Pickwick Abroad; or, The Tour in France — page 395: what you’re looking at

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

382 PICKWICK ABROAD. ‘“T think you did not dance, dear?’ whispered the Colonel’s spouse, 4 “Not I, indeed,” replied Miss Chizzlewizzle: no one had asked : her. “ Oh! it is all very well, now and then,’ remarked Mrs. Suteliffe, who had waltzed with one German count and two Italian marquises, and danced a quadrille with a Belgian General. ‘‘T wonder what caz make her so long dressing,” said Miss Chiz- zlewizzle, whom the reminiscences of the neglect she had experienced at the ball, had deprived of all the little good humour she had brought with her to Mrs. Weston’s abode. | In the mean time, it having been proposed by Mr. Scuttle that the gentlemen should join the ladies who had been invited to attend the ceremony and partake of the bridal dinner in the evening, a tumultuous rush of males from the adjacent apartment put an ehd to the very — interesting conversation which was gomg on amongst the female portion of the visitors, But time woreaway, and still Mrs. Weston did not make her appearance. Mr. Pickwick grew impatient, and Mr. Scuttle uneasy; and at length the house-maid announced that the lady’s-maid was no where to be found. Mr. Scuttle mtimated that she was with her mistress: but upon further enquiry, it was also ascertained that ~ Mrs. Weston herself had disappeared. Swift as an arrow shot from abow bythe hand of astalworth archer—or fieetas the fall of a quarrelsome gentleman, when his friends piteh him outof the window—did Mr. Scuttle descend the stairs and hasten to the porter’s lodge to question him relative to the movements of his niece. After a great deal of hesitation—for the porter’s eyes had been closed by the weight of two five-frane pieces which had been administered, and could only be opened on a counter-irritating principle of apply- ing a double allowance to the palms ot his hands—the Cerberus inti- mated to Mr. Scuttle that Mrs. Weston and the lady’s-maid had de-. parted in a hackney-coach about two hours previously, and that a gentleman with black whiskers met them at the door and accom~ panied them. Mr. Scuttle applied his hand to his head, to ascertaim if he were standing upon that part of his body or upon his heels; and having satisfied himself as to the nature of his position, he rushed ont of the porter’s lodge as fast as his fat legs could carry him, and pitched him- self head-foremost into the nearest cabriolet. “ English Ambassador’s—drive like fury,” said Mr. Scuttle to the cab-man. je And if the simile be a correct one, then certainly fury was properly imitated by the speed with which the horse tore along the ground, In six minutes the animal stood panting at the gate of the English Ambassador’s Hotel. ; Mr. Scuttle leaped from the vehicle like a chestnut bounding from the hob, and propelled himselfinto the hotel, through the hall, and up the passage to the right hand, and stopped at the door of the chapel to © reeover breath. He then walked leisurely into the saered building, — where he found the clerk occupied in closing registers, adjusting — stoels, and preparing to roll up the Bishop’s surplice. — ag’ “What has taken place here to-day?’ demanded Mr. Scuttle. a m eee ™ —. =) oa ae Seed 5 cea a = he GOmiIcbooks.co