Pickwick Papers

gs, and glasses were arranged upon thesideboard, and everything betokened t

achael?' sai

ngle?' added

host, 'I wonder I have

I've heard his voice

dear, ring

rung, and the f

verybody looked surprised. It was late―past eleven o'clock. Mr. Tupman laughed in his s

rt pause. 'They'll turn uppresently, I d

that,' said Mr. P

t down,' sa

d Mr. Pickwick; a

c round of cold beef

, and was on the very point of opening his mouthfor the reception of a piece of beef, whe

d of thecarving-knife, which remained inserted in the be

sage; the parlour doorwas suddenly burs

e room,followed by the fat boy and all the domestics. '

t, Emma?' inquired the oldlady. 'Lor, gra

er?' roared the ma

right clean off, sir!' (At thisjuncture Mr. Tupman was observed to lay down hi

y, from Blue Lion,Muggleton. I was there; but

s!' said Mr. Tupman,

stice, Pickwick!―I won't stand it!' andwith sundry incoherent exclamations of the like n

ing theextraordinary gestures of his friend with t

the horse in the gig! I'll get a chaise at the Lion,and follow 'em instantly. Where?'

t a willin,' replied a vo

bribed by that scoundrel, Jingle, to putme on a wrong scent, by telling a cock-and-bull story

n, above whoseexclamations the blubberin

man. 'Mr. Winkle, take yourhands

ertion, as hestood with his arms firmly clasped round the extensive waist oftheir corpulent host, thus restraining the impetuosity of hispassion, while the fat boy was scra

ne!' screamed the femal

th him,' said

ma, give Mr. Pickwick a shawl to tie round his neck―make haste. Look aft

in a large shawl, his hat having been put on his head, and hi

ey went, down the narrow lanes; jolting in andout of the cart-ruts, and bumping

hey drove upto the door of the Blue Lion, round w

arters of an hour,' w

ctly!―out with 'em! Put

ndlord―'chaise-and-four out

and fro; the horses' hoofs clattered on the unevenpaving of the yard; the cha

chaise coming out to-

yard now, sir,' r

nt the horses―on sprang the

stage in less than half

f wit

waiters shouted, thehostlers cheered,

r reflection. 'Pretty situation for the generalchairman of the Pickwick Club.

dress any observations to his companion. Whenthey had gone over that much ground, however, and the horsesgetting thoroughly warmed began to do

o catch them, I

' replied h

kwick, looking up at the moo

d allthe advantage of the moonlight to get the start of us,

going at this rate in the dark,

will,' replied

ed upon the inconveniences and dangers of theexpedition in which he had so thoug

o-yoe!' went

-yoe!' went

himself, most lustily, withhis head and

e cry, though he had not the slightest notion of its meaning orob

atter?' inquire

ied old Wardle. 'We shall hea

knockingand shouting, an old man in his shirt and trous

post-chaise went through

ow l

'a

a long time ago, nor itworn't a short

chaise been

there's been

riend,' interposed Mr

y it might be,'

inquired the post-

nder if it was,' return

sty old gentleman; 'don't waste

e. 'No―notmuch o' that either; you've lost ten minutes here, and gone awayas wise as you came, arter all. If every man on the line as has aguinea give him, earns it half as well,

d; and large dropsof rain which pattered every now and then against the windows ofthe chaise, seemed to warn the travellers of the rapid approach ofa stormy night. The wind, too, which was directly against them,swept in furious gusts down the narrow road, and howled dismallythrough the trees

rong harness on the wrong horses, and the whole process ofharnessing had to be gone through afresh. Had Mr. Pickwick beenalone, these multiplied obstacles would have completely put anend to the pursuit at once, but old Wardle was not to be so easilydaunted

gh, and the rain pouring intorrents. It was impossible to make any great way against suchobstacles united; it was hard upon one o'clock already; and nearlytwo ho

leaping out ofhis own vehicle, and pointing to one

ler, to whomthe question was addressed. 'Lady and gentl

es,

n―dress-coat―lon

es,

y―thin face―ra

es,

couple, Pickwick,' exc

efore,' said the hostler,

tly! We shall catch them yet before they reach the nextstage. A gu

o Mr. Pickwick also; and under theinfluence of which, that gentleman got himself into complicatedentanglements with harness, and mixed up with horses andwhe

er him. 'Comealong! Make haste!' And before Mr. Pickwick knew precisely whathe was about, he felt himself force

now,' said the old

. Pickwick, byhis constant collision either with the ha

Wardle, as Mr. Pickwick divedhead fo

ch a jolting in my lif

ied his companion, '

dy, st

own corner, as firmly ashe could; and

in this way about t

threeminutes, suddenly drew in his face, covered with spla

w. Yes: there wasa chaise-and-four, a short dis

gentleman. 'Two guineasa-piece, boys―don't

on at their utmost speed;and those in Mr.

imed the choleric old man

y coated withmud thrown up by the wheels, was plainly discernible at thewindow of his chaise; and the motion of hi

ainly heard, even above thedin of the wheels, urging on the boys. Old Mr. Wardle foamed withrage and excitement. He roared out scoundrels and villains by thedozen, clenched his fist and shook it expressively at the object ofhis indign

done the same, when a tremendousjolt threw them forward against the front of the vehi

ut, Mr. Pickwick felt himself violently pulled outfrom among the ruins of the chaise; and as soon as he had gainedhis feet, extricated his

mud anddisordered by hard riding, by the horses' heads. About a hundredyards in advance was the other chaise, which had pulled up onhearing the crash. The postillions, each with a broad grinconvulsing his countenance, were viewing the

e, 'anybody damaged?―elderly gentlemen

rascal,' r

thumb towards the interior of the chaise―'Isay―she's very well―desires her compliment

nd awayrattled the chaise, Mr. Jingle fluttering in

en the upset, haddisturbed the calm and

s name to 'Tuppy,' wasmore than he could patiently bear. He drew his breath hard, andcoloured up to the

ery well; but while westand talking here, they'

, and corked itdown. 'How far is it to the next

le, ain't

ther b

etter nor si

said Wardle, 'we mu

t,' replied that

e broken one, Mr. Pickwick and Mr. Wardle set manfullyforward on the walk, first tying their shawls round their necks,and slouching do