Mr. Pickwick paused again: Emily and Arabella sobbed audibly.

'I have communicated, both personally and by letter, with theclub,' resumed Mr. Pickwick, 'acquainting them with my intention.During our long absence, it has suffered much from internaldissentions; and the withdrawal of my name, coupled with thisand other circumstances, has occasioned its dissolution. ThePickwick Club exists no longer.

'I shall never regret,' said Mr. Pickwick in a low voice, 'I shallnever regret having devoted the greater part of two years tomixing with different varieties and shades of human character,frivolous as my pursuit of novelty may have appeared to many.Nearly the whole of my previous life having been devoted tobusiness and the pursuit of wealth, numerous scenes of which Ihad no previous conception have dawned upon me--I hope tothe enlargement of my mind, and the improvement of myunderstanding. If I have done but little good, I trust I have doneless harm, and that none of my adventures will be other than asource of amusing and pleasant recollection to me in the declineof life. God bless you all!'

With these words, Mr. Pickwick filled and drained a bumperwith a trembling hand; and his eyes moistened as his friendsrose with one accord, and pledged him from their hearts.

There were few preparatory arrangements to be made for themarriage of Mr. Snodgrass. As he had neither father nor mother,and had been in his minority a ward of Mr. Pickwick's, thatgentleman was perfectly well acquainted with his possessions andprospects. His account of both was quite satisfactory to Wardle--as almost any other account would have been, for the good oldgentleman was overflowing with Hilarity and kindness--and ahandsome portion having been bestowed upon Emily, themarriage was fixed to take place on the fourth day from that time--the suddenness of which preparations reduced three dressmakersand a tailor to the extreme verge of insanity.

Getting post-horses to the carriage, old Wardle started off,next day, to bring his mother back to town. Communicating hisintelligence to the old lady with characteristic impetuosity, sheinstantly fainted away; but being promptly revived, ordered thebrocaded silk gown to be packed up forthwith, and proceededto relate some circumstances of a similar nature attending themarriage of the eldest daughter of Lady Tollimglower, deceased,which occupied three hours in the recital, and were not halffinished at last.

Mrs. Trundle had to be informed of all the mighty preparationsthat were making in London; and, being in a delicate state ofhealth, was informed thereof through Mr. Trundle, lest the newsshould be too much for her; but it was not too much for her,inasmuch as she at once wrote off to Muggleton, to order a newcap and a black satin gown, and moreover avowed her determinationof being present at the ceremony. Hereupon, Mr.Trundle called in the doctor, and the doctor said Mrs. Trundleought to know best how she felt herself, to which Mrs. Trundlereplied that she felt herself quite equal to it, and that she hadmade up her mind to go; upon which the doctor, who was a wiseand discreet doctor, and knew what was good for himself, as wellas for other people, said that perhaps if Mrs. Trundle stopped athome, she might hurt herself more by fretting, than by going, soperhaps she had better go. And she did go; the doctor with greatattention sending in half a dozen of medicine, to be drunk uponthe road.

In addition to these points of distraction, Wardle wasintrusted with two small letters to two small young ladies whowere to act as bridesmaids; upon the receipt of which, the twoyoung ladies were driven to despair by having no 'things' ready for soimportant an occasion, and no time to make them in--a circumstancewhich appeared to afford the two worthy papas of thetwo small young ladies rather a feeling of satisfaction thanotherwise. However, old frocks were trimmed, and new bonnetsmade, and the young ladies looked as well as could possiblyhave been expected of them. And as they cried at the subsequentceremony in the proper places, and trembled at the right times,they acquitted themselves to the admiration of all beholders.How the two poor relations ever reached London--whetherthey walked, or got behind coaches, or procured lifts in wagons,or carried each other by turns--is uncertain; but there they were,before Wardle; and the very first people that knocked at the doorof Mr. Pickwick's house, on the bridal morning, were the twopoor relations, all smiles and shirt collar.

They were welcomed heartily though, for riches or poverty hadno influence on Mr. Pickwick; the new servants were all alacrityand readiness; Sam was in a most unrivalled state of high spiritsand excitement; Mary was glowing with beauty and smart ribands.

The bridegroom, who had been staying at the house for two orthree days previous, sallied forth gallantly to Dulwich Church tomeet the bride, attended by Mr. Pickwick, Ben Allen, BobSawyer, and Mr. Tupman; with Sam Weller outside, having athis button-hole a white favour, the gift of his lady-love, and cladin a new and gorgeous suit of livery invented for the occasion.They were met by the Wardles, and the Winkles, and the brideand bridesmaids, and the Trundles; and the ceremony havingbeen performed, the coaches rattled back to Mr. Pickwick's tobreakfast, where little Mr. Perker already awaited them.

Here, all the light clouds of the more solemn part of theproceedings passed away; every face shone forth joyously; andnothing was to be heard but congratulations and commendations.Everything was so beautiful! The lawn in front, the gardenbehind, the miniature conservatory, the dining-room, thedrawing-room, the bedrooms, the smoking-room, and, above all,the study, with its pictures and easy-chairs, and odd cabinets, andqueer tables, and books out of number, with a large cheerfulwindow opening upon a pleasant lawn and commanding a prettylandscape, dotted here and there with little houses almost hiddenby the trees; and then the curtains, and the carpets, and thechairs, and the sofas! Everything was so beautiful, so compact, soneat, and in such exquisite taste, said everybody, that there reallywas no deciding what to admire most.

And in the midst of all this, stood Mr. Pickwick, his countenancelighted up with smiles, which the heart of no man, woman,or child, could resist: himself the happiest of the group: shakinghands, over and over again, with the same people, and whenhis own hands were not so employed, rubbing them withpleasure: turning round in a different direction at every freshexpression of gratification or curiosity, and inspiring everybodywith his looks of gladness and delight.

Breakfast is announced. Mr. Pickwick leads the old lady (whohas been very eloquent on the subject of Lady Tollimglower) tothe top of a long table; Wardle takes the bottom; the friendsarrange themselves on either side; Sam takes his station behindhis master's chair; the laughter and talking cease; Mr. Pickwick,having said grace, pauses for an instant and looks round him.As he does so, the tears roll down his cheeks, in the fullness ofhis joy.

Let us leave our old friend in one of those moments of unmixedhappiness, of which, if we seek them, there are ever some,to cheer our transitory existence here. There are dark shadowson the earth, but its lights are stronger in the contrast. Some men,like bats or owls, have better eyes for the darkness than for thelight. We, who have no such optical powers, are better pleasedto take our last parting look at the visionary companions of manysolitary hours, when the brief sunshine of the world is blazingfull upon them.

It is the fate of most men who mingle with the world, andattain even the prime of life, to make many real friends, and losethem in the course of nature. It is the fate of all authors orchroniclers to create imaginary friends, and lose them in thecourse of art. Nor is this the full extent of their misfortunes; forthey are required to furnish an account of them besides.

In compliance with this custom--unquestionably a bad one--we subjoin a few biographical words, in relation to the partyat Mr. Pickwick's assembled.

Mr. and Mrs. Winkle, being fully received into favour by theold gentleman, were shortly afterwards installed in a newly-built house, not half a mile from Mr. Pickwick's. Mr. Winkle,being engaged in the city as agent or town correspondent of hisfather, exchanged his old costume for the ordinary dress ofEnglishmen, and presented all the external appearance of acivilised Christian ever afterwards.

Mr. and Mrs. Snodgrass settled at Dingley Dell, where theypurchased and cultivated a small farm, more for occupation thanprofit. Mr. Snodgrass, being occasionally abstracted and melancholy,is to this day reputed a great poet among his friends andacquaintance, although we do not find that he has ever writtenanything to encourage the belief. There are many celebratedcharacters, literary, philosophical, and otherwise, who hold ahigh reputation on a similar tenure.

Mr. Tupman, when his friends married, and Mr. Pickwicksettled, took lodgings at Richmond, where he has ever sinceresided. He walks constantly on the terrace during the summermonths, with a youthful and jaunty air, which has rendered himthe admiration of the numerous elderly ladies of single condition,who reside in the vicinity. He has never proposed again.

Mr. Bob Sawyer, having previously passed through theGAZETTE, passed over to Bengal, accompanied by Mr. BenjaminAllen; both gentlemen having received surgical appointmentsfrom the East India Company. They each had the yellow feverfourteen times, and then resolved to try a little abstinence; sincewhich period, they have been doing well.Mrs. Bardell let lodgings to many conversable single gentlemen,with great profit, but never brought any more actions for breachof promise of marriage. Her attorneys, Messrs. Dodson & Fogg,continue in business, from which they realise a large income, andin which they are universally considered among the sharpest ofthe sharp.

Sam Weller kept his word, and remained unmarried, for twoyears. The old housekeeper dying at the end of that time, Mr.Pickwick promoted Mary to the situation, on condition of hermarrying Mr. Weller at once, which she did without a murmur.From the circumstance of two sturdy little boys having beenrepeatedly seen at the gate of the back garden, there is reason tosuppose that Sam has some family.

The elder Mr. Weller drove a coach for twelve months, butbeing afflicted with the gout, was compelled to retire. The contentsof the pocket-book had been so well invested for him,however, by Mr. Pickwick, that he had a handsome independenceto retire on, upon which he still lives at an excellent public-housenear Shooter's Hill, where he is quite reverenced as an oracle,boasting very much of his intimacy with Mr. Pickwick, andretaining a most unconquerable aversion to widows.

Mr. Pickwick himself continued to reside in his new house,employing his leisure hours in arranging the memoranda whichhe afterwards presented to the secretary of the once famous club,or in hearing Sam Weller read aloud, with such remarks assuggested themselves to his mind, which never failed to affordMr. Pickwick great amusement. He was much troubled at first,by the numerous applications made to him by Mr. Snodgrass,Mr. Winkle, and Mr. Trundle, to act as godfather to theiroffspring; but he has become used to it now, and officiates as amatter of course. He never had occasion to regret his bounty toMr. Jingle; for both that person and Job Trotter became, in time,worthy members of society, although they have always steadilyobjected to return to the scenes of their old haunts and temptations.Mr. Pickwick is somewhat infirm now; but he retains all hisformer juvenility of spirit, and may still be frequently seen,contemplating the pictures in the Dulwich Gallery, or enjoying awalk about the pleasant neighbourhood on a fine day. He isknown by all the poor people about, who never fail to take theirhats off, as he passes, with great respect. The children idolise him,and so indeed does the whole neighbourhood. Every year herepairs to a large family merry-making at Mr. Wardle's; on this,as on all other occasions, he is invariably attended by the faithfulSam, between whom and his master there exists a steady andreciprocal attachment which nothing but death will terminate.

Title: The Pickwick Papers
Author: Charles Dickens
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