The Steam-Packet: A Tale of the River and the Ocean — page 362: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE STEAM PACKET. 281 we have to do is to return home as soon as possible, and make the best of a bad job. Aramintha and Belinda must consent tobe laughed at for a short time ; and, perhaps, in a few months or so, other matches may turn up.” Mr. Pifpaf did not make any reply to this consolatory reasoning ; but proceeded to tie his neckcloth, and finish his toilet. Having com- pleted this duty, he issued from his room, and was immediately ac- costed in the passage by Mr. Smale, whose countenance was elongated by half a foot.. “Well,” said this gentleman, “so it’s all a Piuntibrwe hit the noble- man.” ‘¢ All,” answered Mr. Pifpaf. ‘I never was so mad in my life.” _ “ And what must I be, then?” cried Mr. Smale. ‘The villain has swindled me out of a hundred and fifty odd pounds—all my little sav- ings—in that pocket-book, you know ‘“* God bless me!” exclaimed Mr. Pifpaf, putting on his spectacles the better to contemplate the Custom-house clerk’s countenance. ‘God bless me, indeed!” said Smale, louking particularly annoyed. ‘‘ And then to humbug me, too, about my dear old grandmother—and Tim Macarthy—and Mary Murgatroyd—and Aunt Susan—oh! it was — too bad!” ‘It was—it was too bad!” echoed Mr. Pifpaf. ‘‘I can’t eOnesiva how we could have all been such fools. But how came you to have heard of it already ?” take hie _ “IT saw Sarah for a moment just now,” answered Mr. Smale; “and she gave me arapid account of last night’s adventures. I wouldn't care so. much if I hadn’t' lost my money. But it 1s all through that consummate villain Pentonville. I should like to break his head; only —only—” added Mr. Drinkwater Smale, ‘‘ I am afraid he would break mine first.” } - “T am sorry Pentonville bes turned out so,” said Mr.. Pifpaf, musing; ‘he is such a jovial fellow at the club—so good a hand at a song—so excellent a man to move ‘ Welsh-rabbits and devilled kidneys’ when a prosy speech is being made—and so brave a chap to put a refractory Luminary out.” _ “So he is—so he is,” returned Mr. Smale. ‘‘ But—hark! what is that noise in the court-yard? Here is a new arrival.” ' The two:gentlemen hurried down the stairs, and found all the ser- _vants of the hotel collected around a courier who had just arrived, and who was in the act of dismounting from his jaded horse. Upon inquiry of one of the servants, who understood English, Mr. Pifpaf found that an English nobleman of rank and fortune was within three Gomicbooks (E(0)