Pickwick Abroad: or, The Tour in France — page 245: what you’re looking at

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

196 Pickwick Abroad. “Most mysterious affair,” observed Mr. Tupman. ‘1 wonder what sort of a looking girl Signora Sqorlini was.”’ ‘Jt certainly is an intricate business,” added Mr. Winkle. ‘‘ But instead of wasting our time in thinking of it, we had better attend to the arrangements necessary for the party this evening.”’ ‘Winkle is right,” said Mr. Pickwick, hastily. ‘‘ For my part, I have still a call to make—I forgot yesterday to invite our friend Scuttle.” ‘* How many will there be?’ enquired Mr. Tupman. sada ad ‘* About eight of us altogether, I believe,’ answered Mr. Pickwick ; “for your friend Walker, Tupman, promised to bring a couple of gentlemen with him in order to make up two rubbers.” ‘“¢ And pray who are they all ?’’ demanded Mr. Winkle. | ‘‘Qur three selves,”’ readily replied Mr. Pickwick, counting upon his fingers—‘‘ Mr. Scuttle, Mr. Walker, and Mr. Chitty—that’s six— and Walker’s two friends, make eight.” ‘“‘T promised to meet Walker, to see about the music, this morn- ing,’ said Mr, Tupman, rising from the breakfast-table, and surveying himself in the looking-glass with an air of peculiar complacency and satisfaction. ; ‘Very well,” exclaimed Mr. Pickwick, displaying his usual pre- sence of mind and extraordinary calmness on this as well as on every other occasion ;—‘‘ you had better go at once, Tupman, to secure the musicians; you, Winkle, will stay at home to arrange the supper with Sam and the cook; and I will just step up to the Rue Taitbout and invite Mr. Scuttle.”’ Mr. Tupman and Mr. Pickwick accordingly issued from their abode to execute their several commissions, and Mr. Winkle summoned Mr. Weller to his presence to discuss the important matter of supper. “Sam,” said Mr. Winkle, when that gentlem@n had made his appearance, ‘‘ we are going to have a small party this evening,” ‘‘ Any petticuts, Sir?’ enquired Mr. Weller, abruptly. ‘“No, Sam,” answered Mr. Winkle, adopting the same strain of oriental allegory—“ all breeches.”’ , ‘That don’t perwent married vimen from bein’ present, Sir,’’ ob- served Mr. Weller; ‘ some on’em is so wery full o’ sperets, they’d put on the emperor’s tights and gaiters, Sir, sooner than not vear the breeches at all.” ‘‘ Would they, indeed, though ?”’ said Mr. Winkle, somewhat incre- dulously. | “* Vould they not, Sir?” rejoined Mr. Weller. ‘‘ To be sure they -vould—and vithout delay, too, as the wery polite minister said to the poor leftenant as asked for permotion. Vimen is terrible wixens at times.” : ‘* But you are married yourself, Sam ?’’ suggested Mr. Winkle. - ‘* So air you, Sir—and so vos my unfortunate friend, Tom Snell, the thimble-rig man, afore he shut his-self up in the vorkus in down- right despair.” | | ‘* Well— but about this party, Sam,” said Mr. Winkle, somewhat impatienily. ‘* There'll be a supper, s’pose ?” suggested Mr. Weller. Mr. Winkle nodded an affirmative. Gomicbooks (Elo)