The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 126: what you’re looking at

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

THE BANQUET 107 lawney — Mrs. Sackville, I mean — in a frightful manner. My hair, though well oiled and curling naturally, stood on end. He told her that unless she yielded to his wishes, he would persecute her by all manner of means, destroy her reputation, whisper to one and breathe in the ears of another that she was his mistress, ay, and even forge letters with her name appended, to prove his tale. He gave her two weeks to deliberate — ” “Enough, Captain Tash,” said Lord Leveson. ‘ I think,” he added, glancing around the table, “ that we need not allow Mrs. Sackville’s ears to be offended with a further recapitulation of these atrocities.” ‘Certainly not,’’ exclaimed the prince regent, red with indignation. “Sit down, Tash, like a good fellow, and drink your wine.”’ ‘ Here’s a bumper, then, to your Royal Highness,” said the captain, refilling his tumbler and tossing off the contents. ** And inasmuch as my lord marquis is an excellent chair- man, I drink a bumper to him also,” suiting the action to the word. ‘‘ And forasmuch as we have a beautiful lady present, I drink a bumper to her health in particular and that of the sex in general, for I don’t know what the devil we should do without them.” Then, having drained the tumbler and refilling it, he observed, ‘‘ But it would be bad manners on my part not to drink to the other lords and gentlemen present — ”’ How long Captain Tash would have gone on with his succession of bumpers and healths, it is difficult to say; but he was suddenly interrupted by the entrance of Robin, leading in Mrs. Gale of Soho Square. A half-stifled groan now burst from the lips of Colonel Malpas, who saw that no chance remained for him, but that every available incident had been pressed into the service of his opponents. Discomfited, crushed, almost annihilated, he sat ghastly and trembling in his chair, unable to speak a word, a wretched, wretched example of mingled guilt, cowardice, and despair. Mrs. Gale was evidently much frightened at being brought into the presence of this formidable conclave; and Robin whispered to Captain Tash that if he had not menaced her with a constable, she would not have come at all. She now confessed, after some hesitation, and with many prayers LOOKS (A) COUN (CO)