The Steam-Packet: A Tale of the River and the Ocean — page 64: what you’re looking at

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

= pom ae es eA ee oe Ph ln Sl pen a). |. aS [Se z c Bic x 7 3 _ will honour me by becoming my guest on the occasion—— THE STEAM PACKET, | 39 known there, and the waiter, or else some “‘ vulgar fellow” in the par- | lour would have been certain to address him by name—perhaps even with undue familiarity—so that the title of ‘‘ lordship ”’ would have been damaged in Mr. Pifpaf’s opinion ;—secondly, Mr, Buckram had estab- lished a perfect little addition-table of chalk figures behind the bar- door ;—and, thirdly, he knew another house of public entertainment where he himself was not known, but where, to use his own most expressive and truly aristocratic phrase, ‘“‘ they sold excellent lush.” To this establishment, therefore, did the party repair ; and, while Tom Gibbins was directed to regale himself in the tap-room, the three gen- tlemen, proceeded to drink wine in the parlour, Mr. Pifpaf having been particularly warned not to allow the high: rank of his aristocratic com- panion to ooze out before any “low” or ‘‘ unwashed fellows.” ‘‘ Has your lord—have you heard of our intended trip—the grand annual excursion of the Honourable and Independent Order of Lumin- aries ?’’ inquired Mr. Pifpaf, as he sipped his third glass of sherry. ‘“‘ Yes; I have heard something about it,’’ answered Mr. Buckram: ‘a dinner at Highbury Barn, or Hornsey Wood Tavern, or some- thing of that kind—isn’t it?” ‘*Oh! no—no,” said Mr. Pifpaf, in a gentle tone of reproof; ‘‘ the Club, my—I mean sir, does things better than that. This year we of the Luminaries have our six weeks’ excursion by water, in a regular oe ane out Steam-Packet. Indeed, we embark to-morrow morning.”’ “How I envy you!” cried the soz-disant nobleman. ‘“‘ What a delightful party it will be!” ** And what is there to hinder your lord—I mean, what prevents you from accompanying us?” asked Mr. Pifpaf, emboldened by the wine which ‘he was drinking. ‘‘ Why, the truth is, my dear fellow,” answered Mr. EA growing familiar with the inspiration of the generous fluid, ‘‘ I have . got a pale of double-milled kerseymeres to finish by next Saturday ; and ““ My lord!”’ said Mr. beipes, in unutterable surprise at what he had just heard. ‘A technical term prevalent in the House of Lords, my dear sir,” hastily interposed Captain Pentonville. ‘* It means that a Bill will be considered upen a certain day—you understand, eh?” ‘““ Of course,” said Mr. Difpaf’ ‘how dull I was! But surely your lord—you might indulge in a few weeks’ pleasure; and if your lordship—(there, it’s out now, I can’t help it),—but if your lordship 9? “What! and come without ceremony, without equipage, pikeut Gomichbooks (E(0)