Pickwick Abroad: or, The Tour in France — page 196: what you’re looking at

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

Pickwick Abroad. 151 farious and fraudulent practices, the full meaning of which his upright and correct mind could not readily imagine. The ideas of his con- spirators were however conveyed to him through the organ of a police- officer; but, not choosing to be even suspected of dishonesty, he pru- dently made his escape from the clutches of B 155, and fled to France, whither the machinations of his enemies, he fondly hoped, could scarcely follow him. Such was the concise account of Mr. Crashem’s early adventures, which Mr. Pickwick gleaned from the statement of that gentleman’s father. When the narrative was brought to a conclusion, our vene- . rated hero summoned his domestic and friends, and desired them to accompany himself and Mr. Sugden to the New Prison. This request was immediately complied with; and in about three quarters of an hour, the little party was unpacked from a hackney-coach at the gate of the edifice just named. Mr. Pickwick led the way; and the pro- cession passed on towards the apartment occupied by the object of this solemn visit. The object himself was seated at the table with his inestimable friends, Messieurs Lipman, Jopling, and Tims; and as those gentlemen had already commenced their orgies, the sight was doubtless a very gratifying one to a father who was afraid that his son might be rotting in a gaol. ‘“¢ Well, Master What’s-his-name—you've got into Thing-um-bob at last, have you?” enquired Mr. Sugden, senior, as he indignantly sur- veyed the person of his delinquent son. ‘*‘ Now, mind what I say, young man: if so be as you don’t mend your ways—and very speedily too—I’ll be d—d if you don’t come to be sent abroad for your coun- try’s good.” ‘“ Indeed,”’ suggested Mr. Pickwick blandly, who did not precisely comprehend the nature of the figure of speech by which Mr. Sugden intended to represent the slight inconvenience called transporting ; “‘T should not imagine that your son would so easily obtaina govern- ment situation, unless he conducts himself better in future :—’ and in order to punish the culprit for the duplicity and systematic decep- tion he had so successfully practised upon the credulity of those who would have been his friends, Mr. Pickwick proceeded to read aloud the contents of the letters he had that morning received from London, and which bore such flattering and highly creditable testimonials to the good character of the subject of them. It is scarcely necessary _to remark that the prison-companions of Mr. Sugden, junior, were fairly convulsed at the detail of that gentleman’s delinquencies in _ London; and that Mr. Tims pronounced him to be ‘‘ the most know- ing cove’ with whose acquaintance he had ever been honoured. Even the respectable landlord of the Lanthorn and Cat himself indulged in an ill-suppressed chuckle, as Mr. Pickwick read the aforesaid de- rogatory epistles aloud to the whole party present. ‘Perhaps you'd like to take something to drink, Sir, after that ?”’ said Mr. Lipman, when the letters were again consigned to Mr. Pick- wick’s pocket. : ‘Or tip us a stave of the old hundredth psalm,” suggested Mr. Jopling. ‘‘ Or stand on your head for a wager,” added Mr. Tims. ‘“‘Come—come, none o’ that ’ere, gen’lemen,’’ cried Mr. Weller, ECORNICLOOO© cS (C(O)