Pickwick Abroad: or, The Tour in France — page 225: what you’re looking at

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

178 Pickwick Abroad. “*T really do,” said that gentleman, scarcely knowing whether to give vent to his irascibility or his mirth. ms ' “© Ob you do—do you?” cried Mr. Crashem; “ well—I’ll devilish s00n convince you to the contrary; for here’s the very prologue you, as Buskin, are to address to the audience—and it was given to me by Mr. Dowton, junior, for you to study by this evening.” And to the uns le dismay of Mr. Tupman, Mr. Adolphus Crashem manifi his sincerity by drawing a paper from his pocket, and reading the following words :— PROLOGUE TO BE SPOKEN BY BUSKIN. JLadies and gentlemen, I come In proprid-persond— Announc’d by trumpet and by drum, With Thespis as my croney. He as a Harlequin appears, And I shall be full soon Converted by the wand he rears Into a Pantaloon. As Columbine a lady gay Upon the stage will caper, Aind in the merry dance display An ankle thin and taper. rhe orchestra, to please your ears, Shall play a merry tune, While in his drollery appears Your humble Pantaloon. Boxes—return anotner night, If well our wit you savour ;— Pit—should our frolics yield delight, I beg the self-same favour. Gall’ry—with orange-peels dispense,— And come to see us soon :— Where is th’ amusement or the sense To pelt the Pantaloon? “Well,” cried Mr. Crashem, in a tone of the most supreme delight, as he laid aside the paper on which this precious Prologue was written, ——“ and what do you think of that for a go of poetry ?”’ ‘“Are there no other means of raising money?” enquired the wretched Mr. Tupman. ‘‘None,’’ said Mr, Crashem, striking the table with his clenched fist; “so let’s breakfast, and then study our parts. All you've got to do is to learn a few antics, I suppose you can stand upon your head at a pinch ?” Had not the fair Anastasie interfered at this crisis, Mr. Tupman would certainly have adopted some desperate measure to rid himself of the Prologue and of Mr. Adolphus Crashem at one and the same time. But the winning smiles of Mademoiselle de Volage, and the prospect of acquiring a sufficiency of funds to carry them to Dover, where his happiness would be ensured for life, partially if not entirely reconciled Mr. Tupman to the enactment of the part of Pantaloon in (©) COL NOOO KS (c@