Page 18

The Pickwick Papers

Travelling together.

Such was the individual on whom Mr Pickwick gazed through his spectacles (which he had fortunately recovered), and to whom he proceeded, when his friends had exhausted themselves, to give in chosen terms his warmest thanks for his recent assistance.

'Never mind,' said the stranger, cutting the address very short, 'said enough - no more; smart chap that cabman - handled his fives well; but if I'd been your friend in the green coat - damn me - punch his head, I would - the pieman's too - no gammon.'

This coherent speech was interrupted by the entrance of the Rochester coachman, to announce that 'the Commodore' was on the point of starting.

'Commodore!' said the stranger, starting up, 'my coach - place booked - one outside - leave you to pay for the brandy-and-water - want change for a five - bad silver - won't do - no go - eh?' and he shook his head most knowingly. Now it so happened that Mr Pickwick and his three companions had resolved to make Rochester their first halting-place too; and having intimated to their new-found acquaintance that they were journeying to the same city, they agreed to occupy the seat at the back of the coach, where they could all sit together.

Vocabulary:

Chosen terms: Carefully selected words.
Address: Address.
Fives: Here it means 'fists'.
Gammon: Here it is a slang word meaning 'nonsense'.
The Commodore: This is the name of the coach.
Start: Here it means to jump up
Intimate: To let someone know.

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