Pickwick Abroad: or, The Tour in France — page 74: what you’re looking at

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

Pickwick Abroad. | 43 Mr. Winkle’s voice was lost in sobs—the generous hero of these memoirs was immediately pacified by such symptoms of contrition— and ina moment the hand of the immortal Pickwick grasped that of the penitent Winkle, just as the diligence entered the streets of Bou- logne-sur-Mer at a rapid pace. It is not our intention to detail the very mznutie@ of the adventures connected with the continental tour of Mr. Pickwick and his followers. We shall therefore merely observe that a small case bottle of brandy and a large parcel of sandwiches were attacked and disposed of by the gentlemen occupying the first four seats of the znterteur —that M. Dumont politely refused, in very good English, to partake of the repast —that Mr. Boozie informed his feliow travellers how he was once nearly choked by a ham-sandwich, when he again corrected himself, and stated that it was occasioned by a beef-sandwich—and that Mr. Crashem, the cards having been eschewed tor the moment, related a number of pleasant anecdotes, chiefly connected with him- self, his family, or his noble acquaintances, and remarkable for the probability and air of truth with which they were vested. We shall not be tedious on these subjects, but merely state that at about seven o’clock in the evening the diligence entered the very cheerful and crowded streets of Montreuil, at which town the passengers were to dine. As several English gentlemen were staying at the hotel where the diligence stopped—the neighbourhood of Montreuil being famous for game, and the said gentlemen being Just able in the shooting season to emancipate themselves from the demands of their creditors at Bou- logne, Calais, Saint-Omer, &c., and take a trip to Montreuil—the table-@’ hote was numerously attended. Mr. Pickwick and his com- panions seated themselves next to each other at the head of the long table, and Mr. Tupman and Mr. Winkle were about to commence a desperate attack upon certain succulent viands that stood near them, when Mr. Pickwick, his expressive countenance assuming an aspect of seriousness not unmixed with severity, rebuked his followers for an omission of which they had been guilty, and, with the gravity which that great man knew so well how to adopt, rose slowly from his chair, and, with extended arms, in a solemn and impressive tone of voice, said Grace. Having thus exemplified his devotion, Mr. Pick- wick sunk into his seat, and in an instant made a deep incision in a leg of mutton which stood before him. Such an act of piety excited the risible feelings ofall present, as well as the utmost astonishment of the sporting gentlemen, who made sundry pleasant and pointed remarks thereupon; and lest their observations should be deemed nothing but fulsome flattery by Mr. Pickwick and his friends, they considerately disguised their sentiments in a figurative language of their own. ‘A parish prig, I’ll bet a pound,” cried one, “ Wouldn’t patter badly in a hum-box!” observed a second. ‘‘ Nice chap for a small tea party!” suggested a third. ‘‘ Hasn’t got a bad twist of his own, though !’”’ remarked a fourth. “Why do you flatter the gentleman?” remonstrated a fifth. And a sixth might have made a similar observation, had not a sudden disturbance in the passage put a stop to the tributes of admira- tion which Mr. Pickwick’s exemplary conduct had called forth. GOMIGIOOKS (C(O)