The Mysteries of the Court of London by Pauline Clarendon — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

10 THE COURT OF LONDON reply was given in the affirmative; and the functionary de- parted with his feelings considerably relieved by the assur- ance —for he had begun to fancy that something had oc- curred to annoy one of his master’s best customers. On his return with the hot toddy, the waiter found Mr. Page gazing with painful earnestness upon the strange gentle- man, who, still unconscious of the attention which his pres- ence thus excited, was now listlessly sipping his rum punch and looking up in a vacant manner at a picture of a sea-fight suspended between the windows. “ John,” said the commercial traveller, in a low and scarcely audible tone, as he mysteriously beckoned the waiter close up to him; then, casting a furtive glance toward the stranger, he demanded laconically, “‘ Who is that gentle- man? ”’ | “ T really don’t know, sir,” was the reply, also delivered in a whisper. “‘ But master seemed to recognize him when he ordered his rum punch at the bar.” “Then go and ask your master who he 1s, John,’’ responded Mr. Page. The waiter glided out of the room with the quick and noiseless step peculiar to his fraternity; and the commercial traveller said to himself, as he stirred his whiskey toddy, “Now I shall have all my doubts cleared up — or my sus- picions confirmed.” But Mr. Page was doomed to experience disappointment, and to be plunged back into the bewilderment from which he sought to emancipate himself; for the waiter returned with a solemn countenance; and while affecting to be busily en- gaged in poking the fire, — as the stranger was now looking in that direction, — he said in a low and mysterious whisper, ‘““ Please, sir, master told me to mind my own business and not ask impertinent questions.” “Then it must be as I thought!’’ murmured Mr. Page; and he mechanically turned round to take another survey of the object of his attention, when he encountered the steady and almost haughty gaze of that gentleman’s full blue eyes. The commercial traveller quailed beneath the look, in which there was something so confident, proud, and self-sufficient that all the man’s doubts again sprung up in his mind, and with renewed force; for he thought within himself, “‘ That is not the air of a guilty person! ” CONNIE OOO KS (Elo) m