Pickwick Abroad; or, The Tour in France — page 364: what you’re looking at

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

PICKWICK ABROAD. 3al ? “These are very singular adventures altogether,” said Mr. Lawson. *““Wery,” returned Sam. ‘* But if you’ll just tell me vot there is for to pay for Mr. Snodgrass as arrived last night, I'll settle that score.” ‘‘ Step into the office,” said Mr. Lawson, ‘‘ and I will be with you in an instant, I must just run and take Mr. Kallaway a suit of clothes first.”’ Mr. Weller walked into the office and sate down at Mr. Lawson’s desk. A quantity of writing-paper lay upon a shelf in the window; and that, together with the presence of other materials for wniting, seemed to inspire Mr. Weller with a sudden idea, which he forthwith proceeded to put into execution. And this was the fruit of his labours: “ Parris, france. ** Mi dearest mari, ‘i des say you thinks I’ve rayther negleckted you o’ late, but vot vith vaitin’ on the guvner and the other gen’lemen, and drinkin’ brandy-an’-vater, with von or too other okkipashions eq-vally profitable, my time hasn’t bin my own, vich vos the remark made by the conwict ven he vorked at the hulks in the service of government. but you no, mari mi dear, I alvays thinks on you and the hinfants; and as a prufe of it I hinclose a coppy of as tidy a go of werse as I ever see com- pozed. but don’t go an’ show ’em to every body as you sees, cos poetry ain’t the thing now-a-days, an’ ve must foller fashion as vell as our betters, as the chimbley-sveep observed to his-self ven he cocked his hat a-von side. ‘“many wery remarkable things I’ve seen an’ heerd since I’ve bin in this powerful citty. but von thing is calkilated to charm a formner more than all, and that is there ain’t no beggers. or so fu that they ain’t vorth speekin’ ov. you doesn’t see peeple dyin’ here in the streets at night threw actival vant as you does in ingland, mari. but then you get as much bred here for thrippense as you does in ingland for ate- pense. all kinds o’ sperrets too is werry chepe. and that must be a grate blessin’ for the poor. I only vonder that on that wery account alone all the old vimen in ingland doesn’t cum over to france. vot a reglar blo out they’d have. a westry dinner “ud be nothin’ to it. “they say Pickvick’s goin’ to be married. { should jist like for to no vot rite old chaps as him has to take vives in their old hage. it ain’t right, mari. but I can’t think the guvner’s in airnest. howsom- ever strange things vill okkur in this vorld, as the aktriss at the penny theayter said ven the nobleman asked her to marri him. ‘“‘T must now bring my letter to a conclushun. and vonce again mari don’t go shoin’ my werses to any von you no. it’s all wery vell for such chaps as milton, and scott, and biron, an’ som o’ them covies as snodgrass raves about to rite poetry. but it don’t do for a feller hike me. the public von’t see merrit vere merrit Is. ‘‘oood bi, mari, make yourself appy. ** your lovin’ husban’ till deth “SAMIVEL VELLER. , ‘‘ errors accepted.” When Mr. Weller had brought this eminently affecting epistle to a conclusion, he took a very dirty piece of paper from his pocket, and Eomichookssco =)