Alfred de Rosann — page 103: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

94 ALFRED DE ROSANN. remark; for he could not help feeling a momentary pride in the courage of his principal. “This is your first affair of honour,”’ said the banker, addressing his youthful friend, and vainly endeavour- ing to swallow a piece of toast. | “My first, and perhaps my last,’? answered De Rosann, attacking the breast of a cold fowl, which he had already despoiled of its wings. ‘¢The idea does not rob you of your appetite,”’ re- marked Mr. Herbert. ‘I was engaged as second to a noble lord about six weeks ago,’? he continued ; ‘and while I took a cup of tea at the breakfast table, he walked up and down the room in the greatest pos- _ sible agitation.” “I do not wonder at his emotion,” cried the banker, scarcely able to repress a shudder. ‘¢ And perhaps he was not a coward after all,’’ said De Rosann, helping himself to some cold pigeon-pie and a huge slice of bread. “ No—on the contrary,’’ returned Mr. Herbert, “ when we arrived upon the ground, he was as cool as lam at this moment. He fought with a German baron—’twas at Wormwood Scrubs—’’ “ And what was the result !’? inquired the banker, for the sake of saying something, while his limbs shivered, and his heart palpitated violently, as if he himself were one of the principals. “The German was wounded in the leg, and he has been lame ever since,’’ answered Mr. Herbert, for- getting that this information could not sound very consolatory to the ears of a nervous person, about to engage in an affair of honour. | ‘““ He was pointed out to me the night before last, at Mrs. Wentworth’s ball,’? remarked De Rosann, as he commenced a second attack on the pigeon pie, to the astonishment of Mr. Robson. “ Allow me to inform you, that we have not ten minutes to spare, M. De Rosann,” cried his second ; “I always like to be punctual, even if I and my prin- -elpal be not the first on the ground.” JOOKS, GoM = (Q) (C@)