Pickwick Abroad: A Companion to the Pickwick Papers — page 39: what you’re looking at

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

2 mM +> * a, PICKWICK ABROAD. . ‘ 31 he had beet. conversing: “what the devil brought you here ? Why—I thought you were travelling for the great haberdashers in the city, still! What were their names —though? Oh! I recollect—Bodkin and Grogram—to be sure !—But what did bring you here ?—and the stranger clasped Mr. Adolphus Crashem’s hand with unfeigned delight, rd , “My dear sir—really—now—" stammer- ad that gentleman, his countenance changing rom pink to white, and white to pink al- termately. as, ca “ What! don’t you recollect your old friend Tims?” exclaimed the stranger, eye- ing the discomfited Mr, Crashem with a look of astonishment, “Lord—I knew you though, the moment you came into the room: and I'm deuced glad to see you too, into the bargain—for a better fellow as a commercial traveller in the haberdasher line, I will say [never knew. But, by the bye—does your father still keep the Lan- thorn and Cat in the Borough, or has the old chap made his fortune ?” “’Pon my word, my dear sir,” cried Mr. Crashem, “ you really have the—the advan- tage of me. Iam not aware——” | “Now, now, Sugden, my dear fellow,” interrupted Mr. Tims, still retaining his al- aed friend by the hand and the button hoie, “don’t be oblivious, as the swell chaps say. Wernt you and I brought up toge- ther at the cheap school in Yorkshire ¢” and didn’t we both go as ’prentices at the same time—you to Bodkin and Grogram, and I to Gingham and Muddle? and, then, wasn’t it in the same year that we set up as travellers ’—By the bye, have you seen Muggins ?” he’s in Paris—but, he wouldn't do the thing genteel like you and me, and so ke’s lodging at an English chop-house in the Roo something—I forget which.” » _ Mr. Pickwick had stood a silent spectator of this extraordinary scene, while Mr, Win- kle expected every moment that Mr. Adol- phus Crashem would fell to the ground the saucy stranger, who dared treat, an aristo- erat a¢ a haberdasher’s traveller, and the ' heir to Crashem Park as the prospective successor to the Lanthorn and Cat. Butas Mr. Winkle was disappointed in his expec- tations, and as Mr. Pickwick had so far re- covered from his astonishment as to be able to interfere in his new friend’s behalf, both ‘tose gentlemen attacked Mr. Tims at the ame time—with words, only, gentle reader ~avd endeavored tomake him believe that 3 ‘ ~ 7 he was laboring mder a mistake. But this was not a very easy task to perform ; for “Mr. Tims was convinced that the individuah in question was no other than Bill Sugden, the traveller, the son of old Jack Sugden, landlord of the quiet and respectable “ pub- lic’ known in the Borough as the Lanthorn and Cat. . | “T see where the mistake is,” cried Mr. Crashem, recalling his bewildered ideas, and gradually recovering his presence of mind. “ Allow me to explain the affair in private ;’—and this much injured individual led Mr. Tims aside, and a hasty conversa tion in whispers immediately ensued be tween them, the result of which was that Mr. Tims assured Mr. Pickwick he had labored under an error, and that there was not the slightest identity existing as to Mr. Sugden and Mr. Crashem. The whole party accordingly seated themselves toge- ther at one end of the table; and Mr. Crashem, in a true and amiable Christian spirit of forgiveness, treated Mr. Tims with the utmost cordiality and respect during the meal. Mr. Pickwick, however, looked suspicious; but the champagne was circu- lated so freely that even*lie relapsed into his usual openness and generosity of dis- position, and shook hands three times with Mr. Tims and Mr. Crashem, ere the sixth bottle of Moett’s best had been well dis- cussed. . ° : CHAPTER VIL. An eiegant pantomime, vulgarly called ‘‘a lark,” got up and enacted by Mr. Adolphus Crashem and Mr. ‘Tims.—A party of gentlemen obligingly supply Mr. Crashem with lodgings gratis. W ite the younger members of the par- ty were engaged, as we left them at the end of the preceding chapter, in mirthful conversation, the following dialogue took place between Mr. Pickwick and Mr. Boo- zie. “How do you like your quarters?” in- quired the former gentleman, in the true spirit of philanthropic curiosity. “ Have you a comfortable bed-room—and can you manage to sleep in a French bed ?” “ Why—to tell you the truth,” responded Mr. Boozie, “ my bed-room is as comfortable as one could expect in a house like this No—it isn’t though,” exclaimed Mr. Boozie after a momentary pause,—‘ Im telling 5 COUN @ Keio) CS) co mn