Pickwick Abroad; or, The Tour in France — page 397: what you’re looking at

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

334 ~ PICKWICK ABROAD. In the mean time Mr. Pickwick put on his oe with a very serious countenance, shook hands with Mr. Scuttle, bowed to the re- mainder of the company, and retired, without uttermg another word, followed by Mr. Tupman, Mr. Snodgrass, and Mr. Winkle. Mr. Scuttle then related the particulars of the marriage, so far as he was acquainted with them. ‘Poor Mr. Pickwick!” said Mrs. Dashwood Pooke to Lady Pto- lemy Binks; “it would have been such an excellent match !” ‘The best that either of them could have made,” returned her ladyship. ‘¢ Eligible in all respects,” continued Mrs. Dashwood Pooke. ‘“‘ T always said so,” observed Lady Binks. ‘¢ And I'm sure I always thought so,” added the Honourable Mrs. Dashwood Pooke. ‘¢ Only people never will take advice,” said Lady Ptolemy Binks. ‘‘T always impressed upon Mrs. Weston’s mind the propriety of marrying Mr, Pickwick,” remarked Mrs. Pooke. ‘Tt was only just now that we were talking about it,’ cried Lady Binks, So indeed it was: but the two ladies seemed to have entirely for- gotten their primary remarks. However, this versatility of opinion, which invariably accommodates itself to circumstances, or even to the spite and wishes of the world, is exceedingly common in fashionable life. ‘‘Here’s a pretty to-do,’ whispered Mrs. Colonel Sutclifie to Miss Chizzlewizzle. *‘Disgraceful!” exclaimed that young lady, with prodigious em- phasis upon the first syllable. ‘‘T never heard of such a thing,” said Mrs. Sutcliffe. “To throw berself away upon that fellow Sifkin,” cried Miss Chizzlewizzle. ‘¢ When she had secured old Pickwick too!” added Mrs. Colonel © Sutcliffe. ‘‘T never can see her again, after this!’ continued Miss Chizzle- Wizzle. ‘“Oh! nor I, indeed!” said Mrs. Sutcliffe. *“Well—factum pro—it’s all done for,’ observed Mr. Chitty to Mr. Kallaway, in another part of the room; for the whole company had divided itself into groups to discuss the recent event. ‘Tt don’t know that it is so bad for Pickwick, after all,’ returned Mr. Kallaway. ‘‘'The match was unequal; and I recollect when Wil- ham Fisher was engaged to marry old Dawson’s girl, the man said to me—” ‘“As for the wedding,” returned Mr. Septimus Chitty, “‘I don’t care ficum—a fig for that: it is the dinner,” he added, in a scarcely audible whisper, ‘‘ which I should not like to prove a failure—nullus €0—no go.” | ‘* Precious queer start, this,” said Mr, Lipman to Mr. Jopling. ‘*T wonder whether there’]l be any grub going on here presently,” remarked Mr, Joplings: ‘‘if not, we’d better go and console old Pickwick.” Gomicbooks.com