The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 243: what you’re looking at

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

226 THE COURT OF LONDON upon his hills, and the ten thousand sheep that fed upon his pastures. So of course it was all right again. Well, at the beginning of this week I took him up once more; and it happened to be the very selfsame judge as on the two former occasions. ‘ Now, sir, what are you?’ asked his lordship, so polite and civil as if he no more saw through the dodge than the babe unborn. ‘I am an Oporto wine-mer- chant, my lud,’ replied the dog-fancier, coolly; and he went on to describe how he had got fifty pipes of port wine in the Channel Islands, ready for the English market, and how he had already refused sixty guineas apiece for them. Of course he was accepted; and so you see, Colonel Malpas, that I am pretty successful in the bail that I take up. In fact, I can give you plenty of references to prove that I am the best straw bail agent in London. And now, with your permis- sion, I’ll ring the bell for another pint of wine.” No sooner said than done; the wine was brought, and while Mr. Joshua Jenkins discussed it, the bargain was confirmed relative to the bail by the colonel paying twenty guineas down and agreeing to deposit eighty more in the hands of the master of the coffee-house, to be duly handed over to Mr. Jenkins aforesaid on the bail passing the scrutiny of the judge. Mr. Jenkins then took his leave; and Colonel Malpas remained for a short time alone, to ponder over the singular statements he had heard trom the lips of the lawyer. But in a few minutes the door was suddenly burst open, and five or six individuals, of shabby-genteel appearance, rushed one upon the heels of another into the wine-room. They evidently thought that this noisy and unceremonious mode of entrance was highly diverting, for they laughed boisterously as they flung themselves upon the benches at the table nearest to that where the colonel was sitting: Almost immediately afterward the waiter made his ap- pearance, saying, ‘“ Now, genelmen, give your orders,’’ but in a tone which showed that he did not highly admire his customers. “Well, what shall it be?’ cried one, appealing to his companions. “Oh, glasses of negus around,” said another. ‘“ There are six of us. Come, waiter, half a dozen glasses of negus. Look sharp! ”’ Gomichooks co