Pickwick Abroad; or, The Tour in France — page 77: what you’re looking at

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

64 PICKWICK ABOABD, the stranger, eyeing the discomfited Mr. Crashem with a look of. astonishment. ‘ i.ord—I knew you though, the moment you cam¢# into the room: and I’m deuced glad to see you too, into the bar- gain—for a better fellow as a commercial traveller in the haber- dasher line, I will say I never knew. But, by the bye—does your father still keep the Lanthorn and Cat in the Borough, or has the old chap made his fortune ?”’ “?Pon my word, my dear Sir,” cried Mr. Crashem, “ you really have the—the advantage of me. I am not aware—’ “ Now, now, Sugden, my dear fellow,” interrupted Mr. Tims, still retaining lis alleged friend by the hand and the button-hole, “don’t be oblivious, as the swell chaps say. Wern’t you and I brought up together at the cheap school in Yorkshire? and didn’t we both go as ’prentices at the same time—you to Bodkin and Gro- gram, and I to Gingham and Muddle? and, then, wasn’t it in the same year that we set up as travellers ?—By the bye, have you seen Muggins? he’s in Paris—but he wouldn’t do the thing genteel like you and me, and so he’s lodging at an English chop-house in the Roo something-—I forget which.” Mr. Pickwick had stood a silent spectator of this extraordinary ' scene, while Mr. Winkle expected every moment that Mr. Adolphus Crashein would fell to the ground the saucy siraiger, who dared treat an aristocrat as a haberdasher’s traveller, and the heir to Crashem Park as the prospective successor tothe Lanthorn and Cat. But as Mr. Winkle was disappointed in his expectations, and as Mr. Pickwick had so far recovered from his astonishment as to be able to interfere in his new friend’s behalf, both those gentlemen attacked Mr, Tims at the same time—with words, only, gentle reader—and endeavoured to make him believe that he was labouring under a mistake. But. this was not a very easy task to perform; for Mr. Tims was con- vinced that the individuai in question was no other than Bill Sugden, the traveller, and son of old Jack Sugden, landlord of the quiet and respectable “ public” known in the Borough as the Lanthorn and Cat. “ {see where the mistake is,” cried Mr. Crashem, recalling his bewildered ideas, and gradually recovering his presence of mind. ‘“ Allow me to explain the affair in private -’-and this much in- jured individual led Mr. Tims aside, ana a hasty conversation in whispers immediately ensued between them, the result of which was that Mr. Tims assured Mr. Pickwick he had laboured under an error, and that there was not the slightest identity existing as to Mr. Sug- den and Mr. Crashem. The whole party accordingly seated them- selves together at one end of the table ; and Mr. Crashem, in a true and amiable Christian spirit of forgiveness, treated Mr. Tims with the utmost cordiality and respect during the meal. Mr. Pickwick, however, looked suspicious ; but the champagne was circulated so_ freely that even he relapsed into his usual openness and generosity of disposition, and shook hands three times with Mr. Tims and Mr | Crashem, ere the sixth bottle of Moett’s best had been well dis-— cussed. books. co =) A (€(@) ~~ eee ‘4 + 4 ae Mae tas be ae he