The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 168: what you’re looking at

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

150 REYNOLDS’ WORKS smitten with an idea, showed by the quick brightening-up of his countenance that all was not quite lost. “ What is it — what is it that you think of? ”’ demanded Ethel, with the feverish haste of suspense. Bi My father will be straight off to Makepeace, and that fellow can alone save us. Fear not, dearest, dearest Ethel.” The lady staggered half-fainting away from the window, and sank upon an ottoman, while her paramour, darting from the casement in another direction, sped in quest of Makepeace. Fortunately he encountered the valet at an angle of the building, and laying his hand upon his shoulder, he said, in a quick, excited tone, ‘‘ Five hundred guineas if you will serve me.”’ Now, as Makepeace was just the man to sell his soul to Satan for about half the sum, he was by no means the one likely to refuse such an offer as that which Lord Osmond thus made him. He accordingly returned an affirmative answer with the most zealous readiness, and Lord Osmond at once gave him the requisite explanations, vowing however that he was merely jestingly whispering something in the ear of his youthful mother-in-law, and that thus though his lips might seem suspiciously near to her countenance, it was only in the playful mood he had described, and not for the purpose of either receiving or bestowing an illicit caress. This was of course said to save Ethel’s character in the esti- mation of the valet, though Osmond might have known that the attempted explanation was far too clumsy to impose upon so astute an individual as Makepeace. The most intelligent persons, however, often stultify themselves in such peculiar circumstances, and hug the belief that the most transparent gloss thrown over particular incidents serves as a successfully enshrouding veil. So was it with Lord Osmond on this oc- casion, and Makepeace affected to receive the young noble- man’s explanations as the legitimate and veritable one. He bade Osmond be of good cheer,.and hastened off to throw himself purposely in the earl’s way. | He knew perfectly well that the old nobleman would on his own side at once seek an opportunity of unbosoming his wrongs to him (Makepeace), and therefore he hurried up into the earl’s dressing-chamber, where indeed at that hour in the morning it was his duty to lock up in the drawers all the cosmetics and the artificialities which played so considerable CE@ORnNICEOOOKS