The Mysteries of the Court of London Vol. 7 — page 189: what you’re looking at

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

. GER, ee eee ewe Ege Ue —_ TL EEE LEE EE Oe epee sey ~2 ee_aeee. — ee ee ee 8 Oe © eee eee ee eee, ee oe ‘mena —_s be ne 176 THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT, on a= aa a a AER Ras Ga me Ya: “ Having only been here a few days,” responded ; is the invariable maxim of honest Ike Shadbolt Madame Angelique, “I cannot as yet say much | —and it is one to be followed by all sensible about it: but I have every reason to believe that | people ” I shall like it.” “What do you mean?” asked Madame Ange- “Well, I think I am a little too early for | lique. “Of course you cannot suppose——” lunch,” said Mr. Shadbolt, taking «a gold watch; “That I am to prey upon your purse P” inter- from his pocket: “so we will havea little chat | rupted Mr. Shadbolt. “Certainly not! Ah! you upon business before the tray is brought up.” see that I understood what was passing in your “What business can you have to talk to me| mind. But come—don’t be alarmed !—it is all upon P” inquired Madame Angelique. ‘Now that | fair and above-board. Do you not recollect that those girls are fully disposed of———” when you were going to give up the millinery “Ah! was not all that capitally managed?” | establishment, I eaid I would put you up to ejaculated Shadbolt, with a loud hilarious laugh. | making a little money in other ways-———” “That was my idea-~and it was I also who found | “I reoullect perfectly,” answered Madame An. Certwright to carry out the business.” - gelique: “but [ thought when we had accom- “Yes—there is no denying that the affair was | plished all those things in respect to Armantine, capitally managed,’ said Madame Angehque. ; Eglantine, and Lioda——” “ But-———" “That my inventive genius was exhausted P ‘Ah! Cartwright is a clever fellow—is be not P’ | Nothing of the sort! It only shows how little proceeded the visitor. “In some respects he beats | you really know of honest Ike Shadbolt. Bless honest Ike Shadbolt. Only think of that young | you, my dear madam! I am up-to a trick or two fool Augustus Softly marrying Armantvae, and |I can assure you:”—and he winked most kuow- being so eager to display the certificate to Cart. | ingly. wright the next time he called——” “Well, what do you mean ?” asked the French- “Well, Armantine ie excellently provided for— | woman impatiently. “I wish you would come to at least for the present,” observell Madame An- | the point.” gelique. “She will of course ruin Softly in pro-| “ During your time,” proceeded Mr. Shadbolt, ” —"I mean while you have been in business, you have been enabled to oblige countless numbers of great and wealthy persons, both male and female. IT mean, in plain terms, that many lords, ladies, and gentlefolke, have seen the interior of your private rooms at the fashionable establishinent which you have just given up——ch?”’ “To be sure,” said Madame Angelique. “ And what then P—what do you mean me to undrr- oess of tine—— ' “Oh! that’s a matter of course!” ejaculated Shadbolt, with another hilarious laugh. “ But I’m sure I don’t know which to admire most,— the way in which Cartwright managed with that fool Softly in respect to Armantine—or tho man- ner in which he dealt with old Lord Weubam in respect to Kglantine. At all events we have dono well for the two girls. Armantine is married to an Honourable—Eglantine to a Lord. And as | stand for Linda—she is happy enough with Cartwright | “You shall evon see,” continued her visitor ; himeclf. Ah! but you should have seen that | “and then you will form a still higher opinion of miserable fellow Choker’s countenance when [ per- | your obedient humble servant, Isaac Shadbolt, sonated Mr. Downy of ‘the firm of Catchflat,! Esquire. Please to listen attentively, At.this Sharply, Rumrig, and Co. " fashionable house of your’s there have been wives “T have no doubt of it,” said Madame An-| who did not ce: there to meet their hua‘ and. — gelique, rather impatiently: “bu¢é we have dis-| and there have been unmarried ladies who did not cuseed all these subjects before.” ‘| afterwards marty the lovers whom they met there, * Yes—and we have divided the spoil too,” ex- | but who have since been conducted to the altar by claimed Mr. Shadbolt with a laugh. “I must | credulous ones who little suspected their antece- say that Armantine came down very handsome | dents. Is not all this true?” with five hundred pounds the momeht she had| ‘Very true,” responded Madame Angelique. married Softly—and Kglantine with five hundred | “And now I see what you are driving at——” also when she became Lady Wenham. But it was{ “Stop! let me finish, and we will debate upon also generous on our part to let Cartwright keep | the subject. You must be aware, with a little re- all he got by Linda for himself,—you and me re- | flection, that in having accommodated so many maining content with five hundred apiece—the | different ladies and gentlemen, you established very identical sume we got from the girla——I | evorlasting claims upon their gratitude—and which suppose we must now call them the Hon. Mrs.| claims, my dear madam,” added Shadbolt signi- Softly and Lady Wenham. Nothing like speaking | ficantly, “they will not dare to ignore. I tell you respectfully of ladies in high condition !’"—aad | what you must do. Just make out a list of sume again Mr, Ieaac Shadbolt laughed hilariously. ten or a dozen of the ladies who are thus indebted “ And you have made a geod use of your share | to you, 60 that we may hold a committee of ways of the money, as well 9+ ‘of all the other little | and means and vote the amount which each lady emoluments you have d6rived from your acquaint: | is to contribute to our treasury. Then I tell you ance with me:”—and as Madame Angelique thue i how we'd manage it. You shall write a sweet spoke, she slowly surveyed the well-dressed, gem- pretty little note —pink paper—scented—folded bedinened persun of Mr/ Shadbult. into three-cornered shape—and all that sort of “To be sure, to be sure!” said this individual, | thing; and you qill say in each note something to somplacently playing with the watch chain which | the following effect: —‘ Madame Angelique, having festooned over his silk waistcoat. “But now to | retired from business, respectfully solicits the ear- business! I¢ is my intention to make hay while | liest convenient settlement of Lady Sv-and-Bo’s the ean shines—etrike while the iron is hot: that, acoount—474U., as per bill delivered. Madame COMIC OOO© SS (CO)