Pickwick Abroad: A Companion to the Pickwick Papers — page 45: what you’re looking at

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

- # “~~. # « Sa « | ‘ " al PICKWICK ABROAD». ' 37 recollect your insinivating message, an’ ain’t got no doubt but that it vill be found say- tisfactory, as the serwent said)to the lady ven she swore she vouldn’t go back to her Mr. Weller accordingly returned to his master, who had just imbibed the soda-wa- ter and brandy. The apology was duly delivered, and, on the suggestion of Mr. Tupman, with the consent of Mr. Winkle, and the expressed indifference of Mr. Boozie, it was resolved that the quarters should not be shifted, provided M. Cailliez would enter into his Gwn recognizances to guaran- tee Mr. Pickwick from another “ toeing.” Matters were thus amicably settled ; and a light lunchegn, consisting of two removes of hot meats and three bottles of claret, was immediately discussed for the benefit of the eaters as well as of the purveyors of the e@ _ luxurious ‘food. Mr. Pickwick then wrote a letter to “ Anthony Stickemia, tailor, Re- gent Street, London’—and. another to “Michael Nagsflesh, livery-stable-keeper, Bond Street”—in which he proposed certain arrangements for the purpose of extricating Mr. Crashem from his difficulties, and re- storing so invaluable a friend to the circle of his acquaintances. These epistles were duly sealed and dispatched to the post- office; and Mr, Pickwick intimated to Mr. Winkle that he was ready to accompany him to the residence of the English mer- chants with whom the said Mr. Winkle was desirous of establishing a correspondence and agency for his father’s commercial busi- ness. But as no extraordinary degree of in- terest is attached to these arrangements, we shall now leave Messieurs Pickwick and Winkle, and follow Messieurs Tupman and Boozie in an agreeable perambulation, which they manfully and fearlessly accomplished together—alone and unattended—in th Deedalian mazes of Paris. | | Wandering forth at hazard from the por- tal of Meurice’s hotel, arm-in-arm, and feel- ing that they were Englishmen upon French ground—and a most satisfactory feeling it must be, too—Mr,.'Tupman and Mr. Boozie passed up the Rue de Rivoli, grinning in at, shop-windows, ogling the girls, and main- taining their heads erect, with a most bliss- ~ ful recklessness of whither they were going, and whom they were taken for. By dint of extraordinary navigation, they speedily arrived at the Palais Royal; and a species of instinct prompted them to enter that 4 indeed,” rejoi ; vast assemblage of splendor and of wealth —that mart in the vicinity of a pulace— that palace overlooking shops—that unique lounge which has no rival in the world ! “ What an extraordinary place !” exclaim- ed Mr. Tupman, half afraid that he had en- tered upon holy ground. | “Singular !” echoed Mr. Boozie. “But I was once—no, I wasn’t, though—what a lie I am telling—” : “TI thought you had been in Paris before,” remonstrated Mr. Tupman with his usual native mildness, at “Never farther from the frontiers than Abbeville,” replied Mr. Boozie, with an un- easy motion of hisarm. “I think I told you that I had been here before—but ’twas ~ false—I made a mistake—I meant Brussels, when I said Paris.” “Fine girl, that,” eried Mr. Tupman, in- dicating with his dexter hand a young female who had just passed, and was a few yards in front of them, “ Devilish fine girl, to.be sure |” “Is she, though ?” exclaimed Mr. Boozie, squinting most horribly at a brace of pheas- ants. displayed in the windows of Chevot’s shop, the gastronomic vicinity of which our two peregrinators were now in. “She is, age Mr. Tupman, with a sigh: “Jet us follow her.” “TI once. i a young lady,” said Mr. Boozie, redoubling his pace to keep military time with Mr. Tupman, who had assumed a young, jaunty, and debonnaire air, swing- ing himself from side to side, and playing with the single curl that hung beneath the front of his hat,—“I once knew a lady—” ) B “Devil take your lady,” interrupted Mr. Tupman, somewhat hastily : “don’t you see I'm losing mine ?”—and with these words, the two gentlemen redoubled their pace. It is impossible to ascertain whether the young lady looked round by accident, or whether she had a motive in scanning the persons of the two individuals that fol- lowed her so closely. One thing is, however, certain, that she dd turn her head round for a moment, and in so doing, discovered the most beautiful features Mr. Tupman’s eyes had ever yet glanced upon. He stopped short, as if transfixed by the sudden stroke of an arrow; involuntarily placed his hand upon his heart, and was about to sink on one knee, when Mr. Boozie gave him a most unsentimental tap on his back, and thus recalled his presence of mind, which had MICOOO <S (c@) m