第34章

HOW MR.WINKLE, INSTEAD OF SHOOTING AT THE PIGEONAND KILLING THE CROW, SHOT AT THE CROW AND WOUNDED THE PIGEON; HOW THEDINGLEY DELL CRICKET CLUB PLAYED ALL-MUGGLETON, AND HOW ALL-MUGGLETON DINEDAT THE DINGLEY DELL EXPENSE: WITH OTHER INTERESTING AND INSTRUCTIVE MATTERST HE fatiguing adventures of the day or the somniferous influence of the clergyman's tale, operated so strongly on the drowsy tendencies of Mr.Pickwick, that in less than five minutes after he had been shown to his comfortable bedroom, he fell into a sound and dreamless sleep, from which he was only awakened by the morning sun darting his bright beams reproachfully into the apartment.Mr.Pickwick was no sluggard; and he sprang like an ardent warrior from his tent--bedstead.

"Pleasant, pleasant country," sighed the enthusiastic gentleman, as he opened his lattice window."Who could live to gaze from day to day on bricks and slates, who had once felt the influence of a scene like this?

Who could continue to exist, where there are no cows but the cows on the chimney-pots; nothing redolent of Pan but pan-tiles; no crop but stone crop? Who could bear to drag out a life in such a spot? Who I ask could endure it?" and, having cross-examined solitude after the most approved precedents, at considerable length, Mr.Pickwick thrust his head out of the lattice, and looked around him.

The rich, sweet smell of the hayricks rose to his chamber window; the hundred perfumes of the little flower-garden beneath scented the air around;the deep-green meadows shone in the morning dew that glistened on every leaf as it trembled in the gentle air: and the birds sang as if every sparkling drop were a fountain of inspiration to them.Mr.Pickwick fell into an enchanting and delicious reverie.

"Hallo!" was the sound that roused him.

He looked to the right, but he saw nobody; his eyes wandered to the left, and pierced the prospect; he stared into the sky, but he wasn't wanted there; and then he did what a common mind would have done at once--looked into the garden, and there saw Mr.Wardle.

"How are you?" said that good-humoured individual, out of breath with his own anticipations of pleasure."Beautiful morning, an't it? Glad to see you up so early.Make haste down, and come out.I'll wait for you here."Mr.Pickwick needed no second invitation.Ten minutes sufficed for the completion of his toilet, and at the expiration of that time he was by the old gentleman's side.

"Hallo!" said Mr.Pickwick in his turn: seeing that his companion was armed with a gun, and that another lay ready on the grass."What's going forward?""Why, your friend and I," replied the host, "are going out rook-shooting before breakfast.He's a very good shot, an't he?""I've heard him say he's a capital one," replied Mr.Pickwick; "but I never saw him aim at anything.""Well," said the host, "I wish he'd come.Joe--Joe!"The fat boy, who under the exciting influence of the morning did not appear to be more than three parts and a fraction asleep, emerged from the house.

"Go up, and call the gentleman, and tell him he'll find me and Mr.Pickwick in the rookery.Show the gentleman the way there; d'ye hear?"The boy departed to execute his commission; and the host, carrying both guns like a second Robinson Crusoe, led the way from the garden.

"This is the place," said the old gentleman, pausing after a few minutes'

walking, in an aveuue of trees.The information was unnecessary; for the incessant cawing of the unconscious rooks sufficiently indicated their whereabout.

The old gentleman laid one gun on the ground, and loaded the other.

"Here they are," said Mr.Pickwick; and as he spoke, the forms of Mr.

Tupman, Mr.Snodgrass, and Mr.Winkle appeared in the distance.The fat boy, not being quite certain which gentleman he was directed to call, had with peculiar sagacity, and to prevent the possibility of any mistake, called them all.

"Come along," shouted the old gentleman, addressing Mr.Winkle; "a keen hand like you ought to have been up long ago, even to such poor work as this."Mr.Winkle responded with a forced smile, and took up the spare gun with an expression of countenance which a meta-physical rook, impressed with a foreboding of his approaching death by violence, may be supposed to assume.It might have been keenness, but it looked remarkably like misery.

The old gentleman nodded; and two ragged boys who had been marshalled to the spot under the direction of the infant Lambert, forthwith commenced climbing up two of the trees.

"What are those lads for?" inquired Mr.Pickwick abruptly.He was rather alarmed; for he was not quite certain but that the distress of the agricultural interest, about which he had often heard a great deal, might have compelled the small boys attached to the soil to earn a precarious and hazardous subsistence by making marks of themselves for in-experienced sportsmen.

"Only to start the game," replied Mr.Wardle, laughing.

"To what?" inquired Mr.Pickwick.

"Why, in plain English to frighten the rooks.""Oh! is that all?"

"You are satisfied?"

"Quite."

"Very well.Shall I begin?"

"If you please," said Mr.Winkle, glad of any respite.

"Stand aside, then.Now for it."

The boy shouted, and shook a branch with a nest on it.

Half-a-dozen young rooks in violent conversation, flew out to ask what the matter was.The old gentleman fired by way of reply.Down fell one bird, and off flew the others.

"Take him up, Joe," said the old gentleman.

There was a smile upon the youth's face as he advanced.

Indistinct visions of rook-pie floated through his imagination.He laughed as he retired with the bird--it was a plump one.

"Now, Mr.Winkle," said the host, reloading his own gun."Fire away."Mr.Winkle advanced, and levelled his gun.Mr.Pickwick and his friends cowered involuntarily to escape damage from the heavy fall of rooks, which they felt quite certain would be occasioned by the devastating barrel of their friend.There was a solemn pause--a shout--a flapping of wings--a faint click.