Pickwick Abroad; or, The Tour in France — page 387: what you’re looking at

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

374 PICKWILK ABROAD. grass were conducted; and it happened that in the course of the pro. ceedings Mr. Pickwick was enabled to speak to his guilty fellow- countryman, whom he began to console, and to whom he offered a good deal of advice relative to the firmness with which a man, ought to bear his misfortunes. Be ‘¢ Misfortune, do you mean!” cried the accused, with an indignant glance at Mr. Pickwick’s small-clothes: ‘“‘I call it a blessed thing ~ when a man can rob himself up in the world.” ‘“‘Do you pretend to say, my good man,” demanded Mr. Pickwick, with a stern expression of countenance, ‘‘ that you are not ashamed of the predicament in which you are placed ?” “No more for robbing my master than you are for stealing a cab,” returned the man. ‘*T cannot understand you,” said Mr. Pickwick; ‘* and in reference to myself, I shall soon prove my innocence of this disgraceful deed with which I am charged.” . ‘“‘ Over the left, | suppose—eh, old fellow ?” returned the aecused Englishman. ‘‘ Blow meif you wear them tights and gaiters for no- thing !” “What do you mean, my good man?” asked Mr. Pickwick, quite Sewildered by these mysterious allusions. ‘* Mean !” said the man, “‘ why, that them small-clothes o’ your’n is a capital dcdge. With such a westure as that, one may swindle to any extent. Blest if it ain’t the best gag J ever see.”’ “Do you really take me for a thief, then ?”” enquired Mr. Pickwick, in the deepest indignation. “Do I?” echoed the man: “do I? Yes—and a devilish clever one into the bargain. Curse me if I don’t respect you the more I hear you talk. Where did you study, I say, old fellow 2” | Mr. Pickwick was about to reply that he had been educated at a highly-respectable Grammar-school in the neighbourhood of London: but his doubts were again excited by the other’s suddenly asking him ** whether he generally practised as a magsman, or whether he didn’t think conveyancing the best trade going ?” Mr. Pickwick shook his head, and then glanced impatiently round the room. The Commissary was busy writing, and paid no attention at the moment to either case. **T tell you what it is, old fellow,” resumed the Englishman, whose — manners and conversation were so peculiar; ‘“‘I see you don’t.think I’m fiy—but [ assure you that I’m as down as the knocker at New. gate. Why, Sir—you may trust me when I tell you that lve already robbed myself into two deuced good sitivations, and am now trying it on again. .Depend upon it Vl rob myself up m:the world yet, before Pve done.” “Really, you must excuse me,” said Mr. Pickwick; “‘ but if you be so thoroughly depraved as you would wish to appear, I—” ‘“Nonsense !” interrupted the man; ‘‘ we understand it, old fellow, although I dare say we shall both swing at last. But never say* Die _ till ’m dead. Only fancy—the first master I robbed, begged me of punishment, declared that Iwas penitent, and took meinto hisservice __ as his confidential clerk. Masters, when you rob them, always do that, if you only happen to be young. Well, Lrobbed him a second ~ Eomicbooks.com