The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 377: what you’re looking at

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

346 REYNOLDS’ WORKS eye to induce a suspicion as to its perfect propriety. We should add that the young women themselves in the work- room seem to have been chosen as much for their absence of personal charms as, we may suppose, for their skilfulness with the needle, and perhaps the door of communication between that room and the shop is intentionally left open, to convince such straight-laced lady or particular husband accompanying his wife, as those whom we have alluded to, that in every possible department of Madame Angelique’s business the females employed are of modest demeanour, as well as of an age and appearance which may defy the breath of scandal. But then, Madame Angelique’s house is a very large one, and there are floors higher than the show-rooms. Most of Madame Angelique’s customers know that she is a widow, and that only two or three of her principal dependents live on the premises. What, then, does she do with all the upper part of her spacious house? If occasionally some curi- ous old dowager or ingenuous young lady happens to put the question, Madame Angelique, with one of her most ami- able smiles, speaks of the immense stock of goods which she is constantly compelled to keep on hand, and thus promptly attributes a use and a purpose to all the up-stairs rooms which are not occupied by herself, her principal women, and her domestics. In short, the establishment of which we are speaking has the appearance and the general reputation of being one of the most respectable, as it is assuredly one of the most fashionable and best frequented, magasins des | modes to be found at the West End of London. Before we pass away to a description of her neighbours, we must say a few words of Madame Angelique herself. She is about fifty years of age, of a comely and matronly appear- ance. She is a French woman, as her rlame, her manners, and her speech indicate. Somewhat stout, she is neverthe- less bustling and active, and she thinks no trouble too great to bestow upon a customer. Indeed, her bearing is as urbane, her smile as complacent, and the expressions of her gratitude as great, toward a lady who merely drops in to buy a three and sixpenny ribbon or a half-guinea cap, as they are to another customer who leaves behind an order for a twenty-guinea dress. There is nothing obtrusive in her politeness; it is measured to the utmost nicety. She will a —- J — g rie te ™ = Gomicbooks