Pickwick Abroad: or, The Tour in France — page 179: what you’re looking at

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

136 Pickwick Abroad. the appurtenance of a new lover also. At length she became notori- ous—and foreigners are now the objects upon which she preys. At one time she is the daughter of a Marchioness, and at another a Marchioness herself. Her flights indeed have ‘been so lofty, that the title of Duchess has not unfrequently been assumed to dupe her victims. She is at present, I understand, in a fair way to captivate and espouse an old English Lord, whom she met the day before yes- terday, and whom she intends to lead to the hymeneal altar the day after to-morrow. Her mother, the Marchioness de Volage,’’ added M. Vidocq, with a sly glance towards Mr. Tupman’s countenance, ‘has been seventeen times before the Sixth Chamber of Correctional Police—twice before the Criminal Court of the Assizes—and once in the Penitentiary-prison.”’ So astounded was the unfortunate Mr. Tupman at these overwhelm- ing tidings, that he would have certainly deemed it becoming and pru- dent to faint upon the spot, had he not perceived, on casting a hasty look around him, that his friends were at too great a distance to catch him in his meditated fall. He therefore applied his hand to his pocket —but, alas! he had accidentally left his handkerchief behind him. There was no alternative left: he could not weep—so he gave vent to his emotions in a sigh of more than decent length, while Mr. Weller muttered somewhat audibly the expressive dissyllable ‘‘ Gam- mon!’ and then hummed the popular air of ‘‘A froggie would a wooing go,” to pretend that the ejaculation had not emanated from his especial lips. Mr. Pickwick looked a thunder-storm, and Mr. Winkle a flash of lightning :. but no verbal reference was made to Mr. Weller’s unaccountable behaviour. | [t is to this occasion that we must look for the origin of that episode in Mr. Pickwick’s adventurous life, which forms so extraordinary and important a feature in the memoirs of his continental tour. It would appear, that when the party was once more seated in the hackney- coach, Mr, Tupman’s countenance was still elongated to so deplora- ble an extent, that Mr. Pickwick’s benevolent heart was deeply touched by the consciousness of his friend’s unhappiness. The wea- ther was cold and stormy—the snow fell at intervals—and little in the way of amusement could thus be done in Paris. It was, however, necessary to adopt some measure in order to distract Mr. Tupman’s mind from pondering on his woes; and Mr. Pickwick, with his usual toresight and wisdom, proposed a sort of pic-nic to the nearest agree- able town in the vicinity of Paris. The Gendarme was obliged to decline being one of the party: he, however, recommended his friends to proceed to St. Cloud, and put up at Legriel’s well-known restau- rant—two specific pieces of advice that were immediately put to the vote, and adopted without a single dissentient voice. M. Dumont accordingly took his leave of the Pickwickians; and having given some necessary instructions 1n their behalf to the driver, he left the hackney-coach to pursue the road to St. Cloud, and the adventurous ~ Englishmen to the chances which a capricious fortune might throw in their way. : EORMICLNOO KS (E(0)