Pickwick Abroad; or, The Tour in France — page 208: what you’re looking at

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

thers ‘to mind and not be had up before him again on suspicion, or they'd knew the reason why,’ and dismissed them with a severe repri- mand. Inspector Higgs and Pohceman Smill are now gone on another track, and are using every exertion to detect the assassin. It appears that immediately after the liberation of the two countrymen, infermatign was received at the police-office concerning an individual whose appearance seemed to justify the suspicions that were enter- tained with regard to him. He carried a thick stick, evidently for bad purposes—was wild and imcoherent in his manners—refused to utter a single syllable which any body might understand—and had drank three pots of half-and-half, besides two sixpenny glasses of grog, at a public-house in the vicinity of the police-office. No doubt, therefore, remains as to his identity with the heartless assassin; and it is confidently hoped that Inspector Higgs and Policeman Smill will capture him before night. “oP aT, ‘¢ The individual above alluded to, has been taken, and has under- gone a very severe examination before Mr. Peddlesworth. The office was crowded to excess. Mr. Smuggles, whose conduct has been highly praiseworthy since the discovery of the horrid crime, was again in attendance. I understand he is a short, well-looking man, and wears a blue coat and tops and cords. It is said he has cleared eighty pounds by exhibiting the body. He put five pounds into the parish poor-box this very morning. ‘The prisoner, who had been discovered drinking m an obscure tavern, was so overcome by his feelings or the liquor he had drank, that it was found impossible to elicit any thing from him. ‘The worthy magistrate accordingly remanded him, observing ‘that he had no doubt as to the prisoner’s guilt, for a more atrocious-looking scoundrel was never brought before him during the twenty years he had sate on that bench.? The crowd was loud in its applauses of the successful exertions of Inspector Higgs and Policeman Smuill. “ March 14,3 P.M. “This morning the prisoner was again brought up for further examination. Mr. Smuge¢lesand several other publicans were present. t however appears that the accused was an honest rat-catcher, and that his extraordinary behaviour yesterday was to be attributed only to the effects of his potations. Mr. Peddlesworth accordingly fined him five shillings, ordered him to pay the office-fees, and find bail for his future good conduct. A master chimney-sweeper and a tripe-man, who were in attendance, entered inio the required recognizances, and the prisoner was ordered to be discharged. I shall now despatch this letter, and acquaint you with the result of the affair in a few days. _ ‘* With best remembrances to Tupman and Winkle, believe me yours most truly, . ‘¢ AuGUSTUS SNODGRASS. ~ “P.,§.—Inspector Higgs and Policeman Smill are again using every exertion to discover the assassin.” _ “This is a very extraordinary communication,” said Mr, Pickwick, a8 he leisurely folded up the letter, and conveyed it to his pocket. Row ak > See > ° ' tae iv a \. 7 P 4 uv (E(0) =) Bs | Gomicbooks