Pickwick Abroad: or, The Tour in France — page 252: what you’re looking at

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

Pickwick Abroad, 203 story in his note-book on the following morning ; and it is from that authentic source that we are enabled to lay the ensuing interesting nar- rative, in which some particulars connected with Vidocq occur, before our readers. CHAPTER XXvV. THE GAMBLER.—A TALE. THE LOST LETTER.—A GAMING-HOUSE IN THE PALAIS ROYAL.—EMILIE D’ARLY.—THE DESPERATE ATTEMPT.—M. VIDOCQ.—THE RESULT. Tus tale which I am about to relate, will not only introduce the cele- brated Vidocg to your notice, but will also give you an idea of the secret service in which the French Police is occasionally employed, and at the same time exhibit in all its worst colours the consequences of that most deadly and baneful of vices—Gaming ! I was one afternoon summoned to the Prefecture de Police, and in- troduced to the presence of M.de Limeul. This gentleman was the secretary to the Sub-Prefect: and he desired me to be seated with an unusual degree of courtesy, as he prepared to enter upon the matter in which he required my service. “Dumont,” began M.de Limeul; “a young gentleman applied yesterday afternoon at the Prefecture to have his passport signed for Calais; and he inadvertently dropped a certain document—an un- sealed letter, in fine—which—” “Fell into your hands,” said I, willing to relieve M. de Limeul from the unpleasant task of recounting the pryings and suspicions of a base curiosity. _ “You have guessed it, Dumont,’’ said the secretary, with a patron- ising smile. ‘ Here is the letter—read it,” . de Limeul handed me the epistle, which I opened and perused ; and as nearly as I can now recollect, the contents ran as follows :— ‘* Dearest Henri, “‘ How often have I prophesied that gambling would eventually prove your ruin! You remain absent from me during a whole night —you write to me in the morning to inform me of your almost irre- deemable losses—and you desire me to prepare myself either for a sudden journey to England, with a | ortune at our command, or to remain in poverty and disgrace at Paris. ‘You say you are obliged to present yourself at the Prefecture at an early hour to have your passport si you write to me from the house ofa friend—you desire me to be happy—you apologize for your seeming neglect (a neglect, alas! towhich I am now too much accus- tomed to be astonished at it) in not returning home if it were even only for a minute—and you tell me that to-morrow evening will decide your fate. Have I not often said that though a gambler may prosper Gomi q) DGoe SS (c@