Pickwick Abroad; or, The Tour in France — page 356: what you’re looking at

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

PICKWICK ABROAD. | 343 “T am not a Count—I aman Englishman,” observed Mr, Snodgrass sullenly, as he proceeded to put himself into his clothes. ‘“¢ T thought it was all a sham,” said the Gendarme. ‘* The Count himself has—”’ began Mr. Snodgrass. “6 What? which Count? who?” demanded the officer. ‘Why, since the truth must be told,” continued Mr. Snodgrass, fancying that his friend had now had sufficient time to make his escape, “I only adopted the Count’s title for the funof the thing. He has sought safety in flight—and my name Is Snodgrass, as you may convince yourselves by looking on the lid of that trunk, or into my pocket-book, or even on my passport.” ‘¢ Snodgrass is the name of the cther swindler,” cried Mr.Lawson. «‘ Snodgrass is my name,” indignantly exclaimed the sole proprietor of that far-famed patronymic; ‘‘ and my friencs can prove it.” ‘¢ You haven’t any friends,” persisted Mr. Lawson, using a term of reproach much in vogue amongst cads and gentlemen in the same dis- tinguished walk of London society. *¢ My friends are well known in this city, Sir,” retorted Mr. Snod- erass ; and he proceeded to extol the excellencies of his three former associates in travel. “¢ Pickwick—Tupman-— Winkle!” exclaimed the officer: ‘* there must be some mistake here. You may retire ;’’—and the two Gen- darmes who had accompanied their superior, and to whom this hint was addressed, withdrew accordingly. ‘¢ What’s the matter, now?’ demanded Mr. Lawson. ‘¢ You are the friend of the gentlemen you mentioned?” enquired the officer of Mr. Snodgrass, without heeding the interrogation of the landlerd. Mr. Snodgrass, of course, replied in the affirmative. “¢ And how came you to travel with the Count, as you call him 2” continued the Gendarme. Mr. Snodgrass succinctly stated how he had fallen in with Count Boloski, at Boulogne; and then detailed those particulars with which the reader is already acquainted. ‘¢ You have been the victim of the most consummate swindler under heaven,” cried the Gendarme, when Mr. Snodgrass had brought his narrative to a conclusion; ‘‘andif I do not labour under a very great mistake, he has already taken in your friends more than once. But let us see.” The Gendarme desired Mr. Lawson to conduct them to the chamber which had been occupied by the soz-disant Count Boloski; and when they were shown thither, he commenced a most unceremonious inves- tigation into the carpet-bag which the fugitive had left behind him. Two or three letters speedily revealed the truth; they had been ad- dressed and delivered in London, through the medium of the two- penny post; and their superscriptions were various ; inasmuch as some were addressed to ‘‘ Mr. William Sugden, Lanthorn and Cat, Black- 9 man Street, Borough,’—and others to ‘“‘ Adolphus Crashem, Esq., No. , Maddox Street, Regent Street.” ““This is as I thought,’ said the Gendarme, as he handed the let. ters to Mr. Snodgrass. “T know this swindler, by repute, well!” exclaimed the Pick- Eomichooks.co =)