Pickwick Abroad: or, The Tour in France — page 319: what you’re looking at

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

PICKWICK ABHRUAD. 263 being favoured with the rural queen’s hand in the anticipated dance. The mayor, the commissary of police, the justice of the peace, and the vicar were all seated near the altar, and close to the ballot-box which was soon to decide the result of the election. Three or four Gendarmes were present to maintain order, and provide with seats those who were fortunate enough to be possessed of tickets; amongst which number were Mr. Pickwick and his several companions, Mr Hook Walker having previously attended to that portion of the cere- mony. At about three o’clock, the election commenced; and when the ballot was examined by the above-named authorities, it was found that the choice had fallen upon Mademoiselle Pauline-Josephine- Jesu-Maria Tronquette, a tradesman's daughter of about twenty years of age. A lady of high rank presented her with the crown of roses, and the dower; and she was then led by a grand procession towards the altar, where a priest pronounced his benediction upon her head. A subscription was opened amongst the numerous visitors, in order to increase the amount of the pecuniary honours thus awarded to the happy Mademoiselle Tronquette; and Mr. Pickwick has never been heard to regret the generosity which prompted him to throw a Napo- leon into the plate which she herself banded round. The sweetest smile of a very sweet girl was his reward; and the five-franc pieces of his companions rattled in quick succession upon the silver dish. We find in Mr. Winkle’s note book a memorandum, relative to this oc- casion, which induces us to believe that he was the individual to whom Mi. Hook Walker applied for the loan of the wherewith to supply his portion of the donation; and a similar entry in Mr. Pick- wick’s journal affords scope for the same inference with regard to Mr. Septimus Chitty. When the collection, which amounted to about fifteen hundred francs, or sixty pounds sterling of English money, was completed, the priest ascended the rostrun?, and proceeded to deliver a very elo- vent and excellent discourses and to Mr. Scuttle’s kindness was Mr. ickwick indebted for the slight insight he obtained into its character. It is therefore from Mr. Pickwick’s note-book, that we have extracted the following brief summary of the principal topics touched upon by the reverend clergyman who officiated in the pulpit. The priest commenced by congratulating the queen-elect upon that circumspection and good conduct which had procured for her the honours she then wore. He next besought her companions to follow her example; and proceeded to warn them against the many tempta- tions to which they were exposed in this world. The principal tempta- tion, he said, was Love; and it was the more dangerous, inasmuch as it came in so many questionable shapes. He observed that it was necessary to particularize the various kinds of Love to which they might yield, There was the Love arising from admiration—a very dangerous sort of Love; the Love arising from gratitude—a very suspicious sort of Love; the Love arising from continued neighbour- —a very natural sort of Love; the Love arising from pity—a very insinuating sort of Love; the Love arising from friendship—a very bestard sort of Love; anda thousand other kinds of Love, the 34 6)(0)() a S = a cS co