The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 373: what you’re looking at

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

THE INTENDED HUSBAND 347 moned all her courage to her aid, and intensely eager was the look of curiosity and suspense which she now fixed upon the door toward which the prince was advancing. He opened it, beckoned the young lady’s future husband forth, and then turning quickly around as that gentleman made his appearance, exclaimed, “ Ladies, permit me to introduce Sir Rolando Tash.’’ | And our friend the captain indeed it was. Never in his own idea had he looked so blooming or so killing. His frock coat, one mass of braiding and frogging all over the breast, was pinched in at the waist to such a degree that its wearer was compelled to draw his respirations in the softest manner possible, for fear the hooks and eyes should give way. His gray military trousers had stripes of the broadest gold lace down the legs, and his boots were so brilliantly polished as to be perfect mirrors for every article of furniture in the room. Indeed, as the gallant officer bowed to the ladies as low as his tightly fitting garments would permit, he caught a glimpse of his hirsute countenance on the surface of either boot. But his hair, his mustachios, his imperial, and his whiskers — heavens! who can describe their mag- nificence? He would have made the fortune of any perru- quier in the Burlington Arcade by merely standing in the shop-window for a single half-hour each day. To do the captain full justice, however, all his hair was his own, and no pains had been spared to give it the richest gloss which bear’s grease could impart, and the finest twist that curling- irons could produce. He wore a pair of dove-coloured gloves, and instead of one gold chain festooning over the outside of his coat, he wore two. The end of an embroidered cambric handkerchief peeped out of his pocket behind, and, to close our description, we must not forget to observe that he was as highly perfumed as if he had just been imported from those lands which are said to abound in myrrh, aloes, and cassia. He was known by sight to both the ladies, and he knew them also, for when watching at the Green Dragon, as described in the earliest chapters of our history, he had seen the ladies at Acacia Cottage, and the ladies had seen him coming in and out of the Green Dragon aforesaid. So that when the prince had mentioned to him who the frail maid of honour was for whom a husband was required, Sir Ro- (C(O) nn) GDoOo <Si in