Pickwickian Studies | Page 8

dinner "quietly," and were in the midst
of that meal, when Grummer arrived to arrest them. They were taken to
Nupkins', and there dined with him. This dinner would have brought
them to five o'clock:--we are told of candles--so that it was dark--yet
this was the month of May, when it would been light enough till eight
o'clock. Mrs. Nupkins' dress, on coming in from lunch, is worth noting.
"A blue gauze turban and a light brown wig."

Again, it was to Mr. Pickwick's watch, that we owe the diverting and
farcical incident of the double bedded bedroom--and indeed we have
here all the licensed improbabilities of a Farce. To forget his watch on a
hotel table was the last thing a staid man of business would do. How
could he be made to forget it? "By winding it up," said the author.
"Winding up his watch, and laying it on the table." This was of course
in the Fob days, when the watch had to be drawn from the deep pocket;
not as now when it is secured with a "guard chain." Naturally, he might
in an abstracted moment have so laid it down.
As an instance of the natural, every-day sort of tone prevailing through
the book, it may be noted that it is mentioned as a matter of history,
that the breakfast next day was at eleven o'clock--a late hour. But we
know, though it is not pointed out, that Mr. Magnus and Mr. Pickwick
had sat till morning drinking brandy and water, and that Mr. Pickwick
had spent a portion of the night wandering about the Hotel. Naturally
he came down late.
We are also minutely told that Mr. Magnus left the room at ten minutes
past eleven. Mr. Pickwick "took a few strides to and fro," when it
became half past eleven! But this is a rather mysterious passage, for we
next learn that "the small hand of the clock, following the latter part of
his example, had arrived at the figure which indicates the half hour."
The "latter part," would refer to "fro." Perhaps it is a fresh gibe at the
unlucky White Horse and its administration. The "small hand," in any
case, could not, and would not, point to the half hour, save that it had
got loosened, and had jumped down, as hands will do, to seek the
centre of gravity.
How natural, too, is the appearance of Jingle. With Wardles' 120
pounds in his pocket, he was flush of cash, and could make a new
appearance--in a new district--as an officer--Captain FitzMarshall. He
was "picked up," we are told, at some neighbouring races. Sudbury and
Stowmarket are not far off.
Some years ago, the late Lady Quain was staying at Ipswich and took
so deep an interest in the "Great White Horse" and its traditions that she
had it with all its apartments photographed on a large scale, forming a

regular series. Her husband, the amiable physician whose loss we have
to deplore, gave them to me. The "White Horse" was decidedly wrong
in having Mr. Pickwick's double-bedded room fitted up with brass
Birmingham bedsteads. Were I the proprietor I would assuredly have
the room arranged exactly as in Phiz's picture--the two old-fashioned
four-posts with the dimity curtains, the rush light and shade on the floor,
the old glass on the dressing-table. To be even more realistic still there
might be added Mr. Pickwick's night-capped head peeping out, and the
lean presentment of the lady herself, all, say, in wax, a la Tussaud.
What a show and attraction that would be!
The author's ingenuity was never at fault in the face of a difficulty. Mr.
Pickwick was to be got to Nupkins' in a sedan chair, a grotesque
incident; but then, what to do with Tupman, also arrested? As both
would not fit in an ordinary sedan, the sedan was made to fit them, and
thus it was done. "It was recollected that there stood in the Inn yard an
old sedan chair, which, having been originally built for a gouty
gentleman with funded property, would hold Mr. Pickwick and Mr.
Tupman at least as conveniently as a modern postchaise."
Nothing is more remarkable than the ingenious and striking fashion in
which "Boz" has handled the episode of the double-bedded room and
the yellow curl papers. The subject was an awkward one and required
skilful management, or it might have repelled. The problem was how to
make the situation amusing and yet not too realistic? It will be seen that
all the appearances of a most embarrassing situation are produced, and
yet really neither the lady nor Mr. Pickwick have taken off their
garments. To produce this result, much elaborate machinery was
requisite. The beds were arranged as if on the stage, one