The Steam-Packet: A Tale of the River and the Ocean — page 365: what you’re looking at

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

284 THE STEAM PACKET, It is impossible to say what answer Mr. Pifpaf was about to give to this proposal; for no sooner had these words issued from the lips of Captain Pentonville, when the little group was accosted by two gen- tlemen, one in black, and the other in a blue frock-coat and white trousers. The gentleman in black walked first, and when he drew near to Mr. Pifpaf, Captain Pentonville, and Mr. Smale, as they stood in one corner of the courtyard, apart from the crowd around Lord Noodleton’s carriage, he said, in the French language, ‘* Can either of you gentlemen inform me Phere I might find one Captain Penton- ville?” ‘‘Tam Captain Pentonville,” returned our hero—though not without a certain misgiving at the Peale nature of the business upon which he was sought after. ““Oh! you are Captain Pentonville,” said the gentleman in bai impressively; then turning towards the gentleman in the blue coat, he added, more impressively still, ‘‘ Zzs is Captain Pentonville.” ‘Very well,” eberived the gentleman in the blue coat; ‘‘ proceed with your Haine sh sir.’ The gentleman in black looked over his shoulder, and spyeeved satisfied with the result of his glance, which was followed by another. from the visual organs of Captain Pentonville, who beheld two dirty and ill-looking fellows lounging about the gateway of the hotel, ina most suspicious manner, 7 | “‘] am sorry to say, Captain Pentonville,” said the gentleman in black, drawing some closely-written papers from his pocket, “that I have a warrant against your person, upon a bill of exchange, passed by the house of Bilkins and Phips, London, to the firm of Beaucaire and Bertrand, in Boulogne. The amount is 1267 francs; if it 1s not convenient to pay you must come to prison.” Had this circumstance occurred only forty-eight hours previously, Captain Pentonville would have instantly appealed to the good feel- ings, and through them to the purse, of Mr. Pifpaf: but now the idea did not for one moment enter his head. Calmly turning round to that gentleman and Mr. Smale, who were ignorant of the nature of the above proceedings, the captain observed, ‘“‘ Mr. Pifpaf——-Mr. Smale, this person is a bailiff, and he is about to take me to prison for debt!” “To prison!” ejaculated Mr. Pifpaf, mechanically thrusting his hand into his breeches pocket; ‘‘ to prison—no !” ‘To prison, Mr. Pifpaf,” said the captain; “‘and if you and Mr. Smale will call upon me there in the course of the day, I will give Gomicbooks (E(0)