Pickwick Abroad: or, The Tour in France — page 223: what you’re looking at

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

176 Pickwick Abroad. first her ear-rings, the second her ivory crucifix, and the third her son's only remaining shirt, for the purpose of taking a near view of the indi- dual who possessed and was obliged to pledge so handsome an article as the gold repeater, But when the chief clerk in the office spread the sum of eight hundred francs, or 32/. sterling, on the table before Mr. Tupman, the sunken eye of the young girl recovered some of its lost fire; the miserable mother clasped her hands in agony together, as if the sight of so much money reminded her of better days, and made the present moment a thousand times more painful; and the three old peered closely at the glittering heap, as if each one were calculating whether such a sum would not suffice her for the remainder of her years, A decrepit and infirm old man, who had hitherto stood at a distance, now came forward and joined the groupe; and as his dimmed eye glanced towards the coin, he muttered somewhat con- cerning ‘ terte,” and appeared to curse his fate that he had no more substance left to consign to the same infernal vortex whither he had doubtless precipitated all the little treasure he had ever possessed. Mr. Tupman hastily gathered up the money that lay before him, put the duplicate into his pocket, gave a fire-franc piece to the unhappy mother with the young child, took no notice of the other persons present, and retreated from the dismal scene as quickly as he possibly could tear himself from the spot. But that single phase amongst the thousands which human life presents, was long present to his me- mory. On his return to the hotel, Mr. Tupman placed the money in the hands of Mr. Crashem, by whom the bill was forthwith paid, and another account commenced, nothing being farther from that gentle- man’s intention than the proposed departure for England. ith a most laudable resolution, however, of doubling or trebling his capital according to circumstances, did he that night repair to the chief café in the town; and there he was speedily engaged in a game of écarté with the English who frequented that resort, and whose principal em- ployment was the plunder of their unwary fellow-countrymen. A few of the él#ée English from Calais had moreover taken a trip to St, Omer’s on the eventful day alluded to; and by them was Mr. Crashem as well treated as if he had fallen into the hands of a select party of bush- angers in New South Wales. Indeed, it is almost to be wondered that they suffered him to return with his coat and boots to his hotel, at half-past three o’clock on the following morning. When Mr. Tupman descended from his bed-chamber to the break- fast-room, he was somewhat dismayed by the lengthened faces worn by his beloved Anastasie and his sincere friend, Mr. Adolphus rashem; and he already experienced no inconsiderable alarm relative to the projected trip to England. ‘¢ What is the matter, now?’’ enquired Mr. Tupman, almost afraid to speak. ‘Oh! dem robbers!’ sobbed Mademoiselle Anastasie, as if her heart were ready to break. ‘* Crashem, what és the matter?’ demanded Mr. Tupman, in an authoritative tone that he reserved for occasions of urgency and need. ‘‘ My dear friend,” said Mr. Crashem, in a mournful voice, “‘a terrible misfortune has befallen us. Last evening, King Leopold DGe q) COL SS (c@