Pickwick Abroad: or, The Tour in France — page 32: what you’re looking at

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

5 PICKWICK ABROAD. when he passed through Calais a few days ago—I am not vain—I am no egotist, Mr. Pickwick ;—but ever since the times when ‘arma virumque cano—’ ”’ “No—nc, my dear fellow,” said a voice from behind, and which emanated from the sporting character’s prompter,—‘ say, ‘since the times when ‘Inclytus Albertus, doctissimus atque disertus—.’ ” “Ah! true!’’ ejaculated the sporting character; and he was about to continue his very edifying oration, when Mr. Weller, who strongly suspected ‘‘the sporting character to be a downright humbug,”—as he expressed himself to Mr. Winkle, with a peculiar natveté—inter- rupted the importance of the proceeding by stepping up to Mr. Pick- wick, touching his hat, and saying, “ Beg pardon, Sir, but the ekipage is a-vaiting; and if ve stand ’ere all day a-listening to that chap m the seedy black coat, vith his prompter behind him, ve shall never get to our journey’s end, as the conwict said, ven the pop’lace circum- wented the cart, as he vos a-going to be ed.” When Mr. Weller had delivered himself of this peculiarly long string of observations, he gently eased Mr. Pickwick into the vehicle that was waiting for his reception, thrust Mr. Winkle after Mr. Pick- wick, and pushed Mr. Tracy Tupman lightly upon the other two; having performed which feat, he himself mounted the dickey, seated himself next to the coachman, and the horses having been duly whipped and anathematised by both parties, the carriage was borne away to the little wooden house indicated by the captain, amidst the shouts, screams, yells, and applause of the heterogeneous mob, every individual of which fancied that the most satisfactory note of applause was the highest note his voice could reach. The examination was brief and speedily accomplished at the little wooden house, and was only interrupted for a moment by the civilities which Mr. Weller thought necessary to heap upon the custom-house officer who investi- rel the pockets of Mr. Pickwick’s functionary. The custom-house officer did not, however, exactly comprehend the nature of Mr. Wel- ler’s apostrophe, and the party was about to resume their places in or out of the carriage as before, when the partially suppressed enthu- siasm of the mob broke forth, and the respect that the assembled French and English jointly and individually entertained for the illus- trious name of Pickwick, was immediately demonstrated by that gentle- man being al v flung upon the shoulders of some half-dozen of the strongest and stoutest present; and in this manner was he borne to Meurice’s hotel, Mr. Nathaniel Winkle, Mr. Tracy Tupman, and M1. Samuel Weller following in the rear. CHAPTER IL. MR. SAMUEL WELLERS OPINIONS ON DIVERS M\ITERS CONNECTED WIrH THE FRENCH, AND THE PARTICULARS OF A FRENCH LUNCREON, OR DRJEUNER-A-LA-FOURCHETTE. Iv was a most interesting spectacle to see Mr. Pickwick mounted on the shoulders of his supporters, endeavouring to sit easily in‘one of a S = a 0)(0)() Ss (©)