The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club

very an

ugs, and glasses were arranged upon the sideboard, and everything betokened

chael?’ sai

gle?’ added

him before. Why, I don’t think I’ve heard his voice f

ung, and the f

ybody looked surprised. It was late — past eleven o’clock. Mr. Tupman laughed in his slee

pause. ‘They’ll turn up presently, I da

hat,’ said Mr. Pic

down,’ sa

Mr. Pickwick; a

very point of opening his mouth for the reception of a piece of beef, when the hum of many voices suddenly arose in the kitchen. He paused, and laid down his fork. M

an who had cleaned Mr. Pickwick’s boots on his first arrival, rushed into the room, followed b

Emma?’ inquired the old lady. ‘Lor, gran

r?’ roared the ma

r breath, and fai

!’ (At this juncture Mr. Tupman was observed to la

said Mr. War

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

swindled me! — I won’t bear it! — I’ll have justice, Pickwick! — I won’t stand it!’ and with sundry incoherent ex

shall we do?’ ‘Do!’ said the stout old host, who regarded only the last words of the sentence. ‘Put the horse in the gig! I’ll get a chai

a willin,’ replied a vo

ibed by that scoundrel, Jingle, to put me on a wrong scent, by telling a cock-and-bull story o

, above whose exclamations the blubberi

an. ‘Mr. Winkle, take your hands o

tion, as he stood with his arms firmly clasped round the extensive waist of their corpulent host, thus restraining the impetuosity of his passion, while the fat boy was scrat

!’ screamed the females

h him,’ said

, give Mr. Pickwick a shawl to tie round his neck — make haste. Look afte

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

y went, down the narrow lanes; jolting in and out of the cart-ruts, and bumping

y drove up to the door of the Blue Lion, round wh

verybody’s reply. ‘Chaise-and-four directly!

rd —‘chaise-and-four out — ma

nd fro; the horses’ hoofs clattered on the uneven paving of the yard; the chais

chaise coming out to-

yard now, Sir,’ r

t the horses — on sprang the

tage in less than half a

with

iters shouted, the hostlers cheered, a

eflection. ‘Pretty situation for the general chairman of the Pickwick Club. Dam

ress any observations to his companion. When they had gone over that much ground, however, and the horses getting thoroughly warmed began to do

catch them, I t

replied his

ick, looking up at the moon,

all the advantage of the moonlight to get the start of us, a

oing at this rate in the dark,

will,’ replied

d upon the inconveniences and dangers of the expedition in which he had so thoug

-yoe!’ went

yoe!’ went

imself, most lustily, with his head an

cry, though he had not the slightest notion of its meaning or obje

tter?’ inquire

ed old Wardle. ‘We shall hea

ocking and shouting, an old man in his shirt and trouse

ost-chaise went through h

w l

a

long time ago, nor it worn’t a short t

haise been

here’s been

iend,’ interposed Mr

it might be,’

quired the post —

er if it was,’ returned

y old gentleman; ‘don’t waste an

‘No — not much o’ that either; you’ve lost ten minutes here, and gone away as wise as you came, arter all. If every man on the line as has a guinea give him, earns it half as well, y

and large drops of rain which pattered every now and then against the windows of the chaise, seemed to warn the travellers of the rapid approach of a stormy night. The wind, too, which was directly against them, swept in furious gusts down the narrow road, and howled dismally through the trees w

ong harness on the wrong horses, and the whole process of harnessing had to be gone through afresh. Had Mr. Pickwick been alone, these multiplied obstacles would have completely put an end to the pursuit at once, but old Wardle was not to be so easily daunted

, and the rain pouring in torrents. It was impossible to make any great way against such obstacles united; it was hard upon one o’clock already; and nearly two hou

eaping out of his own vehicle, and pointing to one

r, to whom the question was addressed. ‘Lady and gentle

s,

dress-coat — long

s,

thin face — rath

s,

ouple, Pickwick,’ excla

fore,’ said the hostler,

! We shall catch them yet before they reach the next stage. A guinea

Mr. Pickwick also; and under the influence of which, that gentleman got himself into complicated entanglements with harness, and mixed up with horses and whee

r him. ‘Come along! Make haste!’ And before Mr. Pickwick knew precisely what he was about, he felt himself forced

d, as was sufficiently testified to Mr. Pickwick, by his constant collision

ardle, as Mr. Pickwick dived head f

h a jolting in my lif

companion, ‘it will soon

own corner, as firmly as he could; and

d been looking out of the Window for two or three minutes, suddenly drew

they

Yes: there was a chaise-and-four, a short dist

leman. ‘Two guineas a-piece, boys — don’t le

n at their utmost speed; and those in Mr

med the choleric old man

coated with mud thrown up by the wheels, was plainly discernible at the window of his chaise; and the motion of his

nly heard, even above the din of the wheels, urging on the boys. Old Mr. Wardle foamed with rage and excitement. He roared out scoundrels and villains by the dozen, clenched his fist and shook it expressively at the object of his indigna

ne the same, when a tremendous jolt threw them forward against the front of the vehicle.

, Mr. Pickwick felt himself violently pulled out from among the ruins of the chaise; and as soon as he had gained his feet, extricated his h

ud and disordered by hard riding, by the horses’ heads. About a hundred yards in advance was the other chaise, which had pulled up on hearing the crash. The postillions, each with a broad grin convulsing his countenance, were viewing the

anybody damaged? — elderly gentlemen — n

ascal,’ roa

towards the interior of the chaise —‘I say — she’s very well — desires her compliments — b

away rattled the chaise, Mr. Jingle fluttering in

ny, however, which could first borrow money of his faithful follower, and then abbreviate his name to ‘Tuppy,’ was more than he cou

et that man a

y well; but while we stand talking here, they’l

and corked it down. ‘How far is it to the next

e, ain’t

her b

tter nor si

aid Wardle, ‘we must

,’ replied that

n one, Mr. Pickwick and Mr. Wardle set manfully forward on the walk, first tying their shawls round their necks, and slouching down their hat