Penny Blood Serial Cover — page 35: what you’re looking at

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

Sey, ALFRED DE ROSANN. 27 ® quired La Motte, attentively observing his compa- nion’s countenance, which was flushed and heated. “ Not yet,”’ was the reply. “But I begin to think we have had enough wine. Let us retire to the salon, and take our coffee; after which we shall be fit for business.”’ La Motte could scarcely suppress a smile when he heard De Rosann talking about “his fitness for busi- ness;”’ particularly as the youth could scarcely stand upon his legs, his head being giddy, and the objects that encountered his eyes appearing to whirl round. Arrived in the drawing-room, coffee was served up on one table, and La Motte desired the domestic to place writing materials upon another. He then told the man that he and his fellow servants might retire to their respective beds, as himself and their master intended to look over some accounts, and therefore would not require their services any farther that night. The domestic cast an incredulous glance upon De Rosann ere he withdrew, persuaded in his own mind that the two gentlemen intended to celebrate a bacchanalian orgie rather than trouble their heads about figures and bills. ‘ And being ashamed that I should guess what they mean to do,”’ said he to him- self, “they think to blind me with a paltry excuse. T’o-morrow morning I shall find the pens, ink, and paper untouched.’’ ‘Thus is it that our servants and dependants are invariably the greatest spies as well as the most severe critics on our actions; and in the hour of misfortune they are unexceptionably our most malignant enemies. Instead of dispelling the fumes of wine from De Rosann’s brain, the cafe nozr only served to increase the fever of his bloods affd a glass of liqueur achieved that which the wine had begun, and which the coffee considerably assisted. De Rosann was in a complete state of ebriety; but not so far advanced as to be unable to write, although with a trembling and unsteady hand. The blank stamps were produced, and La Motte COMmcooolkxs