The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 313: what you’re looking at

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

282 REYNOLDS’ WORKS about to go off in a fit, Mr. Shadbolt very considerately filled a glass with wine and held it to her lips; but as she only shook her head impatiently, and waved him off, he drank it himself, coolly observing “ that it was a pity it should be wasted.” ‘What, in the name of Heaven, am I to do?” cried Madame Angelique, wringing her hands. ‘‘ Do advise me, Mr. Shadbolt. You will find I shall be grateful. What am I todo? Shall I send off the young ladies at once? Shall I shut up the house? I have already thought of all this, but — ”’ ‘“‘ Look here, ma’am,”’ said the officer, “‘ be calm and cool, we will discuss the matter quietly and comfortably, and I dare say you can get out of the business pleasantly enough in the long run.” ‘“ Ah!” said Madame Angelique, with a long sigh of relief, “ T thought you would not leave me to be sent to prison — to be ruined — ”’ ‘“ Not a bit of it!’’ ejaculated Shadbolt. ‘‘ Answer me a question or two. I suppose you are pretty warm, — I mean you have got plenty of money, — and if you was to cut this business you wouldn’t quite have to go into the workhouse? Come, ma’am, tell the truth,’”’ added the officer, seeing that she hesitated how to reply. ‘ Tell the truth, I say, if you want the advice of honest Ike Shadbolt.” ‘“‘ Well, then,’’ responded the Frenchwoman, “ I certainly could retire from business with a tolerable competency if I chose, and indeed I had some thoughts of doing so after your previous visit. Only “Only what? ”’ uate Shadbolt. ‘“ Only I fancied,” added Madame Jeeta “ that I was the object of such bitter persecution on the part of that lady at Bayswater whom you and I spoke about that she would pursue me wherever I went, and that it therefore little mat- tered where I might be or what I did, for that it would always come to the same thing, — I mean that I should ever have to stand on the defensive against her.”’ While Madame Angelique was thus sicalcan Shadbolt passed his hand slowly across his forehead with the air of one who was reflecting in a sort of half-bewilderment, and who was striving to collect his ideas. ‘What lady at Bayswater? ”’ he at length said. ECORMICLIOO KS (E(0)