Pickwick Abroad: A Companion to the Pickwick Papers — page 62: what you’re looking at

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52 PIOKY eyeing the stout stranger from top to toe, and thereby ascertaining that he was dresseed ~ ICK ABROAD. - passing around us. Yousee that all the la dies are seated round the room like a regi- in deep black, was about forty-five years of | ment of Amazons, and that the gentlemen age, and seemed asif he were not averse to that most satisfactory of human enjoyments —a good diner. | | “ Nothing at all extraordinary, my dear Sur,” said the absent gentleman, becoming still more intimate, “ to what I sometimes do. Last night—for example’s sake—I was playmg back-gammon with a friend, called for a glass of hot brandy-and-water, threw the liquor into the board, and swallowed the dice.” “ Very singular,” said Mr. Tupman; and his observation was deservedly echoed by My. Winkle. . “ You wouldn’t believe it,” continued the stranger, “ but I forgot my own name the other day. J was walking in the Tuileries, heard somebody calling out a certain appel- lation, did not, for the life of me, remember that it was mine, and consequently did not answer. Presently the person tapped me on the shoulder, and—who do you think it was?” “The king, perhaps!” guessed. Mr. Pick- wick. “ No,” exclaimed the strange gentleman. “ My tailor !” : “ How very singular!” said Mr. Pickwick, dryly. ‘ Rather, observed the absent gentleman. “ But,” he «added, after a momentary pause, “here have we been chattermg together for the last ten minutes, and are strangers still.” “My name is Pickwick, Sir,” said «that individual, always ready to form a new acquaintance. “ And this is Mr. Tupman— that is Mr. Winkle—and this is Mr. Boozie.” “What! the Pickwick!” cried the stranger, with vast emphasis on the article. Myr. Pickwick bowed. profoundly, and smiled slightly. , “Most happy to make your acquaintance, gentlemen,” said the absent man, shaking each member of the little party by the hand. “My name’s Scuttle—Jerenuah Scut- tle, at your service. And as you seem to be strangers here, I may as well act as your chaperon.—F ollow me.” The absent gentleman elbowed his way through the crowd, and at length arrived near a fire-place, closely followed by Mr. Pickwick, Mr. Boozie, Mr. Tupman, and Mr. Winkle. “ This is comfortable,” said Mr. Scuttle. * New fet me call your attention to what is | stand chattering in little groups together in | the middle.” , Mr. Pickwick nodded an assent. | “And you may think,” continued. Mr. “Seuttle, with dignity, “that this social. ar- rangement is very singular. No such thing, In France, a gentleman invites any lady he chooses, to dance—she dares not refuse, if she have no other engagement, under the penalty of not being permitted to dance again all the rest of the evening—and when once the guadrille is over, the acquaintance |» Here, there is no ends. at the same’ time, lounging on young men’s arms—no paia- ding round the room after the dance—as it is in London. All is conducted on a differ- ent and a better system.” “So Izhould imagine,” said Mr. Pickwick, © approvingly. “Oh! [ assure you that such is the case,” continued Mr. Scuttle, who, however absent he might be with regard to his own affairs, Was very communicative about those of others. “ You do not even bow in the street to-morrow to a lady with whom you may have danced three or four times to-night, unless she were a previous acqu@ntance. No introductions—nvo familiarities. And, now—can you distinguish the English la- dies from the French in that extensive cir-_ cle of beauty and fashion ?” 7 Mr. Pickwick, with his usual candor, did not hesitate to acknowledge his inability to discriminate so nicely as his new friend. “Let me, then, act as your Mentor,” said Mr. Scuttle, mysteriously. “Take a curso- ry glance at that circle of fair dames, be- fore I begin.” Messrs. Pickwick, Winkle, and Boozie, did as they were desired; but Mr. Tup- man’s survey was long and critical. “ Now, then,” resumed Mr. Scuttle, with a smile, “let me enlighten you. Those la- dies, with low gowns that exhibit so much of their naked busts, with the rouge on their cheeks, and the preposterous loads of diamonds and precious stones to ornament themselves withal, are the English; and those with the high-bodied gowns, the sim- ple, but neat ear-rings, necklaces, and chains, are the French English ladies will never appear twice in the same dresses; the French have but three or four for the whole season. The former have costly things, but wear them as if they were thrown on their GOMIGOoOokstco