The Steam-Packet: A Tale of the River and the Ocean — page 63: what you’re looking at

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

38 THE STEAM PACKET. ‘‘ Really, my lord,” said Pentonville, squeezing his companion’s arm to impress the necessity of caution upon him, “‘you and I must not delay in the little business which we have in hand; and——” ‘But sinee Mr. Pifpaf is determined to stand something slap,” remonstrated the tailor; “and as I am so truly pleased to form the acquaintance of a man.of whom the Prime Minister was speaking to’ 99 me—confidentially, you know—a few days ago “My dear Captain Pentonville, you must really allow me to improve the acquaintance which I have now the honour to enjoy with his lord- ship,” cried the enraptured Mr. Pifpaf, whose altitude had increased one inch and seven eighths since the mention of his own name in conjunc- tion with that of the Prime Minister; ‘‘so, if 1 am not intruding upon you, I will venture to accompany you alittle way—unless, indeed, you will honour me by supping with me at my x ‘‘ As for that,’”’ began the tailor, ‘‘ we shall “We are really engaged—very particularly (see? for the present, my dear ‘sir,” hastily interposed the captain. “ Neeley my dear fellow, you know that our business is urgent———” “Well, I shan’t interfere with you, then,” said Mr. Pifpaf, good- humouredly ; “ but I must insist upon our drinking a glass together before we part. Old English hospitality is what I like. Pray, my lord, since champagne, it appears, cannot be had in this neighbour- hood, what would your lordship condescend to drink 2?” ‘“‘Humble port or sherry will do at a pinch,” said Mr. Buckram, ‘“‘ Yes—and at any other time, too,” whispered Pentonville, “seeing that you seldom get anything better than beer or gin. However,” he added, m the same subdued tone, “‘humour the old chap for half an hour, if you will; and then let’s get rid of him. I will indemnify you for the supper you will lose by not accepting his invitation.” ‘“¢ Well, Mr. Pifpaf,”’ said the soi-disanté lord, caressing his chin with a truly aristocratic air, “suppose we do adjourn to some respectable public—but not this one ; it doesn’t look the thing.” ‘““Nor more it does,” said Mr. Pifpaf; but he did not precisely understand why the public-house (laconically denominated in familiar language ‘‘a public”) in question was ‘not the thing; nor did he even know what qualifications did render such an establishment “ the thing.” He acquiesced with “‘his lordship” upon the same system which would have induced him to assent to the proposition that white was black, or black white, if emanating from the lips of the Earl of Noodleton. We can, however, inform our readers wherefore, in Mr. Buckram’s estimation, the public-house opposite Captain Pentonville’s dwellmg was “‘not the thing.” In the first place, Mr. Buckram was Gomicbooks (E(0)