Alfred de Rosann — page 160: what you’re looking at

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

ALFRED DE ROSANN. 15i ton, and I by Calais, thence direct to London ; con- sequently I arrived before him only a few hours.”’ “TY expect him at St. Malo in a day or two,” ob- served Mr. Clayton. “ He would doubtless have been here already, had not the tempestuous weather most probably detained him at Southamptom, by which town he intended to return, according to the contents of the last letter I received from him.”’ ‘‘ He has left a sad heart behind him,’’ said Belle- Rose, affecting a melancholy tone. ‘ Poor Selina Robson ! she doted upon our friend with as sincere an affection as woman can demonstrate towards man.” ‘What! did M. De Rosann make a conquest amongst my fair countrywomen ?”’ exclaimed Mr. Clayton. “ Their love was reciprocal,’’ returned Belle-Rose. “De Rosann himself has assured me of their mutual attachment. He wore a lock of her hair next to his heart—he passed his days in her society, and his nights in dreaming of her: whérever Miss Selina Robson was, you might be sure Alfred was not far off. At every ball they danced together six or seven guadrilles consecutively; they walked out alone in the parks; they wrote long letters to each other, although they met every morning, and separated only in the evening—” | «This is most singular !” cried Mr. Clayton, be- coming considerably interested in the lying narrative which Belle-Rose, who was totally ignorant of De Rosann’s attachment for Eloise, invented as he told it, according to his usual system of exaggeration, without any decided aim, save that of pretending to have an intimate knowledge of the affairs of others, ‘and to laugh at the eredulity of his attentive listeners behind their backs. “Oh! yes—-I assure you, that in the fashionable circles of the West-end nothing was heard nor spoken of save the handsome young Frenchman and the rich banker’s daughter.” “« Ah! she was a rich banker’s daughter, eh °”’ said (E00) nOOLKS =) a (E©)