Pickwick Abroad: or, The Tour in France — page 99: what you’re looking at

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

66 Pickwick Abroad. incomprehensible articulations of Mr. Winkle would allow it to be. Mr. Crashem was amazingly talkative, and Mr. Tims endeavoured to e his new acquaintances to accompany him toan English tavern, where he would introduce them to a society of gentlemen, principally in the lace-weaving line, called ‘‘The Odd Fellows,” and would pro- pose Mr. Pickwick as Chairman for the evening. But this handsome and flattering invitation was gratefully declined by Mr, Pickwick, who, in the name of himself and followers, pleaded fatigue as an excuse. The party accordingly broke up at an early hour; Mr. Pickwick, Mr. Boozie, Mr. Tupman, and Mr. Winkle retiring to their respective couches, while Mr. Crashem and Mr. Tims adjourned to the coffee- room to drink brandy-and-water, discuss cigars, and converse on mat- ters the subject of which we shall not intrude upon the reader. Now it happened that Messieurs Crashem and Tims drank a very considerable quantity of Cognac, smoked a plurality of indifferent havannahs, and seemed to enter upon so excellent an understanding with each other, that, about midnight, when both were rather unsteady upon their pins, they mutually swore they would not retire to bed without having a “lark.” ey accordingly debated in their own minds what species of “‘ lark” should be adopted as the crowning inci- dent of the evening; and aftera variety of propositions and objections, it was unanimously resolved to “‘ toe old Boozie”—an ble and in- nocent amusement, consisting of the simple process of entering clan- destinely into a man’s bed-room, tying a etring round his great toe, and then pulling the said string with about the same force that one uses in ringing a front-door bell. “Do you know his room, Sug—Crashem, I mean?” enquired Mr. Tims, tossing off the remnant of his brandy-and- water. “Certainly,” responded the gentleman thus interrogated. ‘Come alo he’s sound a-sleep by this time—what a lark we'll have!” ‘“'Won’t we?” echoed Mr. Tims; and with these indications of their extreme satisfaction, they ascended the stair-case together, provided themselves with a long piece of whip-cord in Mr. Crashem’s chamber, and then proceeded on tip-toe to the front-room where Mr. Boozie was supposed to be sleeping. The door was not locked—they accord- ingly entered with stealthy steps—and Mr. Tims succeeded in affixi one end of the string to one of the toes of the individual who occupied the bed, without awakening the intended victim. They then quietly retreated from the apartment, and closed the door with the utmost precaution, while the cord, which passed undemeath, was safely re- tained in the grasp of the facetious Mr. Tims. ‘‘ Now for it,” whispered Mr. Crashem ; and Mr. Tims gave an ener- getic pull at the string , which effectually aroused the individual to whose foot it was a ed; so much s0, that violent cries issued from the room, and threatened to alarm the whole hotel. Messieurs Crashem and Tims precipitated themselves into the chamber occupied by the former gentleman; and Mr. Tupman, aroused by the noise, leapt from his bed, and rushed into the passage, crying “‘ Fire!” with all his might. Mr. Winkle awoke in his turn, and ran out of his room, requesting to be informed what was the matter; when his foot caught in a noose, and he fell gracefully and ainly on his nose, while the screams and shrieks from the front bed-room redoubled. Gomi q) NOOO KS (c@