The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 106: what you’re looking at

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

90 THE COURT OF LONDON my oath something queer’s going to happen, for I am certain that fellow was a sheriff’s officer who called this morning to ask if the colonel was in town. And by the bye, I forgot to tell master of it; but no matter. To-morrow will be time enough.”’ Thus mused Mr. Plumpstead, the butler, while the colonel ascended the well-lighted staircase to the drawing-room. There he surveyed himself from head to foot in one of the handsome mirrors; and as he caressed his moustache, he complacently observed, “‘ Well, I certainly am good-looking enough to win the favours of even such a transcendent beauty as Venetia Trelawney.”’ But still the colonel was not altogether easy in his mind. To speak more plainly still, he was restless, nervous, and agitated. It was true that he had succeeded in persuading his wife to pay a visit for the occasion to her plebeian relatives in the City, —for be it remembered that he had married the daughter of a retired butcher, — and he had also managed to get the money to provide the sumptuous banquet about to take place. But the satisfaction arising from these achievements was more than counterbalanced by the des- perate hazards and risks he was about to run, and into which his desperate circumstances had impelled him. In fact, he was knave enough to concoct any villainy; but he was somewhat deficient in the courage necessary to carry it out. Therefore, the nearer the hour approached for executing the scheme on which he was bent, the more nervous did he become. } In addition to this, Emmerson had compelled him to sign a note of hand, payable on demand, for the amount of the forged bills. This note was given on the morning alter the scene with Lady Curzon at Mrs. Gale’s; thus a fortnight had elapsed, and the note was still unpaid. Two or three days previous to the evening of which we are now writing, Malpas received an urgent and indeed threatening letter from Mr. Emmerson; but he had written to put the bill- broker off with a solemn assurance to liquidate the whole sum in the course of the week. His only hope of paying the amount existed in the result of the scheme which he had now in hand, and in furtherance of which the banquet was to be given, and if this scheme should fail, utter ruin would stare him in the face, with the CONNIE DOO KS (E(0) m