301 | 302 | 303 | 304 | 305 |
1 | 198 | 396 | 594 | 792 |
to expose the treachery and falsehood of an individual, upon whose
truth and honour I placed implicit reliance.'
'
Dear me,' said Mr Peter Magnus, 'that's very unpleasant. It is a lady, I
presume? Eh? ah! Sly, Mr Pickwick, sly. Well, Mr Pickwick, sir, I
wouldn't probe your feelings for the world. Painful subjects, these, sir,
very painful. Don't mind me, Mr Pickwick, if you wish to give vent to
your feelings. I know what it is to be jilted, Sir; I have endured that
sort of thing three or four times.'
'
I am much obliged to you, for your condolence on what you presume
to be my melancholy case,' said Mr Pickwick, winding up his watch,
and laying it on the table, 'but - '
'
No, no,' said Mr Peter Magnus, 'not a word more; it's a painful
subject. I see, I see. What's the time, Mr Pickwick?' 'Past twelve.'
'
Dear me, it's time to go to bed. It will never do, sitting here. I shall be
pale to-morrow, Mr Pickwick.'
At the bare notion of such a calamity, Mr Peter Magnus rang the bell
for the chambermaid; and the striped bag, the red bag, the leathern
hat-box, and the brown-paper parcel, having been conveyed to his
bedroom, he retired in company with a japanned candlestick, to one
side of the house, while Mr Pickwick, and another japanned
candlestick, were conducted through a multitude of tortuous
windings, to another.
'
'
This is your room, sir,' said the chambermaid.
Very well,' replied Mr Pickwick, looking round him. It was a tolerably
large double-bedded room, with a fire; upon the whole, a more
comfortable-looking apartment than Mr Pickwick's short experience of
the accommodations of the Great White Horse had led him to expect.
'
'
'
Nobody sleeps in the other bed, of course,' said Mr Pickwick.
Oh, no, Sir.'
Very good. Tell my servant to bring me up some hot water at half-past
eight in the morning, and that I shall not want him any more to-
night.'
'
Yes, Sir,' and bidding Mr Pickwick good-night, the chambermaid
retired, and left him alone.
Mr Pickwick sat himself down in a chair before the fire, and fell into a
train of rambling meditations. First he thought of his friends, and
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