The Steam-Packet: A Tale of the River and the Ocean — page 62: what you’re looking at

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

THE STEAM PACKET, — oF immediately ; and Mr. Pifpaf found himself face to face with Captain Pentonville and Mr. Buckram. ‘< My dear sir, how are you?” cried the captain, almost instanta- neously recovering his presence of mind. ‘* Delighted to see you! Will you walk up into the drawing-room, and have a bottle of cham- pagne, or just step over with us to the:public-house and take a drop of something short ?”’ “T really have to apologise for this intrusion,” said Mr. Pifpaf, fumbling about with his button-hole; “‘ but I was passing this way, and I accidentally saw your man anes the house ki “Yes; this is my abode,” interrupted the captain, passing his arm through Mr. Pifpaf’s on the one side, and Mr. Buckram’s on the other; ‘‘ merely a bachelor’s residence, you know ;”’—and as he uttered these words, he dragged his companions hastily down the steps. ‘*T only just called to say—that 1s to hope, I mean—yjust to see whether what I had the pleasure of sending you just now was enough for your purposes,” said Mr, Pifpaf, stammering and hesitating very much, because he was fully aware that some explanation was coun’, - and he felt conscious that he was epetig a very lame one. **Oh! quite enough, thank you,” cried the captain. ‘‘ But—” and he stopped short in the street, as he uttered this monosyllable. ‘“‘Lord Noodleton, I presume?” said Mr. Pifpaf: he had been glancing slyly several times towards the tailor, and now looked directly but timidly in his face. ‘¢ Yes—yes, indeed!’ exclaimed the captain, for a moment taken aback; then immediately afterwards recovering his wonted calmness, he squeezed Buckram’s arm, as much as to tell him to enter into the joke, and added unceremoniously: ‘‘ My Lord, allow me the pleasure to introduce Mr. Pifpaf to you—the celebrated Mr. Pifpaf, of whom you and I have so often spoken together—the renowned chairman, in a word, of the Honourable and Independent Club of Luminaries.” ‘‘Oh! indeed—is this Mr. Pifpaf?” cried Buckram, apeing aristo- cratic superiority as well as he could. ‘Delighted to form your acquaintance, Mr. Pifpaf. What shall we take, Mr. Pifpaf ?”’ This question was accompanied with a glance towards the public- house. The chairman of the Luminaries made a most obsequious bow, expressive of the deep sense he entertained of the honour of this ‘introduction; and then modestly replied, that he should have great pleasure in drinking his lordship’s health in champagne, if any could be had in the neighbourhood. ‘¢ That 1’ll swear there is not—as sure as [’m a tait—a nobleman !”’ ejaculated Mr. Buckram. (E(0) Gomicbooks