Pickwick Abroad; or, The Tour in France — page 193: what you’re looking at

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180 PICKWICK ABROAD. id “No,” replied Mr. Tupman, meekly; ‘‘I am to be the Pantaloon - in this night’ s Pantomime.” a Mr. Pickwick was thunder-struck at this intelligence, and for some moments he remained without the power of utterance. At length the presence of mind so seldom lost by that truly extraordinary man, re-— turned; and in a low but impressive tone, he said, ‘‘ Mr. Tu; pman, where is your private room ?”’ ‘“‘ Up stairs—on the second floor,” returned that gentleman. Lead the way to it, then,”’ said Mr. Pickwick ; “T will follow you.’ | There was no necessity for Mr. Pickwick to repeat his command fl Mr. Tupman did not exhibit the slightest inclination to disobey his great leader, but turned round, and ascended the stairs towards his bed-room with a beating heart and a countenance expressive of the | most profound misery. CHAPTER XXII. , . MR. PICKWICK AND MR. WINKLE ARE INFORMED OF MR. TUPMAN’S DE- PARTURE.—MRS. WESTON’S SOIREE.—THE TRULY EDIFYING CONVER- SATION, IN WHICH MR, PICKWICK ENGAGES WITH MR. SCUTTLE AND MR, SEPTIMUS CHITTY.—THE SUPPER, AND OTHER EQUALLY AMUSING © INCIDENTS.—MR,. WELLER’S ANECDOTE. Yr, who listen with avidity to the anecdotes of life, and follow with ardour the varied paths of romance—who expect that the author will” perform the wishes of your imagination, and that the deficiencies of one chapter will be supplied by another—attend to the adventures of Pickwick and of Winkle! ; At five o'clock, on the day when Mr. Tupman deemed it prudent to. leave Paris with Mademoiselle Anastasie de Volage, did Mr. Pickwick and Mr. Winkle return to Meurice’s hotel to dress for dinner. But when Mr. Weller announced the pleasing fact that the repast was served up, and the provoking one that Mr. Tupman was not yet re- tured, those two gentlemen did that which any other two gentlemen would have done in the same situation, viz. they sate down and dined without him. ‘¢ Very singular,” said Mr. Pickwick, when the dessert was placed | | upon the table; “ Tupman seldom dines out without letting us know | beforehand. | ‘hope no disagreeable occurrence has detained him.” “So do I,” said Mr. Winkle, shrewdly suspecting that some love wh affair was the cause of their friend’s absence. i The wine was passed, and a miscellaneous conversation wiled away the time till the hour approached for preparing for Mrs. Weston’s — soirée. The antepenultimate glass was imbibed—and still Mr. Tup-_ man did not make his appearance. The penultimate potation was drenk in silence—and the ultimate was not capable of soothing the anxiety of Mr. Pickwick and Mr. Winkle. ‘The clock struck eight— another half-hour passed away—and then the door was hastily opened, — €omicbooks.con