Pickwick Abroad: A Companion to the Pickwick Papers — page 67: what you’re looking at

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¥ PICKWICK ABROAD. myself the pleasure of waiting upon you, if convenient, at eleven row morning, and hope to render.you an essential service, at the same time that I sl ill gratify your curiosity in search of use- _ ful information, by conducting you and your friends to the office of no less a person than the immortal Vidocq himself! “Very truly yours, DUMONT. “A Monsieur, Monsieur, . “ Pickwick, &c., &e.” This communication instilled a consider- able quantity of joy into the hearts of the four gentlemen, as they seated themselves at the dinner table, in obedience to the sum- mons of their appetites and of a waiter simu! tvneously ; and the evening was agree- ably p.ssed in the pleasing anticipation of the novel adventure which awaited them for the ensuing morning. At eleven o'clock of the following day, Mr. Pickwick and his three friends were de- lighted by a eall from the Gendarme, who was dressed in plain clothes for the momen- tous occasion he had in view. We need scarcely say that the excellent-hearted French- man was received with fitting cordiality by Mr. Pickwick and his friends, or that the ut- most alacrity in preparing for departure was demonstrated by those gentlemen so soon as M. Dumont had specifically stated his hopes of recovering a portion of Mr. Tupman’s property. Mr. Boozie, however, declined accompanying the party, as he intended to return to Calais by the mail that evening, and had a few calls to make, besides some commissions to execute, which would en- tirely engross the remainder of the mor- ning. He therefore took leave of his friends, in case he should not see them again pre- vious to his departure (for the madle-poste left the oaitetlloe at six o'clock precisely,) and actually shed tears when he grasped the hand of the principal actor on the stage of our present memoirs. Even Mr. Weller was sensibly affected by the ‘meditated departure of a worthy though eccentric man; but his feelings were speedily and material- rt relieved by the contiguity of the two ve-franc pieces ‘which Mr. Boozie slipped into his hand. A hackney-coach was imme- diately summoned, and Mr. Pickwick, fol- lowed by the Gendarme, Mr. Tupman. and Mr. Winkle, crept into the vehicle, while Mr: Weller contrived to carry himself to the seat next to the driver on the box. The | Weller encouraged the whole party present» ed to-mor- te 57 Gendarme then gave the coachman a, certain address, and the fiacre moved away from the gate of the hotel as speedily as one lame horse, and another that shyed every time it passed a vehicle, could make it. After a short ride of about half-an-hour; the coach stopped at a large gate way, and the Gendarme desired his companions to follow him. Mr. Weller, who thought he might as well be a spectator of what was going on, brought up the rear; and in due order was the procession ushered, at one and the same’ time, into the office, and the presence of the celebrated Vidocq himself. The President of the Board of Public Safety rose, as his visitors entered the room, and received them with that cordiality and politeness which so eminently characterize the manners of the French, from the paladin in his splendid hotel in the Faubourg Saint Germain, to the humble peasant in the vales of Savoy. A brief conversation then ensued in their native language, between the Gen- darme and Vidocq, which having been dis- posed of, the latter addressed himself to Mr. Tupman in tolerable English, and inter- rogated that gentleman as follows: “What value, Sir, do you set on the watch of which you were plundered ?” “It was a present from my friend Pick- wick,” responded Mr. Tupman in a melan- choly tone of voice, “ and cost him, I believe, fifty guineas. He gave it to me in return for a very handsome patent philter which I sent him a few years ago.” “Yes,” said Mr. Winkle, by way of cor- roborating Mr. Tupman’s testimony, “ it was about the same time that I bought for our excellent friend here—” indicating Mr. Pickwick—* a microscope which magnified a flea to the size of a large mouse.” “And on the same occasion,” added Mr. Pickwick, turning with a glance of pride from his followers, to the great man who listened in silent admiration to the unques tionable reports of the witnesses, “I recol- lect that Snodgrass treated himself to the most complete rhyming dictionary extant.” The three Pickwickians felt that they had now done their duty as upright and honorable members of society, and the re- ward of their good actions was gathered in the approving smiles of each other. “You say, then, Sir,” said M. Vidocq, after a pause, “that you value your watch at fifty pounds, English money ?” Mr. Tupman nodded assent, and Mr An JOO e <S CO)