Pickwick Abroad; or, The Tour in France — page 207: what you’re looking at

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a 194 PICKWICK ABROAD ‘“ What! another letter—and from Snodgrass too!” said Mr. Pick- wick, receiving the epistle from the hands of his valet. ‘‘ Really that young man has an astonishing head,” added Mr. Pickwick, gravely shaking his own, “Ts it in poetry again?” enquired Mr. Winkle, with evident signs © of satiety of that article, which he w isely deemed to be more orna- — mental than useful. ¥ ‘“‘ No—it is not,” continued the great man, carefully unfeiding the © ‘“< Vell, that’s a blessin’,” said Mr. Weller, deliberately. i “You may retire, Sam,” suggested Mr. Pickwick mildly; and, when the door had closed behind the retreating domestic, the contents — of the letter were read as follows :— ) \ . 9 ue i a > “ March 12. -, c “Dear Pickwick, ‘“‘J write to inform you that a most dreadful murder has — been committed at Putney, on the person of Signora Sgorlini, an — Italian singer, and that Inspector Higgs and Policeman Smill are using tremendous exertions to discover the assassins. If it were not | for the expense of postage, J should send you a sweet little poem of 4 three hundred and fifty lines in running measure, which I wrote upon the occasion. ‘| “Tam delighted to hear that you and our friends have got into i} comfortable lodgings; as the hotel bills must have been rumous in the extreme. Inspector Higgs and Police Smill have just passed by ~ our house in a tax-cart at full gallop, as 1t appears that two country- — men were drinking last night at a tavern in the neighbourhood, and — | displayed several half-crowns when they paid their bill. The whole i affair has caused a tremendous sensation, especially amongst the | itinerant ballad-singers; one of whom, by the bye, 1s bawling ~under- ‘ neath my window at this very moment. A weekly paper, that would © most likely have fallen last Sunday, has made its fortune by this pro- g vidential circumstance; the shareholders, I understand, are elated at the news of the Shela to an extr aordinary degree. ‘Mr, Smuggles, the spirited landlord of the tavern at which Sig. 4 nora Sqorlini was murdered, is showing her body to the public at_ sixpence a-head. ‘Three hours have elapsed since I commenced this — letter, and Inspector Higgs and Policeman Smill are still usmg tre- mendous exertions. This afternoon Mr. Smuggles had an interview — with Mr. Peddlesworth the magistrate, but the result is not known, — As the weekly paper, before alluded to, advertises ‘ The fullest, most correct, and most important account’ x the mur der, together iad an engraving of the same, to be given away ‘ gratis’ “with the journal i tiself, L shall take care and for ward 5 ‘ou a nwnber. | ‘S March 18, 10 4. 1. 7m ‘* Inspector Higgs and Policeman Smill overtook the countr ymen who were going into the country to work for a farmer by whom they ee particularly engaged, ‘This morning they were brought up before Mr. Peddlesworth, ‘when Mr. Smugeles was also in attendance. It how- — ever turmed out that the poor fellows were two honest men, and that they have lost their places by this delay. Mr. Peddlesworth ; 4 een = Eomicbooks.com