The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 147: what you’re looking at

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

150 REYNOLDS’ WORKS this, for she no doubt at once saw a rich harvest of bribcs for herself. So we pretty soon began to understand each other. She told me that her mistress belongs to the opera — “ To be sure, 1 knew that already,’ exclaimed Saxondale. “ But still I am glad to find the thing confirmed in this way, and that it is really she who does lies there, so that ther: can be no mistake about it. But goon. What next did the maid tell you about her charming mistress? ” ‘In the first place, that she sees very little company,” continued the woman, “ only a few friends connected with the opera; that she regularly walks out in the fields every morning when it is fine, immediately after breakfast, some- times alone, but generally attended by her maid.” “Ah, and at what o’clock is that? ’’ demanded Saxondale, impatiently. ‘““ Between nine and ten o’clock,’ replied the woman, “ quite in the cool of the morning.” “ Capital! ’’ ejaculated Edmund. “ I will throw myself in the way of my fair one to-morrow. Have you got the disguise? ’’ he asked, eagerly. ‘Yes, here it 1s,’’ responded the woman, as she pointed to a large brown paper parcel. ‘‘ The maid is already initiated with respect to your intentions, and she will not fail to draw the notice of her young mistress to you in your mechanic’s dress. Oh, I warrant you she will know how to manage the thing cleverly enough, bidding her mistress observe what a genteel, elegant-looking young fellow it is for a working man.” ‘“ Nothing can be better,’ exclaimed Saxondale, rubbing his hands together joyfully with the anticipations of success. ‘“ T tell you what I think I shall do. I shall go up to the tavern, pass the night there, and come back here early in the morning to put on the artisan dress — ”’ “And stand the risk of being recognized by the people of the tavern,” interrupted the woman, “ so that it will get spread all over the place, like wildfire, that there’s a young gentleman going about sometimes in the clothing suitable to his station, ae at others in a humble garb. Thus you will be watched and dogged and have all your motions pried into, so that all hope of carrying out your romantic plan will be effectually destroyed.” CONNIE OO KS (E(0)