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.

$62 Pitkwick Abroad. gentleman, who was introduced to Mr. Pickwick and his contpaniorrs as Mr, Nassau Siffkin; and a very singular-looking was. His age might have been about sixty-two, but he endeavoured to make people believe that he was fast verging upon forty only. His brown surtout-coat was exceedingly tight at the waist—his boots were exceedingly narrow over the instep—his hand was exceedingly white ~—his hair and whiskers exceedingly well dyed—and his teeth did in- finite credit to Mr. Desirabode, the dentist in the Palais Royal. As to his character, the reader may gather its peculiarities from his con- versation. ‘‘ Well, this is very fortunate,” said Mr. Pickwick: ‘‘themore, the merrier—you know, my dear Mrs. Weston.”’ ‘“* Of course you are come to see the vill ronation,” said that — lady : “‘ and of course we shall all dine together afterwards ?”’ “Oh! dear me—may I be called old and ugly for the rest of my hfe, if this isn’t delightful!” observed Mr. Siffkin, screwing up his ups ant appealing in a truly fascinating and finnikin manner to Mr. ckwic ‘‘ It isa part of our systems to enjoy ourselves, Sir,” said the grave Mr. Hook Walker. “The last time I came to Suréne,”’ remarked Mr. Scuttle, ‘I was on horseback; and what do you think I did ?’’ ‘¢T am sure | shall never guess,” said Mr. Pickwick. “Why,” continued Mr. Scuttle, ‘‘I led my nag into the table- @’ hote room, and desired him to seat himself next to an old lady at the table, while I proceeded to the stable, where I eating the oats, and only found out my mistake when I undertook to neigh as the ostler came to rub me down.”’ - “Convey me henceforth straight to perdition, if that isn’t the most extraordinary thing I ever heard in the whole course of my life,” screamed Mr. Nassau Siffkin, in a perfect paroxysm of delight. - “So it is,” coincided Mr. Pickwick. ‘““Have you been long in France, Sir?” ** Only three days this time, Mr. Pickwick,” returned the gentleman thus appealed to. ‘* But let the winds for ever efface all traces of my eyes— ‘Vy don’t ye say, ‘blast them!’ then, Sir?” interrupted a voice from behind, which Mr. Pickwick shrewdly suspected to belong to his faithful attendant; but when he turned to ascertain the truth of the matter, Mr. Weller looked so very innocent and unmoved beneath his master’s searching glance, that no notice was taken of the occurrence. ** All traces of my eyes,” continued Mr. Nassau Siffkin, “if the fashionable world didn’t go into mourning when I withdrew my lustre from its sphere. And between ourselves,” added Mr. Siffkin, lower- ing his voice, and glancing suspiciously around him, “the clerk at the Morning Post Office behaved very well on the occasion. He only cha me a guinea for announcing my departure, and the pro- crastination of my great dinner-party till my return ;—if he didn’t do this, may my teeth never be agam called white !” ‘““ How very handsome!” said Mr. Pickwick. ‘‘ But while we are standing chattering here, we are losing the preliminaries to the day’s diversion. Suppose we order dimer for five o’clock, and m the mean Conical sorolks (O) (c@