The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 241: what you’re looking at

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

224 THE COURT OF LONDON lady lodger. Another will be here presently, recommended to me also from the very same hotel where I had the honour of first forming your acquaintance. I have explained to her that I have a gentleman lodging in my house,” added the doctor, turning toward Loitus as he thus spoke, ‘‘ and she has made no objection.’’ “Tam glad for your sake, madam,” said our hero, address- ing himself to Mrs. Roberts, “that you will thus have a companion.” ‘And a very agreeable one, too, I fancy,’ cried Doctor Maravelli. “She is a tellow countrywoman of yours, a thorough lady, beautiful in person, fascinating in manners, and with one oi the sweetest voices I ever heard in my life.’’ ‘At all events, you are drawing a charming picture, doctor,’’ said Mrs. Roberts, forcing herself to smile, for she never chose to appear too unhappy in Maravelli’s presence. ‘’ Perhaps you will have the kindness, my dear madam,’ continued the doctor, “‘ to receive the lady when she comes. I think it always better that a stranger should be met in the first instance by one of her own sex, and that they should also be left alone together for a few hours, so that they may become well acquainted and get on a friendly kind of footing with each other. Perhaps, therefore, madam,” he added, ‘““you and Mrs. Montague — for that is the name the lady chooses to be known by — will pass the remainder of the day alone together in the drawing-room, while Mr. Loftus and I take our dinner and wine /éte-d-iéte, as we did yesterday, at the village inn.”’ The suggestions of Doctor Maravelli were at once agreed to, and Jocelyn was accordingly prevented for the remainder ) of that day from finding an opportunity of renewing his | private ‘conversation with Mrs. Roberts. The interval till dinner-time he passed in his own chamber, reading some books which the doctor lent him; and when at five in the evening he was summoned to the dining-room, he learned from the physician that Mrs. Montague had duly arrived, accompanied by her lady’s-maid, in the course of the aiter- noon, and that she was with Mrs. Roberts in the drawing- room. Loftus sat an hour with the doctor at table, and then returned to his books to while away another three hours until it was dusk. This was at about nine o’clock, at which hour GOMiGcdooks