Pickwick Abroad: or, The Tour in France — page 200: what you’re looking at

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

160 PICKWICK ABRUAD. ‘3 ie between the pincers formed by the extremities of the claw of the ster. ‘“ Nor I,” said Mr. Tupman, swallowing an oyster, and looking very sentimental thereupon. ‘‘ What lovely figures the French ladies ve 1"? ‘“To be sure they have,” exclaimed Mr. Walker. ‘“ But it is a part of their system to dress well; and art assists nature, you know.” ‘* Certainly !’. assented Mr. Tupman, whose waist was not however improved by the extreme tightness of his waistcoat. Mr. Winkle sighed as he called to mind the sporting-dress which the wishes of his frends and the earnest entreaties of his wife had in- duced him to eschew—and in his retrospective dreams he marked the iod when the elegantly-fitting green jacket made him look more ike a fairy’s husband than a common and moderate Christian. “'Yes,”” continued Mr. Hook Walker; ‘‘ the French ladies are cer- tainly the best-dressed women in Europe; and if they be not the most beautiful, they are decidedly the most fascinating and pleasing. They have a certain winning way about them which never fails to attract, and which originates tor a husband or lover a constant variety and change.” ‘* And the young Frenchmen themselves,” said Mr. Pickwick, “ are all bows and smiles. Who could magine, for one moment, that their prototypes were the heroes of those sanguinary deeds committed in times when the gusllotine seldom desisted from its labour?’’ added the learned man, flourishing the leg of a fowl around his head in the excitement of his feelings, to the imminent peril and alarm of Mr. Winkle, who gazed at his leader in speechless astonishment. ‘You allude to the first revolution,’ said Mr. Walker, always reacy to display his erudition or amuse his companions, from the very simple motive of obtaining renewed invitations to dinner, supper, &c. ; ‘‘ and even in those stormy times may you find instances of forbear- ance and kindness on the parts of those whose enormities we cannot contemplate otherwise than with horror. It is a part of'my system to cherish the recollection of good actions.” ‘¢T am not very‘convérsant with French history,” said Mr. Pick- wick, who had now disposed of the leg of the fowl to the inexpres- sible delight of Mr. Winkle; “ but I certainly should feel glad to be reminded of any bright ray that gilds an horizon so dark and gloomy.” Messieurs Tupman an Winkle zed upon their companion in travel with feelings of veneration and awe, as he uttered this sublime idea; and Mr. Walker remained silent for a moment, apparently absorbed in thought. ‘‘ What !° at length exclaimed that gentleman, a-~akening from his reverie; ‘“‘do you not recollect the aflecting tale «~nnected with the terrible Public Accuser, Fouquier Tinville—that friend to murder—to oppression—to cruelty ? Do you not call to mind his forbearance on one particular occasion ?” Mr. Pickwick declared that he did not; and Mr. Waiker, having duly solicited and obtained the consent of the three gentlemen to prolong the evening’s entertainment for another half-hour, related a true and deeply interesting tale, the substance of which will be found in the next chapter. CORNICLOOG @ cS (c@)