The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 343: what you’re looking at

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

326 THE COURT OF LONDON aristocrat, — who, by the bye, beats all the rest of humanity on the score of utter heartlessness, — was suddenly inter- rupted by the entrance of the waiter, who presented a note to the Earl of Curzon and then immediately retired. ‘A lady’s hand! a sweet, beautiful hand! ” ejaculated the nobleman, as he took up the billet. “From the Owens? ”’ demanded the colonel, eagerly. “No doubt of it,’? was his lordship’s reply. ‘‘ Who else could write to us in Geneva? ”’ Thus speaking, he broke the seal and glanced his eyes over the note. Then tossing it across the table, he observed, with a self-satisfied air, “‘ To be sure! Did I not tell you how it would be? ”’ . Malpas hastened to read the billet, the laconic contents of which ran as follows: “Emma and Julia, having maturely considered the re-. quest proffered by Colonel Malpas and the Earl of Curzon, and deeming it right to give them an opportunity of explaining their conduct, will meet them at half-past nine o’clock precisely by the jetty on the border of the lake.’ “ Brief enough,’ said Malpas, ‘‘ but explicit as_ brief. What say you? Shall we stroll thitherward at once? ”’ “By all means,’ answered Curzon. ‘‘ I am anxious to get the business over and my mission fulfilled as soon as possible. Depend upon it, I do not intend to dally for as many days as I did weeks on the previous occasion aiter my fair Julia. I shall tell her my mind as plain as possi- ble, according to my instructions, and have done with it.” “And I shall pursue the same course with regard to Emma,” said Malpas, ‘‘ because I mean to travel into Italy and thence pass tip the Mediterranean to Turkey — ”’ “ Well, never mind your future plans,’ interrupted the earl. ‘‘ Let us go forth and attend to present occupations. ” Having lighted their cigars, Lord Curzon and Colonel Malpas issued from the hotel and sauntered through the streets toward the lake, so regulating their walk according to the time that they reached the jetty about five minutes to the half-hour. The night was beautiful. The sky was of a purply azure, studded with many a twinkling star, for the mist common to that clime and spot aiter sunset had only just begun to a eas CORNICE KS (E(0) im