The Steam-Packet: A Tale of the River and the Ocean — page 398: what you’re looking at

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

THE STEAM PACKET. 311 CHAPTER XXX. CONCLUSION. We have now traced the personages who have figured in this narra- tive, up to that point in their respective histories where the curiosity of the reader can be gratified with only a few additional words of bio- graphical notice. These particulars we shall give in detail. About a month after the return of the Luminaries to London, Cap- tain Pentonville accompanied Miss Aramintha Pifpaf, and Mr. Smale Miss Sarah Pifpaf, to ‘“‘the hymeneal altar.”” We use this phrase be- cause no modern novel could possibly be deemed complete without it ; nor would the fair Aramintha herself feel satisfied with any less poet- ical synonyme. The breakfast given by Mr. and Mrs. Pifpaf upon this memorable occasion was worthy of the event it celebrated, and the illustrious personages who were invited to partake of it. First and foremost amongst ‘the distinguished guests” (as the papers said next day) was the Right Honourrble the Earl of Noodleton, who sat on Mrs, Pifpaf’s right hand; and upon her left was Sir William Staun- ton, embellishing and embellished by a bran-new suit of clothes, which, much as he despised dress, he had ordered for the occasion. It would be impossible to detail how often Mrs. Pifpaf felt quite con- vinced that his lordship must have taken ‘‘a something ” before he came, or how frequently she expressed her fears that the baronet did not **make himself quite at home.” One thing is, however, very clearly established, upon the respectable authority of three influential Lumi- naries, that Mrs. Pifpaf only once alluded to her “‘ poor head” during the banquet—and that was when Lord Noodleton insisted upon her drinking a second glass of champagne with him. As for the worthy chairman himself, he was spared the véxation of bidding adieu to his two daughters when the moment for departure arrived, he having drunk himself fast asleep in his chair—a circumstance so far fortunate that, had he not slept there, he must have performed his nap under the table. When the breakfast was concluded, Captain Pentonville handed ‘his beautiful and accomplished bride (we again quote from the newspapers) into the carriage which was waiting to convey the happy couple to Diddleham Hall, Notown, which splendid mansion was placed by its noble and truly hospitable owner at their disposal during the honey-moon.” It also appears that Mr. Smale and the fair Sarah proceeded to. Richmond to pass their honey-moon, at the dwelling of Gomichbooks (E()