Pickwick Abroad: A Companion to the Pickwick Papers — page 75: what you’re looking at

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

“5 § ae “’ “ -~ 4 J house, on his own resources, was obliged to hold a consultation relative to the best mode of passing away the time that inter- ened between breakfast and dinner. The nsultation was held in Mr. Tupman’s own bed-room at the Hotel Meurice, and was as important as any meeting that has ever yet taken place at the “ Crown and Anchor,” In ne oF Mr. Tupman was the Pres dent—Mr. Tupman was the vice-president — Mr. Tupman was the speaker—and Mr. Tupman was the audience; and this quatu- ornity in unity determined to wander forth at hazard, and call a hackney-coach in case of extreme emergency. Mr. Tupman walked jauntily up the Rue Saint Honoré; he stared at the pretty milli- ners in the shop at the corner of the Passage de ’Orme—he ogled the two Auvergnese sisters who sell comestibles in a little shed near the church of Saint Rocq—he smiled at an itinerant pastry-girl, who kept a stall *at the corner of the Rue Traversiere—and he impressed the sentries at the Palais Royal with an idea of his greatness. Ani- mated with the same spirit of enterprise that originated the voyages of Captain Parry and Sir John Ross, Mr. Tupman was determined to penetsate farther into the Rue Saint Honoré—the longest street but one in the world—and ascertain what might he beyond the regions of the Palais Royal. Scarcely, however, had he passed the Rue Grenelle, when the noise of a diligence galloping up the street attracted his atten- tion ; and in due time he saw the .vehicle turn into a handsome white free-stone gate- way, on the left hand side in the Rue Saint Honoré. Mr. Tupman immediately con- cluded that this must be the entrance to a _eoach-yard ; and, thinking that he might as well see a diligence as any thing else, he entered the enclosure through the afore- suid gate-way, and instantaneously recog- - nised the magnificent office of Laffitte and e Caillard’s Messageries. But at the moment when he became aware of the locality in which he then was, his eyes encountered the fascinating form of a young lady a few yards before him. Mr. ‘Tupman was determined to catch a glimpse of her features, just to see whether they corresponded in loveliness with the figure he se much admired; he accordingly re- doubled. his pace, and in a minute found himself in the presence of Mademoiselle Anastasie de Vol: e. “ Mon Dieu !” exclaimed the young lady, o WICK ABROAD. | 65 when her beautiful eyes caught sight of Mr. Tupman’s portly form; “’tis Inglish gentel- man me so long look for !” rig “ Indeed,” said Mr. Tupman, with a polite though distant bow, uncertain in his own mind whether to give the young lady into custody or not. , | ¥ “How you do, Monsieur?’ inquired Anastasie with a winning smile. “ Me%o glad to see you—me so afraid you tink badly—but those gentelmen act vary fool- ish when they got the wine in thehead.” © Mr. Tupman could not help ogling the young lady as she thus addressed him in her fascinating broken English; and the young lady herself, perceiving her advan- tage, continued :— “Me send you back watch by my sery- ant—one nigger-man, you know, Sare—’ “T paid a considerable sum to recover it,” said Mr. Tupman drily. “You pay! Oh! no—dat not possible !” cried Anastasie, vehemently. . “T beg your pardon,” rejoined Mr. Tu man, “A gentleman of the name of Vi— Vi—Vidocq, I thiuk was the agent in the transaction.” A flood of tears immediately deluged the fair cheeks of Mademoiselle Anastasie —she declared she had been duped and de- ceived, but did not pe ea to explain the precise manner in which she was so deeply wronged—and commenced the en- actment of as affecting a little piece of » tragedy as ever one would wish to behold ina diligence-yard. Mr. Tupman prudently withdrew the weeping lady from the gaze of three dozen clerks, and as many porters ; and led her into the adjoining coffee-room of the Hotel Rossignol. There, by the aid of a small quantity of consolation and a large quantity of spiced wine, Mademoiselle de Volage recovered herself so far as to grasp Mr. Tupman’s hand convulsively, and assure him that he was her first and only love. “You did not really then invite me te your house for dishonest purposes ?” said Mr. Tracy Tupman, growing sentimental with wine and the tender passion. “Oh! mon Dieu—no!” was the agoniz- ing reply. ’ “And you have never been on the stage ?” A convulsive moan implied a _ nega- tive. : “ And—and—you never loved another A terrific squeeze of the hand, which COM VOO) CS) (CO) an)