Alfred de Rosann — page 113: what you’re looking at

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

104 ALFRED DE ROSANN. impossible, M. Champignon, that such titles can exist!’’ ) “If they do not exist in the Chamber of Peers, I have heard them mentioned elsewhere,’”’ said Cham- pignon, not at all discomfited by this attack on the veracity of his list. r ‘¢ Where, in the name of God?” cried Mr. Clayton. « At the galleys,’’ answered the gastronomer, drily. ‘It was there you met M. De Rosann, I suppose,”’ exclaimed Mrs. Clayton, with a contemptuous sneer, while the unkind remark cut Eloise to the soul. Mr. Clayton noticed the effect it produced upon his niece, and hastened to get rid of Champignon, who had commenced a long explanation relative to the kind- ness of the convicts in promising to become pur- chasers of shares, and the use he made of these names and nick-names, some of which latter were titles, to ornament his list’ Mr. Clayton cut him short, by promising to send his prospectus to De Rosann, and at length succeeded in conducting him as far as the street, where the gastronomer turned round, made two or three very low bows, and took his leave of Mr. Clayton with a thousand thanks for his kindness. “¢ Hloise, my love,” said the kind uncle, when he had once more returned to the drawing-room, “I met this morning the interesting girl that you so particu- larly admired as a songstress the other day, and who sung Orlando’s song so sweetly. She was _ better dressed than before, and was walking with a middle- aged peasant, who appeared to be her father. The sight of her put me in mind of the happy times when you and De Rosann were accustomed to mingle your voices together, and wile away many an hour with music.’’ “You do not think Eloise has renounced singing for ever, do you, William?” cried Mrs. Clayton some- what angrily, as the name of De Rosann invariably ealled forth some harsh expression from her lips, al- though her usual manners were gentleness and benevo- lence in the extreme, and her ordinary behaviour towards her daughter kind and affectionate. EORNICGLOOKS.€O