Page:The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club.djvu/478

392 392 POSTHUMOUS PAPERS OF

rible threat of the valorous Dowler, than he bounced out of the sedan quite as quickly as he had bounced in, and throwing^ off his shppers into the road, took to his heels and tore round the Crescent, hotly pursued by Dowler and the watchman. He kept ahead ; the door v/as open as he came round the second time, he rushed in, slammed it in Dowler's face, mounted to his bed-room, locked the door, piled a wash-hand-stand, chest of drawers and table against it, and packed up a few necessaries ready for flight with the first light of morning.

Dowler came up to the outside of the door, avowed, through the key-hole, his stedfast detei mination of cutting Mr. Winkle's throat next day ; and, after a great confusion of voices in the drawing-room, amidst which that of Mr. Pickwick was distinctly heard endeavouring to make peace, the inmates dispersed to their several bed-chambers, and all was quiet once more.

It is not unlikely that the inquiry may be made, where Mr. Weller, was, all this time ? We will state where he was, in the next chapter.

CHAPTER XXXVI.

HONOURABLY ACCOUNTS FOR MR. WELLER's ABSENCE, BY DESCRIB ING A SOIREE TO WHICH HE WAS INVITED AND WENT. — ALSO RELATES HOW HE WAS ENTRUSTED BY MR. PICKWICK WITH A PRIVATE MISSION OF DELICACY AND IMPORTANCE.

'* Mr. Weller," said Mrs. Craddock, upon the morning of this very eventful day, " here's a letter for you."

" Wery odd that," said Sam," I'm afeerd there must be somethin' the matter, for I don't recollect any gen'lm'n in my circle of acquaintance as is capable o' writin' one.'*

Craddock.
 * ' Perhaps something uncommon has taken place,'* observed Mrs.

" It must be somethin' wery uncommon indeed, as could perduce a letter out o' any friend o* mine," replied Sam, shaking his head dubiously; " nothin' less than a nat'ral conwulsion, as the young gen'lm'n observed ven he wos took with fits. It can't be from the gov'ner," said Sam, looking at the direction. " He always prints, I know, 'cos he learnt writin' from the large bills in the bookin' oflSces. It's a wery strange thing now, where this here letter can ha' come from."

As Sam said this, he did what a great many people do when they are uncertain about the writer of a note, — looked at the seal, and then at the front, and then at the back, and then at the sides, and then at the superscription ; and, as a last resource, thought perhaps he might as well look at the inside, and try to find out from that.