Pickwick Abroad; or, The Tour in France — page 183: what you’re looking at

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

17d PICKWICK ABROAD. ness, Animated with the same spirit of enterprise that originated the. voyages of Captain Parry and Sir John Ross, Mr. 'Tupman was de-— termined to penetrate farther into the Rue Saint Honoré—the longest street but one in the world—and ascertain what might lie beyond the regions of the Palais Royal. Scarcely, however, had he passed the Rue Grenelle, when the noise of a diligence galloping up the street attracted his attention; and in due time he saw the vehicle turn into a handsome white free-stone gate-way, on the left hand side in the Rue Saint Honoré. Mr. Tupman immediately concluded that this must be the entrance to a coach-yard; and, thinking that he might as well see a diligence as any thing else, he entered the enclosure through the aforesaid gate-way, and instantaneously recognised the magnificent office of Laffitte and Caillard’s Messageries. But at the moment when he became aware of the locality in which he then was, his eyes encountered the fascinating form of a young lady a few yards before him. Mr. Tupman was determined to catch a glimpse of her features, just to see whether they corresponded in loveliness with the figure he so much admired; he accordingly re- doubled his pace, and in a minute found himself in the presence of Mademoiselle Anastasie de Volage. “Mon Dieu /” exclaimed the young lady, when her beautiful eyes caught sight of Mr. Tupman’s portly form; “ ’tis Inglis gentelman me so long look for!” “Indeed,” said Mr. Tupman, with a polite though distant bow, uncertain in his own mind whether to give the young lady into cus- tody or not. ‘How you do, Monsieur 2” enquired Anastasie with a winning smile. ‘‘ Me so glad to see you—me so afraid you tink badly—but those gentelmen act vary foolish when they got the wine in the head.” Mr. Tupman could not help ogling the young lady as she thus ad- dressed him in her fascinating broken English; and the young lady nerself, perceiving her advantage, continued :— ‘Me send you back watch by my servant—one nigger-man, you know, Sare—”’ ‘* I paid a considerable sum to recover it,” said Mr. Tupman drily. “You pay! Oh! no—dat not possible!”? cried Anastasie, vehe- meutly. ‘I beg your pardon,” rejommed Mr. Tupman, “A gentleman of the name of Vi—Vi—Vidocq, I think, was the agent in the transac- tion.”’ 3 A flood of tears immediately deluged the fair cheeks of Made- moiselle Anastasie—she declared she had been duped and deceived, but did not condescend to explain the precise manner in which she was so deeply wronged—and commenced the enactment of as afiect- ing a little piece of tragedy as ever one would wish to behold ina diligence-yard. Mr. Tupman prudently withdrew the weeping lady from the gaze of three dezen clerks, and as many porters: and led her into the adjoining coffee-room of the Hotel Rossignol. ‘There, by _ the aid of a small quantity of consolation and a large quantity of spiced wine, Mademoiselle de Volage recovered herself so far as to grasp Mr. Ltpman’s hand convulsively, and assure him that he was her first and © only love. ? on GEomichbooks.co "%