Pickwick Abroad: or, The Tour in France — page 378: what you’re looking at

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

Pickwick Abroad. 313 ) with a protector, both on my account and her own,” continued Mr. Scuttle. ‘‘ How exceedingly considerate !’’ ‘¢ You understand, then, who is the suitor for the hand of your fair niece 2”? demanded Mr. Kallaway. ‘Perfectly, my dear fellow!” cried the delighted Mr. Scuttle, of course believing that Mr. Kallaway had been pleading on his own ac- count. ‘‘Say nomore—I am agreeable—and Iam suremy niece will be so as well.” : Mr. Kallaway bestowed an hasty ‘“‘ Thank ye kindly: you’ve now made one man happy at least!’ upon the good-natured Mr. Scuttle, and proceeded to inform Mr. Pickwick of the welcome news. This cheerful task was speedily accomplished: Mr. Pickwick was told that his suit had met with the most cordial reception at the hand of Mr. Scuttle; and while Mr. Kallaway hastened to attend to the preparations for the supper, our venerable old friend again sought Mrs. Weston’s society, from which he had been for a moment summoned by his ambassador, and communicated the welcome tidings to her in as few words as possible. In process of time the supper was served up, and the guests were summoned to partake of it. All answered the appeal, save and except Mr. Tracy Tupman; and he found it rather inconvenient to make his appearance at the table witha large trap at his feet. His absence was speedily noticed ; and as it was getting somewhat dark, Mr. Kal. laway procured alanthorn, and hastened into the garden to search for him. He looked into the stables where his horse was—he examined the receptacle for his fire-wood—he even took the precaution of in- specting the pig-stye—but no Mr. Tupman was to be found. At last the propriety of calling that gentleman’s name aloud instigated itself to Mr. Kallaway. He accordingly bawled forth the magic word ‘‘ Tupman”’ a plurality of times. ‘* Here !” returned a faint voice: “‘ here I am.” ‘* Where ?” demanded Mr. Kallaway. ‘“‘ Here!” answered Mr. Tupman. “In the loft over the cow-shed.” Mr. Kallaway hastened up the ladder that led to the loft, and there, to his horror and dismay, he discovered his respected guest in the painful situation before described. “How the deuce came you here?” enquired Mr. Kallaway, when he had extricated Mr. Tupman from the trap by means of a key which he took from his waistcoat pocket. ‘‘ T—I—” began Mr. Tupman, blushing up to the eyes, “I felt rather sleepy—and so I thought—” — ‘‘ If you'd only told me,” said the farmer, ‘‘I would have conducted you to a sofa ina privateroom. But, come along: supper is waiting.” ‘Tt is scarcely necessary to say where you found me,” observed Mr. Tupman, as they proceeded towards the house. “Oh! no—certainly not,” cried Mr. Kallaway, who, notwithstand- ing his promise, whispered the joke in the course of the evening, when he had drank about a bottle and a half of wine, to Mr. Scuttle, whence it gradually passed round the table, and Mr. Tupman was compelled to undergo the highly interesting ceremony of being thoroughly laughed at before the company separated. The supper was substantial and good—the wines were éxcellent—and ‘S (C(O) COMNICOO©