Pickwick Abroad; or, The Tour in France — page 72: what you’re looking at

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

g le ¥ PICKWICK ABROAD. grimace when he saw a simple hackney-coach instead of a travelling earriage stop at the entrance to the hotei; but his countenance imme- diately changed and assumed an expression of blandness and satis- faction, when the respectable form of Mr. Pickwick emerged to view. {t is also true—and we will not attempt to deny the fact—that Mr. Pick- wick’s expressive face was spotted with mud—that his hair was un- kempt, and his beard unshaven—that his shoes wanted blacking, and his gaiters a brush—and that, if he had not looked lke himself—that is, like Mr. Pickwick—he might have been taken for a sheep-stealer: it is also true that Mr. Winkle looked most miserable, and Mr. Tupman most inexpressibly seedy—that Mr. Adolphus Crashem was most rakish, Mr. Boozie most stolid, and Mr. Weller most impudent; but it is equally true that they were ail great men, and boasted as their leader, the most extraordinary one of the age. This, as they de- scended from the vehicle, must have struck M. Cailliez immediately, and probably did so; unless, as certain malicious commentators have observed, the quantity of luggage which accompanied the travellers— Mr. Crashem excepted—were the soothing conciliators in the mind of Madame Meurice’s all-seeing deputy. «This is Mr. Pickwick, Sir,” said Mr. Crashem, in a loud tone of voice, addressing himself to M. Cailliez, and indicating Mr. Pickwick by inflicting a most violent punch between the ribs of that immortal gentleman, which caused the same immortal gentleman to give so sudden a start, that M. Cailliez put himself into a singular and graceful attitude of defence, not knowing whether a deadly attack were not meditated upon his person, “« This is Mr. Pickwick, I say,” exclaimed Mr. Crashem a second timie. M. Cailliez bowed, and tried to look amazingly pleased, while Mr. Pickwick looked as amazingly foolish, being aware that a dozen Eng- lish grooms, tigers, lacqueys, and dependants were grinning at him and his companions on all sides. ‘ Private rooms, gentlemen ?” said M. Cailliez in very good Eng- lish. “« Certainly!” responded Mr. Pickwick; “Sand let us have a chop as soon as possible; for—I don’t know how it may be with you, Tup- man—but I’m rather hungry.” “‘T once had a mutton chop,” commenced Mr. Boozie, addressing himself to M. Cailliez, “‘which was not—but, no—I’m telling you another lie—’twas a beef-steak, when I recollect—” “Private rooms immediately, gentlemen,” cried the bewildered M. Cailliez; while Mr. Adolphus Crashem reminded Mr. Pickwick that he had made a slight mistake in asking for a chop at Meurice’s hotel. Mr. Pickwick immediately saw his errar, and, by way of correcting it, desired his monitor to act as caterer for that evening. Mr. Tupman now concluded a small colloquy that had taken place between him and Madame Cailliez, while the avove conversation was going on—Mr. Winkle rejomed the party, having succeeded in intimi- dating a young gentleman of thirteen who was making faces at him— and Mr. Weller brought to a termination a slight dispute he had deemed it necessary to maintain with a German courier who spoke all languages; so that our travellers were prepared to follow the wonder- (E) = tng M, Cailliez to the apartments he was about to conduct theratan|icc