Pickwick Abroad; or, The Tour in France — page 191: what you’re looking at

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

178 PICKWICK ABROAD, “I veally do,” said that gentleman, scarcely knowing whether to. give vent to his ivascibility or his mirth. “<a “Oh you do—do you?” cried Mr, Crashem; ‘ well—I’ll devilish soon convince you to the contrary; for here’s the very prologue you, — as Buskin, are to address to the audience—and it was given to me by Mr. Dowton, junior, for you to study by this evening.” . And to the unspeakable dismay of Mr. Tupman, Mr, Adolphus— Crashem manifested his sincerity by drawing a paper from his pocket, and reading the following words :— wy PROLOGUE TO BE SPOKEN BY BUSKIN. LLadivs and gentlemen, I come In proprid-persond—— Announc’d by trumpet and by drum, With Thespis as my croney. Efe as a Harlequin appears, And I shall be full soon Converted by the wand he rears Into a Pantaloon. As Columbine a lady gay Upon the stage will caper, And in the merry dance display An ankle thin and taper. I'he orchestra, to please your ears, Shall play a merry tune, While in his drollery appears Your humble Pantaloon. Boxes—return anotner night, If well our wit you savour ;— Pit—should our frolics yield delight, a I beg the self-same favour. i Gall’rv—with orange-peels dispense,— : And come to see us soon :— Where is th’ amusement or the sense To pelt.the Pantaloon? “Well,” cried Mr. Crashem, i a tone of the most supreme delight,” as he laid aside the paper on which this precious Prologue was written, —“and what do you think of that for a go of poetry 2” Pa “Are there.no other means of raising money?” enquired the wretched Mr. Tupman. a *‘ None,” said Mr. Crashem, striking the table with his clenched 4 fist; “‘ so let's breakfast, and then study our parts. All you’ve got to do is to learn a few antics. I suppose you can stand upon your head ~ at a pinch ?” a Had not the fair Anastasie interfered at this crisis, Mr. Tupman — would certainly have adopted some desperate measure to rid himsel 6)" of the Prologue and of Mr. Adolphus Crashem at one and the same — time. But the winning smiles of Mademoiselle de Volage, and the prospect of acquiring a sufficiency of funds to carry them to Dover, where his happiness would be ensured for life, partially if not entirely — e . reconciled Mr. Tupman to the enactment of the part of Pantaloon in “3 Tt. t - ‘ sn BU