Pickwick Abroad; or, The Tour in France — page 384: what you’re looking at

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

PICH WICK ABROAD. a. “No—but your friend, Sir—and I am glad he has a friend to witness his chastisement,’’ cried Mr. Siffkin. ‘‘I also should have had a friend to see fair play, but Mr. Scuttle is too fat to walk fast, and so [ was obliged to leave him to follow me hither.” ‘Pray, my dear Sir,” began Mr. Walker, “‘ what part of your system allows this—”’ “That, Sir—and this —and that!” rephed Mr. Sifikin, practically illustrating the various peculiarities of his system with various fierce blows upon Mr. Hook Walker’s shoulders. : ‘Hit him again, Walker!” shouted Mr. Chitty. ‘Pitch into him—do you hear?” added the great poet, hiding himseif behind a tree, ‘‘You come and help me—will you ?”’ roared Mr. Walker, while Mr. Siffkin continued to inflict condign punishment first upon Mr. Walker’s right arm, then on his left, then across his back, and last ly by way ofa little variation, on the calves of his legs; so that Mr. Walker rivalled any modern professor of dancing in the creation of ncw cuts, flmgs, perouettes, and capers. ‘“* Now, Sir,” cried Mr. Siffkin, relinquishmg his task through ab- solute fatigue, ‘‘ Ill just advise you'to mind how you go and tell people that I was jilted by Mrs. Weston again. : MayT lose the whitest of my front teeth, if I don’t have at you again, ifyou do!” “And I, Sir, will pull you up before the Police before you are a Week older,” cried Mr. Walker. ““T’ve done it, Scuttle—I’ve polished him off,” exclammed Mr. Aassau Siffkin, running up to his friend who hove in sight at this crisis. ‘¢ So much the better,” shouted Mr. Scuttle, pantingforbreath. ** But I hope you will not go and do as I did, when I horse-whipped a fellow as he deserved.” *¢ What was that 2?” enquired My. Siffkin. “Why,” returned Mr. Scuttle, ‘‘ I brought an action against my- self for the assault, and never found out my error till | was going, to issue a writ against my own person for the damages.” “Extraordinary !” ejaculated Mr. Nassau Siffkin. ‘* But now that I have conducted myself like a gentleman, and taken the satisfaction of a gentleman,” continued Mr. Siffkin, with vast emphasis upon the preposition, ‘* let us return to my hotel and discuss a glass of Tyler’s best Margaux.” And, as the dramatic author would say, eveunt Messieurs Scuttle and Siffkin on one side, and Messieurs Walker and Chitty on the other. But Mr. Walker was as good as his word; for on the following day Mr. Nassau Siffkin received a summons to appear before the Sixth Chamber of Correctional Police to answer to the action whick. was brought against him for the assault. On the morning when the trial was to take place, M essieurs Tupman and Winkle having declined to be present at it, Mr. Pickwick and Mr. Snodgrass jumped into a cabriolet, and ordered the driver to take them to the Palais de Justice, as their curiosity in the matter was more acutethan that of their companions. To the Palais de Justice Mr. Pickwick and Mr. Snodgrass were accordingly conducted; and on their arrival at the front entrance, they stood for some time to Eomichooks.co =)