Pickwick Abroad; or, The Tour in France — page 83: what you’re looking at

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

70 PICKWICK ABROAD. A pause ensned; andas no reply was given either by the wondering Mr. Pickwick, or his equally astounded companions, the individual who put the above query, made a sign to one of the shabby-dressed gentlemen; and the said shabby-dressed gentleman immediately dis- appeared. He returned in a few minutes, accompanied by one of the waiters of the hotel,as an interpreter, This re-enforcement having been obtained, the following conversation ensued through the medium of the waiter. “Ts Mr. Adolphus Crashem present?” ‘“‘T am the gentleman who bears that name. What the devil do you want with me?” ‘¢ Are you prepared to pay twelve hundred franes, in one instance — three thousand four hundred in another—and two thousand in a third? the first being a debt contracted by you to a livery-stable keeper in Bond Street, London; the second toa tailor in Regent Street, of the same city; and the third to a jeweller in Calais. Here are three bills of exchange, regularly drawn and endorsed, and now in the hands of Messieurs Romanéeand Médoc, wine-merchants in Paris, The amount of the whole is six thousand six hundred franes.”* “Pay! who the devil talks of paying ?” cried Mr, Adolphus Crash- am. ‘* No gentleman ever yet paid a bili at maturity ; and if he had he would have been caught, ticketed, and put into a museum asa curlosity.” ‘Then, Sir,” proceeded the waiter, “‘this gentleman’’— pointing to him with the riband of the Legion of Honour—‘‘is the Justice of the Peace, attending as a magistrate to see that no force be illegally used on either side; that gentleman—” indicating the one with the papers—‘ is a bailiff, duly authorized by the Judge of the Tribunal of First Instance to arrest your person ;—and those men—” waving his hand in the di- rection of the two individuals in the dirty shirts—“‘ are the witnesses of the caption, required by law in these cases.” The devil they are!’ cried Mr. Adolphus Crashem ; ‘‘and as such is their game, if my friends Tims, Tupman, and Winkle, will only assist me, we'll devilish soon rid the room of such unpleasant com- any.” ‘I’m ready, for one!” exclaimed Mr. Tims: “so fall to as soon as you hike.” : ‘*Tupman—Winkle,” ejaculated Mr. Pickwick, sternly, ‘ do not attempt to interfere with these gentlemen in the discharge of their duty. We know not the laws of this country, and must not stand the chance of violating any of them.” “ Well—I certainly won't, if you wish it,” observed Mr. Tupman, from whose mind nothing had been farther absent than the idea of fighting in behalf of Mr. Crashem; ‘‘and I’m convinced Winkle will not disobey you.” ‘* No—that I won’t,” exclaimed Mr. Winkle, recovering for the first time from the state of extreme misery into which he had just now been plunged. ‘Not but that I would have done my best, though, if Pickwick were agreeable.” . ee * Two hundred and sixty-four pounds sterling. Eomicbooks.co =)