Pickwick Abroad: or, The Tour in France — page 290: what you’re looking at

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

241) PICKWICK ABRUAD flitting across his brain. ‘At what time does your mistress usually Visit the confessional ?’’ he enquired. | - “ Between two and three o'clock in the afternoon,” replied the Abi- gail; ‘‘ that being the period at which the Abbé Francois St. Joseph —her ladiyship s almoner—attends the holy ceremony.” ‘“<*Tis well!’ said the chevalier, thoughtfully; then in a moment, ne added, ‘‘ Amelie, inform your mistress that business of some im. portdnce will occupy me at the Bourse during the remainder of the day. Ido not even know whether I shall dine at home.” ‘‘ Your pleasure shall be obeyed,” returned the girl, and the che- valier was again alone. No one ever knew how he contrived to wile away the time—which to him must have appeared interminable—that intervened between the morning and the hour when he hastened to St. Sulpice to put into execution the extraordinary scheme he had planned and determined to adopt. It is, however, believed that he wandered about the least fre. quented quarters of Paris, and carefully avoided those haunts where he was likely to encounter any of his frfénds or acquaintances. Pre- cisely as the clock struck two, he posted himself under the colonnade which covers the principal gate of St. Sulpice. A quarter of an hour elapsed ere he perceived the person whose services he required: and the determined appearance of that well-known gentleman, standing, as he was, with folded arms and anxious look at the very door of the sanctuary of the Almighty, did not fail to strike the various indivi- duals who entered the church for the purposes of divine worship. To e few, with whom he was ac uainted, he owed hastily, but exchanged fot a word with a soul. At length the Abbé Francois St. Joseph was seen slowly advancing towards the sacred pile. The chevalier hastened to meet him, and drew him aside to one extremity of the square. A long and vehement conversation ensued. The chevalier appeared to implore—the priest obstinately to refuse. Such was the idea impressed upon the mind of the beadle of the church, who had noticed the sin Nar behaviour of the chevalier, and now watched his motions from the vestry window. A quarter of an hour was apparently expended in useless argument and appeal on the part of De Valmont, while the priest doggedly maintained his ground against solicitation. The chevalier grew desperate—he foamed at the mouth—and his whole frame quivered with rage. At that moment—in the midst of his mental perturbation—an idea seems to have struck him; for he drew forth his pocket-book, wrote something on a scrap of paper, and tendered it to the Abbé. A slight hesitation was then visible on the part of the priest—the chevalier pressed his point—and St. Joseph accepted the proffered slip of paper, which he immediately consigned to his pocket. This transaction—apparently of such vital importance to the chevalier—having been concluded, himself and the Abbé en- tered the church together by a side door, and hurried to the vestry, When Madame de Valmont returned home, at four o’clock, from the performance of her religious duties at St. Sulpice, she was sur- rised by finding a note from her husband, waiting for her in the por- ter’s | . She hastily tore it open—doubtless an unpleasant im- ression, caused by a guilty conscience, for a moment agitated her fnind—and she read the following words :—- (COLA (@) 6)(0)) <S (CO