Alfred; or, The Adventures of a French Gentleman — page 206: what you’re looking at

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

OF A FRENCH GENTLEMAN. 175 of whom could touch a morsel, De Rosann ate with a prodigious appetite ; and when Mr. Robson was no longer able to contain his astonishment at such an extraordinary instance of sang froid, the young man coolly observed, ‘‘ that he did not dare venture to encounter the chilly atmosphere with an empty stomach.” A smile of satisfaction played upon the countenance of Mr. Herbert, as our hero made this 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 endeavouring to swallow a piece of toast. ‘¢ My first, and perhaps my last,” answered De Rosann, attack- ing the breast of a cold fowl, which he had already despoiled of 1S WINGS. ‘The idea does not rob you of your appetite,” remarked 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 possible agitation.” ‘¢T 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 I am at this moment. He fought with a German baron —’twas at Wormwood Scrubs—” ‘¢ And what was the result?’ enquired the banker, for the sake of saying something, while his limbs shivered, and his heart palpi- tated violently, as if he himself were one of the principals. ‘¢The German was wounded in the leg, and has been lame ever since,” answered Mr. Herbert, forgetting 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. Went- worth’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 principal be not the first on the round.” ‘¢T shall wait for you here—and God preserve you, my dear boy,” exclaimed Robson, wiping away a tear. ‘‘ Now go—I need not tell you to keep up your spirits—and once more, may God bless you !”’ De Rosann endeavoured to console the excellent old man, by assurances of there being but little danger; and having suc- ceeded in restoring him to partial tranquillity, he followed Herbert down stairs, and jumped into the cabriolet that waited for him at the door. | Markham and Belle-Rose had already arrived at the place of destination, when our hero and his second descended from the ECORNICLOOKS.E©