The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 382: what you’re looking at

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

THE TWO NEIGHBOURING HOUSES dol “Oh, if that is the sort of welcome you have in store for me,’ said Marchmont, “‘ pray let it be given at once.” Thereupon Miss Lettice folded him in her embrace; Mademoiselle Armantine was the next to dispense her ca- resses, and though the German girl came last, yet she held him longest in her arms. “And now, my fair ones,’ exclaimed the duke, laughing with the air of a man who purposely sought this kind of society for the purpose of escaping from more serious, and perhaps unpleasant reflections, ‘‘ let us have champagne and fruit, and we will pass a merry evening together. But first of all I must have a few words with Madame Angelique, and in private too. I have something of importance to speak to her about.” ; ‘You know where to find her,” said Lettice; ‘she is in her own room at this moment. Go quick, Marchmont, and if you remain too long, we will all four come in a body,: armed with champagne-bottles, and with forced fruit as missiles, to drive you back as our captive.” ‘Chains of festooning flowers should not be omitted from the implements of your coercion,” answered the duke, forcing himself to speak in a gay manner, though, as he opened a door opposite the mysteriously contrived mirror, he could scarcely keep back a sigh which rose up into his very throat. Closing the door behind him, he traversed the well-car- peted passage, and tapped at another door on the same story. The well-known voice of Madame Angelique bade him enter, and he found her seated at table with none other than her neighbour M. Bertin. There was an exquisite supper upon the table, — a repast consisting of succulent French delicacies, served up on silver plate, and flanked with bottles of champagne, Burgundy, and Bordeaux. The room was a small one, but furnished in the most luxurious manner. It was madame’s boudoir, and a door facing the one by which the duke had entered communicated with her bed- chamber. M. Bertin rose and bowed obsequiously, but Madame Angelique contented herself with a half-courteous, half-familiar smile, at the same time indicating a chair. | ‘“‘T am sorry to disturb you, my dear madam, in the midst of so agreeable a ¢éte-d-téte,”’ said the duke, speaking in the French tongue, with which he was perfectly conver- ¢om (@) Dooks (E(@)