The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 72: what you’re looking at

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

THE OPERA BOX 50 where [ was just now seated in the pit, I observed somebody near me pointing out to another which was Lord Harold Staunton’s box. So, happening to have the letters about me, I thought I would step around and present them.”’ “ Any friend of our uncle,” said Florina, “is most wel- come.” “To be sure, most welcome,’ echoed Lord Harold, but not seeming as if he thought so. Indeed, from the very instant that he beheld Mr. Gunthorpe, he had conceived a prejudice against him. ‘“‘ Here are the letters,” said the old gentleman, producing a couple, and presenting one to Lord Harold and one to Lady Florina. ‘‘ And here is one,’ he added, drawing forth a third from his immense pocketbook, which was literally plethoric with papers, ‘ that I suppose I had better entrust to your ladyship, as it 1s for your aunt, Lady Macdonald.”’ “TI will take care and give it to my aunt the moment I return home,” said Florina, in the same courteous and affable manner as before. ‘ Where are you staying, Mr. Gunthorpe? ”’ asked Harold. “ For I will do myself the pleasure of calling upon you.” ‘‘T have put up at the Bell and Crown, Holborn,”’ replied Mr. Gunthorpe. Lord Harold Staunton became suddenly aghast, and Lord Saxondale laughed outright. Nothing could be more terrible to the exquisite aristocratic refinement of Lord Harold than being compelled to know a man who “ put up,’ as he called it, at such a vulgar out-of-the-way place as the Bell -and Crown, Holborn. Harold felt positively little; it seemed to him as if the whole house had heard that ominous an- nouncement of the Bell and Crown, Holborn, and the mis- chievous pleasure which young Saxondale evidently derived from the circumstance only increased Lord Harold’s vexa- tion and confusion. “Where did you say, my dear sir?”’ asked Saxondale, with an impudent leer. ‘ For I don’t think her ladyship,”’ alluding to Florina, “ understood you.” “Indeed, but I did, perfectly well,’ said the amiable young lady, endeavouring to make up by an increased affability for the rudeness with which the old gentleman was being treated, “‘ and I shall not forget the address, so as not only to remind my brother that he is to call upon eonnieclooks (C(O)