a brooch for you, Wardle,” continued Mr. Pickwick: “ I selected it on purpose last Christmas-day. I recollect’ the circumstance well, because as I was coming out of the shop, with a heap of five-frane pieces in my hand, I was accosted by an 4 + English gentleman, who asked me to oblige ~ bim with change for a five pound Bank of England note. I immediately gave him a — hundred and twenty-five francs, and received. anote in exchange. But on my return home, what was. my. astonishment when I read these words: I promise: to shave the bearer Jive times in return for this note. For the Governor and Company of the Barber's Society, Thomas Smith; and m the corner was an immense five.” “ Excellent!” shouted Mr Wardle. The anecdote will always occur to my memory | as often as I wear the brooch, which I hope will be a long time, old fellow, for your paken ho ein ears) “ These bracelets,” resumed Mr. Pickwick, after a pause, “ are for you, Emily. Snod- | grass, my dear friend, hand them to your wife. They will be more useful to her than the monkey which you intended to bring her over.” | 1%! a “ A monkey !” shrieked all the ladies. “ Such was his intention,” continued Mr. Pickwick. “ However, there are the brace- lets, and -wear them for my sake. The day that I purchased them was marked by the following singular occurrence. Iwas walk- . ing across one of the bridges in Paris, when . a well-dressed man suddenly threw himself over the parapet mto the Seine. Fortunately he fell into a place where the water was not very deep, and he was speedily res- cued from his perilous predicament. A crowd immediately collected round him—and I amongst the rest. He opened his eyes, and his first words were ‘Mes enfans—mes pauv- ves enfans |—My children, my poor children ! These piteous exclamations moved me, and I immediately gave the man a couple of Na- poleons, they being all the money I had about me. ‘ L—d bless you, Sir, said an. Englishman, whom the occurrence had also attracted to the spot, ‘ he’s done that already: three timesthis week. He regularly drowns, (C(O) LOO) (9) (C(@)