Pickwick Abroad; or, The Tour in France — page 216: what you’re looking at

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

PICKWICK ABROAD. 903 stery in his note-book on the following morning; and it is from that auinentic source that we are enabled to lay the ensuing interesting nar- rative, in which some particulers connected with Vidocq occur, before our reaciers. CHAPTER XXYV. THs GAMBLER.-—A TALE. WHS LOST LEFTER.—A GAMING-HOUSE IN THE PALAIS ROYAL.—EMILIE D ARLY.—THE DESPERATE ATTEMPT.—M. VIDOCQ.—THE RESULT. Tue tale which I em about io relate, will not only introduce the cele- brated Vidccg to your notice, but will also give you an idea of the secret service in which the French Police is occasionally employed, and at the same time exhibit in all its worst colours the consequences of that most deadly and banefui of vices—Gaming! I was one afternoon summoned to the Prefecture de Police, and in- troduced to the presence of M.de Limeul. This gentleman was the secretary to the Sub-Prefect: and he desired me to be seated with an unusual degree of courtesy, as he prepared to enter upon the maiter in which he required my service. “Dumont,” began M. de Limeul; “a young gentleman applied peerey afternoon at the Prefecture to have his passport signed for alais; and he imadvertently dropped a certain document—an un- sealed letter, in fine—which—’”’ “Fell into your hands,” said I, willing to relieve M. de Limeul from the unpleasant task of recounting the pryings and suspicions of a base curiosity. “You have guessed it, Dumont,” said the secretary, with a patron- ising smile. ‘‘ Here is the letter—read it.” _ M. de Limeul handed me the epistle, which I opened and perused ; _and as nearly as I can now recollect, the contents ran as follows :— * Dearest Henri, “How often have I prophesied that gambling would eventually prove yourruin! You remain absent from me during a whole night _ you write to me in the morning to inform me of your almost irre- _ deemable losses—and you desire me to prepare myself either fora - sudden journey to England, with a large fortune at our command, or _ to remain in poverty and disgrace at Paris. an early hour to have your passport signed—you write to me from the house of a friend—you desire me to be happy—you apologize for your seeming neglect (a neglect, alas! towhich | am now too much accus- tomed to be astonished atit) in not returning home if it were even only for a minute—and you tell me that to-morrow evening will decide your fate. Have I not often said that though a gambler may prosper “You say you are obliged to present yourself at the Prefecture at . Eomichooks (E(@) =)