IN WHICH Mr. PICKWICK THINKS HE HADBETTER GO TO BATH; AND GOESACCORDINGLYut surely, my dear sir,’ said little Perker, as he stood inMr. Pickwick’s apartment on the morning after thetrial, ‘surely you don’t really mean―really andseriously now, and irritation1 apart―that you won’t pay these costsand damages?’
‘Not one halfpenny,’ said Mr. Pickwick firmly; ‘not onehalfpenny.’
‘Hooroar for the principle, as the money-lender said ven hevouldn’t renew the bill,’ observed Mr. Weller, who was clearingaway the breakfast-things.
‘Sam,’ said Mr. Pickwick, ‘have the goodness to stepdownstairs.’
‘Cert’nly, sir,’ replied Mr. Weller; and acting2 on Mr. Pickwick’sgentle hint, Sam retired3.
‘No, Perker,’ said Mr. Pickwick, with great seriousness ofmanner, ‘my friends here have endeavoured to dissuade4 me fromthis determination, but without avail. I shall employ myself asusual, until the opposite party have the power of issuing a legalprocess of execution against me; and if they are vile5 enough toavail themselves of it, and to arrest my person, I shall yield myselfup with perfect cheerfulness and content of heart. When can theydo this?’
‘They can issue execution, my dear sir, for the amount of thedamages and taxed costs, next term,’ replied Perker, ‘just twomonths hence, my dear sir.’
‘Very good,’ said Mr. Pickwick. ‘Until that time, my dear fellow,let me hear no more of the matter. And now,’ continued Mr.
Pickwick, looking round on his friends with a good-humouredsmile, and a sparkle in the eye which no spectacles could dim orconceal, ‘the only question is, Where shall we go next?’
Mr. Tupman and Mr. Snodgrass were too much affected6 bytheir friend’s heroism7 to offer any reply. Mr. Winkle had not yetsufficiently recovered the recollection of his evidence at the trial,to make any observation on any subject, so Mr. Pickwick pausedin vain.
‘Well,’ said that gentleman, ‘if you leave me to suggest ourdestination, I say Bath. I think none of us have ever been there.’
Nobody had; and as the proposition was warmly seconded byPerker, who considered it extremely probable that if Mr. Pickwicksaw a little change and gaiety he would be inclined to think betterof his determination, and worse of a debtor’s prison, it was carriedunanimously; and Sam was at once despatched to the White HorseCellar, to take five places by the half-past seven o’clock coach, nextmorning.
There were just two places to be had inside, and just three to behad out; so Sam Weller booked for them all, and having exchangeda few compliments with the booking-office clerk on the subject of apewter half-crown which was tendered him as a portion of his‘change,’ walked back to the George and Vulture, where he waspretty busily employed until bed-time in reducing clothes andlinen into the smallest possible compass, and exerting hismechanical genius in constructing a variety of ingenious devicesfor keeping the lids on boxes which had neither locks nor hinges.
The next was a very unpropitious morning for a journey―muggy, damp, and drizzly11. The horses in the stages that weregoing out, and had come through the city, were smoking so, thatthe outside passengers were invisible. The newspaper-sellerslooked moist, and smelled mouldy; the wet ran off the hats of theorange-vendors as they thrust their heads into the coach windows,and diluted12 the insides in a refreshing13 manner. The Jews with thefifty-bladed penknives shut them up in despair; the men with thepocket-books made pocket-books of them. Watch-guards andtoasting-forks were alike at a discount, and pencil-cases andsponges were a drug in the market.
Leaving Sam Weller to rescue the luggage from the seven oreight porters who flung themselves savagely14 upon it, the momentthe coach stopped, and finding that they were about twentyminutes too early, Mr. Pickwick and his friends went for shelterinto the travellers’ room―the last resource of human dejection.
The travellers’ room at the White Horse Cellar is of courseuncomfortable; it would be no travellers’ room if it were not. It isthe right-hand parlour, into which an aspiring15 kitchen fireplaceappears to have walked, accompanied by a rebellious16 poker17, tongs,and shovel18. It is divided into boxes, for the solitary19 confinement20 oftravellers, and is furnished with a clock, a looking-glass, and a livewaiter, which latter article is kept in a small kennel21 for washingglasses, in a corner of the apartment.
One of these boxes was occupied, on this particular occasion, bya stern-eyed man of about five-and-forty, who had a bald andglossy forehead, with a good deal of black hair at the sides andback of his head, and large black whiskers. He was buttoned up tothe chin in a brown coat; and had a large sealskin travelling-cap,and a greatcoat and cloak, lying on the seat beside him. He lookedup from his breakfast as Mr. Pickwick entered, with a fierce andperemptory air, which was very dignified22; and, having scrutinisedthat gentleman and his companions to his entire satisfaction,hummed a tune23, in a manner which seemed to say that he rathersuspected somebody wanted to take advantage of him, but itwouldn’t do.
‘Waiter,’ said the gentleman with the whiskers.
‘Sir?’ replied a man with a dirty complexion25, and a towel of thesame, emerging from the kennel before mentioned.
‘Some more toast.’
‘Yes, sir.’
‘Buttered toast, mind,’ said the gentleman fiercely.
‘Directly, sir,’ replied the waiter.
The gentleman with the whiskers hummed a tune in the samemanner as before, and pending26 the arrival of the toast, advancedto the front of the fire, and, taking his coat tails under his arms,looked at his boots and ruminated27.
‘I wonder whereabouts in Bath this coach puts up,’ said Mr.
Pickwick, mildly addressing Mr. Winkle.
‘Hum―eh―what’s that?’ said the strange man.
‘I made an observation to my friend, sir,’ replied Mr. Pickwick,always ready to enter into conversation. ‘I wondered at whathouse the Bath coach put up. Perhaps you can inform me.’
‘Are you going to Bath?’ said the strange man.
‘I am, sir,’ replied Mr. Pickwick.
‘And those other gentlemen?’
‘They are going also,’ said Mr. Pickwick.
‘Not inside―I’ll be damned if you’re going inside,’ said thestrange man.
‘Not all of us,’ said Mr. Pickwick.
‘No, not all of you,’ said the strange man emphatically. ‘I’vetaken two places. If they try to squeeze six people into an infernalbox that only holds four, I’ll take a post-chaise and bring an action.
I’ve paid my fare. It won’t do; I told the clerk when I took myplaces that it wouldn’t do. I know these things have been done. Iknow they are done every day; but I never was done, and I neverwill be. Those who know me best, best know it; crush me!’ Herethe fierce gentleman rang the bell with great violence, and told thewaiter he’d better bring the toast in five seconds, or he’d know thereason why.
‘My good sir,’ said Mr. Pickwick, ‘you will allow me to observethat this is a very unnecessary display of excitement. I have onlytaken places inside for two.’
‘I am glad to hear it,’ said the fierce man. ‘I withdraw myexpressions. I tender an apology. There’s my card. Give me youracquaintance.’
‘With great pleasure, sir,’ replied Mr. Pickwick. ‘We are to befellow-travellers, and I hope we shall find each other’s societymutually agreeable.’
‘I hope we shall,’ said the fierce gentleman. ‘I know we shall. Ilike your looks; they please me. Gentlemen, your hands andnames. Know me.’
Of course, an interchange of friendly salutations followed thisgracious speech; and the fierce gentleman immediately proceededto inform the friends, in the same short, abrupt29, jerking sentences,that his name was Dowler; that he was going to Bath on pleasure;that he was formerly30 in the army; that he had now set up inbusiness as a gentleman; that he lived upon the profits; and thatthe individual for whom the second place was taken, was apersonage no less illustrious than Mrs. Dowler, his lady wife.
‘She’s a fine woman,’ said Mr. Dowler. ‘I am proud of her. Ihave reason.’
‘I hope I shall have the pleasure of judging,’ said Mr. Pickwick,with a smile. ‘You shall,’ replied Dowler. ‘She shall know you. Sheshall esteem31 you. I courted her under singular circumstances. Iwon her through a rash vow32. Thus. I saw her; I loved her; Iproposed; she refused me.―“You love another?”―“Spare myblushes.”―“I know him.”―“You do.”―“Very good; if he remainshere, I’ll skin him.”’
‘Lord bless me!’ exclaimed Mr. Pickwick involuntarily.
‘Did you skin the gentleman, sir?’ inquired Mr. Winkle, with avery pale face.
‘I wrote him a note, I said it was a painful thing. And so it was.’
‘Certainly,’ interposed Mr. Winkle.
‘I said I had pledged my word as a gentleman to skin him. Mycharacter was at stake. I had no alternative. As an officer in HisMajesty’s service, I was bound to skin him. I regretted thenecessity, but it must be done. He was open to conviction. He sawthat the rules of the service were imperative33. He fled. I marriedher. Here’s the coach. That’s her head.’
As Mr. Dowler concluded, he pointed34 to a stage which had justdriven up, from the open window of which a rather pretty face in abright blue bonnet35 was looking among the crowd on thepavement, most probably for the rash man himself. Mr. Dowlerpaid his bill, and hurried out with his travelling cap, coat, andcloak; and Mr. Pickwick and his friends followed to secure theirplaces. Mr. Tupman and Mr. Snodgrass had seated themselves atthe back part of the coach; Mr. Winkle had got inside; and Mr.
Pickwick was preparing to follow him, when Sam Weller came upto his master, and whispering in his ear, begged to speak to him,with an air of the deepest mystery.
‘Well, Sam,’ said Mr. Pickwick, ‘what’s the matter now?’
‘Here’s rayther a rum go, sir,’ replied Sam.
‘What?’ inquired Mr. Pickwick.
‘This here, sir,’ rejoined Sam. ‘I’m wery much afeerd, sir, thatthe properiator o’ this here coach is a playin’ some imperence vithus.’
‘How is that, Sam?’ said Mr. Pickwick; ‘aren’t the names downon the way-bill?’
‘The names is not only down on the vay-bill, sir,’ replied Sam,‘but they’ve painted vun on ’em up, on the door o’ the coach.’ AsSam spoke36, he pointed to that part of the coach door on which theproprietor’s name usually appears; and there, sure enough, in giltletters of a goodly size, was the magic name of PICKWICK!
‘Dear me,’ exclaimed Mr. Pickwick, quite staggered by thecoincidence; ‘what a very extraordinary thing!’
‘Yes, but that ain’t all,’ said Sam, again directing his master’sattention to the coach door; ‘not content vith writin’ up “Pick-wick,” they puts “Moses” afore it, vich I call addin’ insult to injury,as the parrot said ven they not only took him from his native land,but made him talk the English langwidge arterwards.’
‘It’s odd enough, certainly, Sam,’ said Mr. Pickwick; ‘but if westand talking here, we shall lose our places.’
‘Wot, ain’t nothin’ to be done in consequence, sir?’ exclaimedSam, perfectly37 aghast at the coolness with which Mr. Pickwickprepared to ensconce himself inside.
‘Done!’ said Mr. Pickwick. ‘What should be done?’
‘Ain’t nobody to be whopped for takin’ this here liberty, sir?’
said Mr. Weller, who had expected that at least he would havebeen commissioned to challenge the guard and the coachman to apugilistic encounter on the spot.
‘Certainly not,’ replied Mr. Pickwick eagerly; ‘not on anyaccount. Jump up to your seat directly.’
‘I am wery much afeered,’ muttered Sam to himself, as heturned away, ‘that somethin’ queer’s come over the governor, orhe’d never ha’ stood this so quiet. I hope that ’ere trial hasn’tbroke his spirit, but it looks bad, wery bad.’ Mr. Weller shook hishead gravely; and it is worthy38 of remark, as an illustration of themanner in which he took this circumstance to heart, that he didnot speak another word until the coach reached the Kensingtonturnpike. Which was so long a time for him to remain taciturn,that the fact may be considered wholly unprecedented39.
Nothing worthy of special mention occurred during thejourney. Mr. Dowler related a variety of anecdotes41, all illustrativeof his own personal prowess and desperation, and appealed toMrs. Dowler in corroboration43 thereof; when Mrs. Dowlerinvariably brought in, in the form of an appendix, someremarkable fact or circumstance which Mr. Dowler had forgotten,or had perhaps through modesty45, omitted; for the addenda46 inevery instance went to show that Mr. Dowler was even a morewonderful fellow than he made himself out to be. Mr. Pickwickand Mr. Winkle listened with great admiration47, and at intervalsconversed with Mrs. Dowler, who was a very agreeable andfascinating person. So, what between Mr. Dowler’s stories, andMrs. Dowler’s charms, and Mr. Pickwick’s good-humour, and Mr.
Winkle’s good listening, the insides contrived48 to be verycompanionable all the way. The outsides did as outsides alwaysdo. They were very cheerful and talkative at the beginning ofevery stage, and very dismal49 and sleepy in the middle, and verybright and wakeful again towards the end. There was one younggentleman in an India-rubber cloak, who smoked cigars all day;and there was another young gentleman in a parody50 upon agreatcoat, who lighted a good many, and feeling obviouslyunsettled after the second whiff, threw them away when hethought nobody was looking at him. There was a third young manon the box who wished to be learned in cattle; and an old onebehind, who was familiar with farming. There was a constantsuccession of Christian51 names in smock-frocks and white coats,who were invited to have a ‘lift’ by the guard, and who knew everyhorse and hostler on the road and off it; and there was a dinnerwhich would have been cheap at half-a-crown a mouth, if anymoderate number of mouths could have eaten it in the time. Andat seven o’clock P.m. Mr. Pickwick and his friends, and Mr.
Dowler and his wife, respectively retired to their private sitting-rooms at the White Hart Hotel, opposite the Great Pump Room,Bath, where the waiters, from their costume, might be mistakenfor Westminster boys, only they destroy the illusion by behavingthemselves much better. Breakfast had scarcely been clearedaway on the succeeding morning, when a waiter brought in Mr.
Dowler’s card, with a request to be allowed permission tointroduce a friend. Mr. Dowler at once followed up the delivery ofthe card, by bringing himself and the friend also.
The friend was a charming young man of not much more thanfifty, dressed in a very bright blue coat with resplendent buttons,black trousers, and the thinnest possible pair of highly-polishedboots. A gold eye-glass was suspended from his neck by a short,broad, black ribbon; a gold snuff-box was lightly clasped in his lefthand; gold rings innumerable glittered on his fingers; and a largediamond pin set in gold glistened52 in his shirt frill. He had a goldwatch, and a gold curb53 chain with large gold seals; and he carrieda pliant54 ebony cane55 with a gold top. His linen10 was of the verywhitest, finest, and stiffest; his wig56 of the glossiest57, blackest, andcurliest. His snuff was princes’ mixture; his scent58 bouquet59 du roi.
His features were contracted into a perpetual smile; and his teethwere in such perfect order that it was difficult at a small distanceto tell the real from the false.
‘Mr. Pickwick,’ said Mr. Dowler; ‘my friend, Angelo CyrusBantam, Esquire, M.C.; Bantam; Mr. Pickwick. Know each other.’
‘Welcome to Ba-ath, sir. This is indeed an acquisition. Mostwelcome to Ba-ath, sir. It is long―very long, Mr. Pickwick, sinceyou drank the waters. It appears an age, Mr. Pickwick. Re-markable!’
Such were the expressions with which Angelo Cyrus Bantam,Esquire, M.C., took Mr. Pickwick’s hand; retaining it in his,meantime, and shrugging up his shoulders with a constantsuccession of bows, as if he really could not make up his mind tothe trial of letting it go again.
‘It is a very long time since I drank the waters, certainly,’
replied Mr. Pickwick; ‘for, to the best of my knowledge, I wasnever here before.’
‘Never in Ba-ath, Mr. Pickwick!’ exclaimed the Grand Master,letting the hand fall in astonishment61. ‘Never in Ba-ath! He! he! Mr.
Pickwick, you are a wag. Not bad, not bad. Good, good. He! he! he!
Re-markable!’
‘To my shame, I must say that I am perfectly serious,’ rejoinedMr. Pickwick. ‘I really never was here before.’
‘Oh, I see,’ exclaimed the Grand Master, looking extremelypleased; ‘yes, yes―good, good―better and better. You are thegentleman of whom we have heard. Yes; we know you, Mr.
Pickwick; we know you.’
‘The reports of the trial in those confounded papers,’ thoughtMr. Pickwick. ‘They have heard all about me.’
‘You are the gentleman residing on Clapham Green,’ resumedBantam, ‘who lost the use of his limbs from imprudently takingcold after port wine; who could not be moved in consequence ofacute suffering, and who had the water from the king’s bathbottled at one hundred and three degrees, and sent by wagon62 tohis bedroom in town, where he bathed, sneezed, and the same dayrecovered. Very remarkable44!’
Mr. Pickwick acknowledged the compliment which thesupposition implied, but had the self-denial to repudiate63 it,notwithstanding; and taking advantage of a moment’s silence onthe part of the M.C., begged to introduce his friends, Mr. Tupman,Mr. Winkle, and Mr. Snodgrass. An introduction whichoverwhelmed the M.C. with delight and honour.
‘Bantam,’ said Mr. Dowler, ‘Mr. Pickwick and his friends arestrangers. They must put their names down. Where’s the book?’
‘The register of the distinguished64 visitors in Ba-ath will be atthe Pump Room this morning at two o’clock,’ replied the M.C.
‘Will you guide our friends to that splendid building, and enableme to procure65 their autographs?’
‘I will,’ rejoined Dowler. ‘This is a long call. It’s time to go. Ishall be here again in an hour. Come.’
‘This is a ball-night,’ said the M.C., again taking Mr. Pickwick’shand, as he rose to go. ‘The ball-nights in Ba-ath are momentssnatched from paradise; rendered bewitching by music, beauty,elegance, fashion, etiquette66, and―and―above all, by the absenceof tradespeople, who are quite inconsistent with paradise, and whohave an amalgamation67 of themselves at the Guildhall everyfortnight, which is, to say the least, remarkable. Good-bye, good-bye!’ and protesting all the way downstairs that he was mostsatisfied, and most delighted, and most overpowered, and mostflattered, Angelo Cyrus Bantam, Esquire, M.C., stepped into a veryelegant chariot that waited at the door, and rattled68 off.
At the appointed hour, Mr. Pickwick and his friends, escortedby Dowler, repaired to the Assembly Rooms, and wrote theirnames down in the book―an instance of condescension69 at whichAngelo Bantam was even more overpowered than before. Ticketsof admission to that evening’s assembly were to have beenprepared for the whole party, but as they were not ready, Mr.
Pickwick undertook, despite all the protestations to the contrary ofAngelo Bantam, to send Sam for them at four o’clock in theafternoon, to the M.C.’s house in Queen Square. Having taken ashort walk through the city, and arrived at the unanimousconclusion that Park Street was very much like the perpendicularstreets a man sees in a dream, which he cannot get up for the lifeof him, they returned to the White Hart, and despatched Sam onthe errand to which his master had pledged him.
Sam Weller put on his hat in a very easy and graceful70 manner,and, thrusting his hands in his waistcoat pockets, walked withgreat deliberation to Queen Square, whistling as he went along,several of the most popular airs of the day, as arranged withentirely new movements for that noble instrument the organ,either mouth or barrel. Arriving at the number in Queen Square towhich he had been directed, he left off whistling and gave acheerful knock, which was instantaneously answered by apowdered-headed footman in gorgeous livery, and of symmetricalstature.
‘Is this here Mr. Bantam’s, old feller?’ inquired Sam Weller,nothing abashed71 by the blaze of splendour which burst upon hissight in the person of the powdered-headed footman with thegorgeous livery.
‘Why, young man?’ was the haughty72 inquiry73 of the powdered-headed footman.
‘’Cos if it is, jist you step in to him with that ’ere card, and sayMr. Veller’s a-waitin’, will you?’ said Sam. And saying it, he verycoolly walked into the hall, and sat down.
The powdered-headed footman slammed the door very hard,and scowled74 very grandly; but both the slam and the scowl75 werelost upon Sam, who was regarding a mahogany umbrella-standwith every outward token of critical approval.
Apparently his master’s reception of the card had impressedthe powdered-headed footman in Sam’s favour, for when he cameback from delivering it, he smiled in a friendly manner, and saidthat the answer would be ready directly.
‘Wery good,’ said Sam. ‘Tell the old gen’l’m’n not to put himselfin a perspiration76. No hurry, six-foot. I’ve had my dinner.’
‘You dine early, sir,’ said the powdered-headed footman.
‘I find I gets on better at supper when I does,’ replied Sam.
‘Have you been long in Bath, sir?’ inquired the powdered-headed footman. ‘I have not had the pleasure of hearing of youbefore.’
‘I haven’t created any wery surprisin’ sensation here, as yet,’
rejoined Sam, ‘for me and the other fash’nables only come lastnight.’
‘Nice place, sir,’ said the powdered-headed footman.
‘Seems so,’ observed Sam.
‘Pleasant society, sir,’ remarked the powdered-headed footman.
‘Very agreeable servants, sir.’
‘I should think they wos,’ replied Sam. ‘Affable, unaffected, say-nothin’-to-nobody sorts o’ fellers.’
‘Oh, very much so, indeed, sir,’ said the powdered-headedfootman, taking Sam’s remarks as a high compliment. ‘Very muchso indeed. Do you do anything in this way, sir?’ inquired the tallfootman, producing a small snuff-box with a fox’s head on the topof it.
‘Not without sneezing,’ replied Sam.
‘Why, it is difficult, sir, I confess,’ said the tall footman. ‘It maybe done by degrees, sir. Coffee is the best practice. I carried coffee,sir, for a long time. It looks very like rappee, sir.’
Here, a sharp peal42 at the bell reduced the powdered-headedfootman to the ignominious77 necessity of putting the fox’s head inhis pocket, and hastening with a humble78 countenance79 to Mr.
Bantam’s ‘study.’ By the bye, who ever knew a man who neverread or wrote either, who hadn’t got some small back parlourwhich he would call a study!
‘There is the answer, sir,’ said the powdered-headed footman.
‘I’m afraid you’ll find it inconveniently80 large.’
‘Don’t mention it,’ said Sam, taking a letter with a smallenclosure. ‘It’s just possible as exhausted81 natur’ may manage tosurwive it.’
‘I hope we shall meet again, sir,’ said the powdered-headedfootman, rubbing his hands, and following Sam out to the door-step.
‘You are wery obligin’, sir,’ replied Sam. ‘Now, don’t allowyourself to be fatigued82 beyond your powers; there’s a amiablebein’. Consider what you owe to society, and don’t let yourself beinjured by too much work. For the sake o’ your feller-creeturs,keep yourself as quiet as you can; only think what a loss you wouldbe!’ With these pathetic words, Sam Weller departed.
‘A very singular young man that,’ said the powdered-headedfootman, looking after Mr. Weller, with a countenance whichclearly showed he could make nothing of him.
Sam said nothing at all. He winked83, shook his head, smiled,winked again; and, with an expression of countenance whichseemed to denote that he was greatly amused with something orother, walked merrily away.
At precisely84 twenty minutes before eight o’clock that night,Angelo Cyrus Bantam, Esq., the Master of the Ceremonies,emerged from his chariot at the door of the Assembly Rooms inthe same wig, the same teeth, the same eye-glass, the same watchand seals, the same rings, the same shirt-pin, and the same cane.
The only observable alterations85 in his appearance were, that hewore a brighter blue coat, with a white silk lining86, black tights,black silk stockings, and pumps, and a white waistcoat, and was, ifpossible, just a thought more scented87.
Thus attired88, the Master of the Ceremonies, in strict dischargeof the important duties of his all-important office, planted himselfin the room to receive the company.
Bath being full, the company, and the sixpences for tea, pouredin, in shoals. In the ballroom89, the long card-room, the octagonalcard-room, the staircases, and the passages, the hum of manyvoices, and the sound of many feet, were perfectly bewildering.
Dresses rustled90, feathers waved, lights shone, and jewels sparkled.
There was the music―not of the quadrille band, for it had not yetcommenced; but the music of soft, tiny footsteps, with now andthen a clear, merry laugh―low and gentle, but very pleasant tohear in a female voice, whether in Bath or elsewhere. Brillianteyes, lighted up with pleasurable expectation, gleamed from everyside; and, look where you would, some exquisite91 form glidedgracefully through the throng92, and was no sooner lost, than it wasreplaced by another as dainty and bewitching.
In the tea-room, and hovering93 round the card-tables, were avast number of queer old ladies, and decrepit94 old gentlemen,discussing all the small talk and scandal of the day, with a relishand gusto which sufficiently8 bespoke95 the intensity96 of the pleasurethey derived97 from the occupation. Mingled98 with these groups,were three or four match-making mammas, appearing to bewholly absorbed by the conversation in which they were takingpart, but failing not from time to time to cast an anxious sidelongglance upon their daughters, who, remembering the maternalinjunction to make the best use of their youth, had alreadycommenced incipient99 flirtations in the mislaying scarves, puttingon gloves, setting down cups, and so forth100; slight mattersapparently, but which may be turned to surprisingly good accountby expert practitioners101.
Lounging near the doors, and in remote corners, were variousknots of silly young men, displaying various varieties of puppyismand stupidity; amusing all sensible people near them with theirfolly and conceit102; and happily thinking themselves the objects ofgeneral admiration―a wise and merciful dispensation which nogood man will quarrel with.
And lastly, seated on some of the back benches, where they hadalready taken up their positions for the evening, were diversunmarried ladies past their grand climacteric, who, not dancingbecause there were no partners for them, and not playing cardslest they should be set down as irretrievably single, were in thefavourable situation of being able to abuse everybody withoutreflecting on themselves. In short, they could abuse everybody,because everybody was there. It was a scene of gaiety, glitter, andshow; of richly-dressed people, handsome mirrors, chalked floors,girandoles and wax-candles; and in all parts of the scene, glidingfrom spot to spot in silent softness, bowing obsequiously103 to thisparty, nodding familiarly to that, and smiling complacently104 on all,was the sprucely-attired person of Angelo Cyrus Bantam, Esquire,the Master of the Ceremonies.
‘Stop in the tea-room. Take your sixpenn’orth. Then lay on hotwater, and call it tea. Drink it,’ said Mr. Dowler, in a loud voice,directing Mr. Pickwick, who advanced at the head of the littleparty, with Mrs. Dowler on his arm. Into the tea-room Mr.
Pickwick turned; and catching105 sight of him, Mr. Bantamcorkscrewed his way through the crowd and welcomed him withecstasy.
‘My dear sir, I am highly honoured. Ba-ath is favoured. Mrs.
Dowler, you embellish106 the rooms. I congratulate you on yourfeathers. Re-markable!’
‘Anybody here?’ inquired Dowler suspiciously.
‘Anybody! The élite of Ba-ath. Mr. Pickwick, do you see the oldlady in the gauze turban?’
‘The fat old lady?’ inquired Mr. Pickwick innocently.
‘Hush, my dear sir―nobody’s fat or old in Ba-ath. That’s theDowager Lady Snuphanuph.’
‘Is it, indeed?’ said Mr. Pickwick.
‘No less a person, I assure you,’ said the Master of theCeremonies. ‘Hush. Draw a little nearer, Mr. Pickwick. You seethe107 splendidly-dressed young man coming this way?’
‘The one with the long hair, and the particularly smallforehead?’ inquired Mr. Pickwick.
‘The same. The richest young man in Ba-ath at this moment.
Young Lord Mutanhed.’
‘You don’t say so?’ said Mr. Pickwick.
‘Yes. You’ll hear his voice in a moment, Mr. Pickwick. He’llspeak to me. The other gentleman with him, in the red under-waistcoat and dark moustache, is the Honourable108 Mr. Crushton,his bosom109 friend. How do you do, my Lord?’
‘Veway hot, Bantam,’ said his Lordship.
‘It IS very warm, my Lord,’ replied the M.C.
‘Confounded,’ assented110 the Honourable Mr. Crushton.
‘Have you seen his Lordship’s mail-cart, Bantam?’ inquired theHonourable Mr. Crushton, after a short pause, during whichyoung Lord Mutanhed had been endeavouring to stare Mr.
Pickwick out of countenance, and Mr. Crushton had beenreflecting what subject his Lordship could talk about best.
‘Dear me, no,’ replied the M.C. ‘A mail-cart! What an excellentidea. Re-markable!’
‘Gwacious heavens!’ said his Lordship, ‘I thought evewebodyhad seen the new mail-cart; it’s the neatest, pwettiest, gwacefullestthing that ever wan24 upon wheels. Painted wed28, with a cweampiebald.’
‘With a real box for the letters, and all complete,’ said theHonourable Mr. Crushton.
‘And a little seat in fwont, with an iwon wail111, for the dwiver,’
added his Lordship. ‘I dwove it over to Bwistol the other morning,in a cwimson coat, with two servants widing a quarter of a milebehind; and confound me if the people didn’t wush out of theircottages, and awest my pwogwess, to know if I wasn’t the post.
Glorwious―glorwious!’
At this anecdote40 his Lordship laughed very heartily112, as did thelisteners, of course. Then, drawing his arm through that of theobsequious Mr. Crushton, Lord Mutanhed walked away.
‘Delightful young man, his Lordship,’ said the Master of theCeremonies.
‘So I should think,’ rejoined Mr. Pickwick drily.
The dancing having commenced, the necessary introductionshaving been made, and all preliminaries arranged, Angelo Bantamrejoined Mr. Pickwick, and led him into the card-room.
Just at the very moment of their entrance, the Dowager LadySnuphanuph and two other ladies of an ancient and whist-likeappearance, were hovering over an unoccupied card-table; andthey no sooner set eyes upon Mr. Pickwick under the convoy113 ofAngelo Bantam, than they exchanged glances with each other,seeing that he was precisely the very person they wanted, to makeup114 the rubber.
‘My dear Bantam,’ said the Dowager Lady Snuphanuphcoaxingly, ‘find us some nice creature to make up this table;there’s a good soul.’ Mr. Pickwick happened to be looking anotherway at the moment, so her Ladyship nodded her head towardshim, and frowned expressively115.
‘My friend Mr. Pickwick, my Lady, will be most happy, I amsure, remarkably116 so,’ said the M.C., taking the hint. ‘Mr. Pickwick,Lady Snuphanuph―Mrs. Colonel Wugsby―Miss Bolo.’
Mr. Pickwick bowed to each of the ladies, and, finding escapeimpossible, cut. Mr. Pickwick and Miss Bolo against LadySnuphanuph and Mrs. Colonel Wugsby. As the trump117 card wasturned up, at the commencement of the second deal, two youngladies hurried into the room, and took their stations on either sideof Mrs. Colonel Wugsby’s chair, where they waited patiently untilthe hand was over.
‘Now, Jane,’ said Mrs. Colonel Wugsby, turning to one of thegirls, ‘what is it?’
‘I came to ask, ma, whether I might dance with the youngestMr. Crawley,’ whispered the prettier and younger of the two.
‘Good God, Jane, how can you think of such things?’ replied themamma indignantly. ‘Haven’t you repeatedly heard that his fatherhas eight hundred a year, which dies with him? I am ashamed ofyou. Not on any account.’
‘Ma,’ whispered the other, who was much older than her sister,and very insipid118 and artificial, ‘Lord Mutanhed has beenintroduced to me. I said I thought I wasn’t engaged, ma.’
‘You’re a sweet pet, my love,’ replied Mrs. Colonel Wugsby,tapping her daughter’s cheek with her fan, ‘and are always to betrusted. He’s immensely rich, my dear. Bless you!’ With thesewords Mrs. Colonel Wugsby kissed her eldest119 daughter mostaffectionately, and frowning in a warning manner upon the other,sorted her cards.
Poor Mr. Pickwick! he had never played with three thorough-paced female card-players before. They were so desperately120 sharp,that they quite frightened him. If he played a wrong card, MissBolo looked a small armoury of daggers121; if he stopped to considerwhich was the right one, Lady Snuphanuph would throw herselfback in her chair, and smile with a mingled glance of impatienceand pity to Mrs. Colonel Wugsby, at which Mrs. Colonel Wugsbywould shrug60 up her shoulders, and cough, as much as to say shewondered whether he ever would begin. Then, at the end of everyhand, Miss Bolo would inquire with a dismal countenance andreproachful sigh, why Mr. Pickwick had not returned thatdiamond, or led the club, or roughed the spade, or finessed122 theheart, or led through the honour, or brought out the ace9, or playedup to the king, or some such thing; and in reply to all these gravecharges, Mr. Pickwick would be wholly unable to plead anyjustification whatever, having by this time forgotten all about thegame. People came and looked on, too, which made Mr. Pickwicknervous. Besides all this, there was a great deal of distractingconversation near the table, between Angelo Bantam and the twoMisses Matinter, who, being single and singular, paid great courtto the Master of the Ceremonies, in the hope of getting a straypartner now and then. All these things, combined with the noisesand interruptions of constant comings in and goings out, made Mr.
Pickwick play rather badly; the cards were against him, also; andwhen they left off at ten minutes past eleven, Miss Bolo rose fromthe table considerably123 agitated124, and went straight home, in a floodof tears and a sedan-chair.
Being joined by his friends, who one and all protested that theyhad scarcely ever spent a more pleasant evening, Mr. Pickwickaccompanied them to the White Hart, and having soothed125 hisfeelings with something hot, went to bed, and to sleep, almostsimultaneously.
收听单词发音 |
1
irritation
|
|
| n.激怒，恼怒，生气 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
acting
|
|
| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
retired
|
|
| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
dissuade
|
|
| v.劝阻，阻止 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
vile
|
|
| adj.卑鄙的，可耻的，邪恶的；坏透的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
affected
|
|
| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
heroism
|
|
| n.大无畏精神，英勇 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
sufficiently
|
|
| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
ace
|
|
| n.A牌；发球得分；佼佼者；adj.杰出的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
linen
|
|
| n.亚麻布，亚麻线，亚麻制品；adj.亚麻布制的，亚麻的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
drizzly
|
|
| a.毛毛雨的(a drizzly day) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
diluted
|
|
| 无力的，冲淡的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
refreshing
|
|
| adj.使精神振作的，使人清爽的，使人喜欢的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
savagely
|
|
| adv. 野蛮地，残酷地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
aspiring
|
|
| adj.有志气的；有抱负的；高耸的v.渴望；追求 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
rebellious
|
|
| adj.造反的，反抗的，难控制的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
poker
|
|
| n.扑克；vt.烙制 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
shovel
|
|
| n.铁锨，铲子，一铲之量；v.铲，铲出 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
solitary
|
|
| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
confinement
|
|
| n.幽禁，拘留，监禁；分娩；限制，局限 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
kennel
|
|
| n.狗舍，狗窝 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
dignified
|
|
| a.可敬的，高贵的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
tune
|
|
| n.调子；和谐，协调；v.调音，调节，调整 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
wan
|
|
| (wide area network)广域网 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
complexion
|
|
| n.肤色；情况，局面；气质，性格 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
pending
|
|
| prep.直到，等待…期间；adj.待定的；迫近的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
ruminated
|
|
| v.沉思( ruminate的过去式和过去分词 )；反复考虑；反刍；倒嚼 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
wed
|
|
| v.娶，嫁，与…结婚 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
abrupt
|
|
| adj.突然的，意外的；唐突的，鲁莽的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
formerly
|
|
| adv.从前，以前 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
esteem
|
|
| n.尊敬，尊重；vt.尊重，敬重；把…看作 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
vow
|
|
| n.誓(言)，誓约；v.起誓，立誓 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
imperative
|
|
| n.命令，需要；规则；祈使语气；adj.强制的；紧急的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
pointed
|
|
| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
bonnet
|
|
| n.无边女帽；童帽 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
spoke
|
|
| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
perfectly
|
|
| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
worthy
|
|
| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
unprecedented
|
|
| adj.无前例的，新奇的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
anecdote
|
|
| n.轶事，趣闻，短故事 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
anecdotes
|
|
| n.掌故，趣闻，轶事( anecdote的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
peal
|
|
| n.钟声；v.鸣响 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
corroboration
|
|
| n.进一步的证实，进一步的证据 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
remarkable
|
|
| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
modesty
|
|
| n.谦逊，虚心，端庄，稳重，羞怯，朴素 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
addenda
|
|
| n.附录，附加物；附加物( addendum的名词复数 )；补遗；附录；（齿轮的）齿顶（高） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
admiration
|
|
| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
contrived
|
|
| adj.不自然的，做作的；虚构的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
dismal
|
|
| adj.阴沉的，凄凉的，令人忧郁的，差劲的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
parody
|
|
| n.打油诗文，诙谐的改编诗文，拙劣的模仿；v.拙劣模仿，作模仿诗文 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
Christian
|
|
| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
glistened
|
|
| v.湿物闪耀，闪亮( glisten的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
curb
|
|
| n.场外证券市场，场外交易；vt.制止，抑制 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
54
pliant
|
|
| adj.顺从的；可弯曲的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
55
cane
|
|
| n.手杖，细长的茎，藤条；v.以杖击，以藤编制的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
56
wig
|
|
| n.假发 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
57
glossiest
|
|
| 光滑的( glossy的最高级 )； 虚有其表的； 浮华的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
|
58
scent
|
|
| n.气味，香味，香水，线索，嗅觉；v.嗅，发觉 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
59
bouquet
|
|
| n.花束，酒香 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
60
shrug
|
|
| v.耸肩(表示怀疑、冷漠、不知等) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
61
astonishment
|
|
| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
62
wagon
|
|
| n.四轮马车，手推车，面包车；无盖运货列车 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
63
repudiate
|
|
| v.拒绝，拒付，拒绝履行 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
64
distinguished
|
|
| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
65
procure
|
|
| vt.获得，取得，促成；vi.拉皮条 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
66
etiquette
|
|
| n.礼仪，礼节；规矩 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
67
amalgamation
|
|
| n.合并，重组；；汞齐化 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
68
rattled
|
|
| 慌乱的，恼火的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
69
condescension
|
|
| n.自以为高人一等，贬低(别人) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
70
graceful
|
|
| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
71
abashed
|
|
| adj.窘迫的，尴尬的v.使羞愧，使局促，使窘迫( abash的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
72
haughty
|
|
| adj.傲慢的，高傲的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
73
inquiry
|
|
| n.打听，询问，调查，查问 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
74
scowled
|
|
| 怒视，生气地皱眉( scowl的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
75
scowl
|
|
| vi.(at)生气地皱眉，沉下脸，怒视；n.怒容 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
76
perspiration
|
|
| n.汗水；出汗 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
77
ignominious
|
|
| adj.可鄙的，不光彩的，耻辱的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
78
humble
|
|
| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
79
countenance
|
|
| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
80
inconveniently
|
|
| ad.不方便地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
81
exhausted
|
|
| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
82
fatigued
|
|
| adj. 疲乏的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
83
winked
|
|
| v.使眼色( wink的过去式和过去分词 )；递眼色（表示友好或高兴等）；（指光）闪烁；闪亮 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
84
precisely
|
|
| adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
85
alterations
|
|
| n.改动( alteration的名词复数 )；更改；变化；改变 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
86
lining
|
|
| n.衬里，衬料 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
87
scented
|
|
| adj.有香味的；洒香水的；有气味的v.嗅到(scent的过去分词) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
88
attired
|
|
| adj.穿着整齐的v.使穿上衣服，使穿上盛装( attire的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
89
ballroom
|
|
| n.舞厅 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
90
rustled
|
|
| v.发出沙沙的声音( rustle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
91
exquisite
|
|
| adj.精美的；敏锐的；剧烈的，感觉强烈的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
92
throng
|
|
| n.人群，群众；v.拥挤，群集 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
93
hovering
|
|
| 鸟( hover的现在分词 )； 靠近（某事物）； （人）徘徊； 犹豫 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
94
decrepit
|
|
| adj.衰老的，破旧的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
95
bespoke
|
|
| adj.（产品）订做的；专做订货的v.预定( bespeak的过去式 )；订（货）；证明；预先请求 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
96
intensity
|
|
| n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
97
derived
|
|
| vi.起源；由来；衍生；导出v.得到( derive的过去式和过去分词 )；（从…中）得到获得；源于；（从…中）提取 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
98
mingled
|
|
| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
99
incipient
|
|
| adj.起初的，发端的，初期的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
100
forth
|
|
| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
101
practitioners
|
|
| n.习艺者，实习者( practitioner的名词复数 )；从业者（尤指医师） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
102
conceit
|
|
| n.自负，自高自大 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
103
obsequiously
|
|
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
104
complacently
|
|
| adv. 满足地, 自满地, 沾沾自喜地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
105
catching
|
|
| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
106
embellish
|
|
| v.装饰，布置；给…添加细节，润饰 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
107
seethe
|
|
| vi.拥挤，云集；发怒，激动，骚动 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
108
honourable
|
|
| adj.可敬的；荣誉的，光荣的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
109
bosom
|
|
| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
110
assented
|
|
| 同意，赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
111
wail
|
|
| vt./vi.大声哀号，恸哭；呼啸，尖啸 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
112
heartily
|
|
| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
113
convoy
|
|
| vt.护送，护卫，护航；n.护送；护送队 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
114
makeup
|
|
| n.组织；性格；化装品 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
115
expressively
|
|
| ad.表示(某事物)地；表达地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
116
remarkably
|
|
| ad.不同寻常地，相当地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
117
trump
|
|
| n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
118
insipid
|
|
| adj.无味的，枯燥乏味的，单调的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
119
eldest
|
|
| adj.最年长的，最年老的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
120
desperately
|
|
| adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
121
daggers
|
|
| 匕首，短剑( dagger的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
122
finessed
|
|
| v.手腕，手段，技巧( finesse的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
123
considerably
|
|
| adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
124
agitated
|
|
| adj.被鼓动的，不安的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
125
soothed
|
|
| v.安慰( soothe的过去式和过去分词 )；抚慰；使舒服；减轻痛苦 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |