Pickwick Abroad: A Companion to the Pickwick Papers — page 38: what you’re looking at

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

“he returned, bearing the welcome intelli- gence that a handsome carriage and a wa- let-dé-place were inattendance. Mr. Pick- | _ wick, followed by his companions, accord- ingly hastened down stairs, and were speed- ily ensconced in the vehicle, the valet mounting the box and seating himself next to the coachman, and Mr. Weller stationing himself behind the carriage, and dealing a perfect dictionary of signals and nods to | the idlers in the court-yard of Meurice’s hotel. 7 ae The Chamber of Deputies was the first “lion” to which the travellers were con- ducted ; and Mr. Pickwick made many val- uable observations in praise of the arrange- ments he witnessed in the salle where the representatives of the first nation in the world were wont to assemble. The semi- circular form of the house, having five rows of seats for the deputies, the place occu- pied by the president, and the position of the tribune whence the orator addresses the deputies, all called forth the warmest acclamations of one so eminently calcu- lated to ‘pass an opinion in such mat- The Palace of Luxembourg was the se- cond edifice yisited by Mr, Pickwick and his companions on this memorable day ; and the Chamber of Peers afforded the hero of these memoirs another opportunity of making some of those remarks which _ for correctness and perspicuity are unri- yalled in the lives of greattmen. The party ‘was, moreover, considerably amused by the behavior of Mr. Weller, who ascended to the eminent seat usually filled by Baron Pasquier, the ,president of the Upper House, and there performed such wonder- ful antics, that if he had not been taken for the president himself, he could only be recognized as Samuel Weller, son and heir to Tony of ‘the same name. Having in- spected the magnificent church of St. Sul- pice, the travellers then repaired to the Pantheon. : e 2 “ What an elegant building !” exclaimed o “Mr. Pickwick in raptures, as he stood in the middle of the Temple dedicated to the memory of heroes, and gazéd upwards to admire the vast dome above him. “Tt only requires some fine statues to render it perfect,” observed the valet-de- place in excellent English. » “ But all the best specimens of those great masters— Jean de Juni and Gillis van der Riviere, or » Egidio Fiamingo, as the latter is usually PICKWICK ABROAD. | called—suffered in the 3 world was so addicted'to Iconoclasm !”* “ And a wery nice yord it is,” observed Mr. Weller. “Easily pro-nounced, and not at all difficult to spell, I should rayther “ A very pretty little amusement, I dare say,” said Mr. Pickwick: “ but:pray is it out of repute now?” i “y “ What, sir ?” inquired the valet-de-place, “The game you alluded to just now,” explained Mr. Pickwick, casting a glance of appeal.at Mr. Tupman, who had turned away his head and pretended to examine the French inseription to the memory of the heroes of July, cat an “Jeny comprends rien!” cried the valet with a shrug of his shoulders, and a lamen- table distortion of his countenance, which appeared to be occasioned by the pity he experienced for those who did not under-. { e ry 3 Se : stand a term he had invariably made use of, » every time he was happy enough to conduct strangers to the Pantheon, during the last ten years of his life. , ‘The Garden of Plants—Notre-Dame— and the Morgue,were then severally inspect- ed in their turns by our persevering travel- lers; and on every occasion did the valet seek an opportunity of displaying his erudi- tion to advantage. But we will not fatigue our readers by an elaborate account of “ the lions” of Paris. Suffice it to say, that it was five o’clock in the evening when Mr. Pick- wick and his companions returned to Meur- ice’s hotel; and as they had. signified their intention of dining at the table-d’ hote, they were only just’ in time to wash and dress themselves in order to appear decently at the gastronomical ordeal through which they were to pass. “7 ib _ Theysignal-bell rang at the usual hour— half-past five—and Mr. Pickwick, followed by Mr. Tupman, Mr, Boozie, Mr. Crashem | and Mr. Winkle, proceeded to the spacious apartment, where a table was spread for upwards of sixty people. ; “ Admirable display !” obsexved Mr? Pick-. wick, as he entered the room, rubbing his hands with delight. © “ Not half so fine as my father’s at Crashe.n Park,” observed the heir apparent to the said territory. Aaa” ” “Ah! Sugden, my boy !” exclaimed a young gentleman, stepping forward from amidst a group of Englishmen with whom * Image-breakiz.g. ‘ » ae 4 ee (E(O) (E(0) LNOOL KS