alarm and amusement of his friends. He did not, however, hasten
back to London, but accepted Mr. Wardle's invitation to a shooting
party in the neighbourhood, where he again involved himself in a
further misadventure.

[illustration: The Angel Hotel, Bury St. Edmunds. Drawn by
C. G. Harper]

Now all these little untoward events happened whilst Mr. Pickwick
was staying at the "Angel," and. not only have they caused much
amusement to the readers of the book, but incidentally have added
fame and importance to the "Angel" at Bury to such an extent
that the faithful reader of Pickwick who finds himself in the
neighbourhood would no more think of passing the "Angel" than
would the pilgrim to the town omit visiting the famous abbey.
He will find the hotel little altered since the day when Mr.
Pickwick visited it, either as regards its old-time atmosphere
or its Victorian hospitality.

It is a very plain and severe-looking building from the outside,
suggesting a gigantic doll's house with real steps up to the
front door all complete. Although it does not look as inspiring
on approaching it as most Dickensian inns do, its interior,
nevertheless, makes up in comfort what its exterior lacks
in picturesqueness.

It has stood since 1779 and occupies the site of three ancient inns
known at the time as the "Angel," the "Castle" and the "White
Bear," respectively. In such an ancient town as Bury St. Edmunds,
with so many years behind it, the "Angel" could tell a story worth