The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 96: what you’re looking at

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

CHAPTER VII ANOTHER PHASE OF FASHIONABLE DEPRAVITY CuiEAR, bright. and beautiful was the Sunday morning, as Jocelyn Loftus issued from the Hotel Meurice and bent his way to the shady avenues of the Champs Elysées. This beautiful resort was not above ten minutes’ walk from the hotel; and on reaching the central avenue, Jocelyn was almost instantaneously joined by Emma Owen. ‘Where is your sister?’ he inquired, with a somewhat serious air; for on finding that she was alone, his misgivings of the preceding night returned with double force to his breast. ‘“She was so long in dressing that I feared to be late,”’ responded Emma, with an air of frank sincerity; “ and as we breakfast at nine, you know, there was not a minute to spare.” “We will at once, then, proceed to the object of our inter- view,” said Jocelyn, offering his arm to the young lady, and leading her gently along the avenue. We must here pause to observe that on the Sunday morn- ing in those times, as well as at the present day, large numbers of the working classes were in the habit of proceeding early to the villages in the suburbs of Paris to pass the day in dancing, rambling in the woods, water excursions, picnics, and other innocent recreations. There was scarcely a Sunday without a ducasse, or fair, in one of these suburban villages; and the Champs Elysées were always sure to be thronged in the morning with the pleasure-seekers repairing to the scenes of their amusement. Such was the case on the present occasion; and it was evidently impossible to pursue a serious and uninterrupted discourse in the central road of the Champs Elysées. Jocelyn was therefore compelled to con- 79 CORIICLOO© Ss (S(O)