The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 341: what you’re looking at

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310 REYNOLDS’ WORKS Swindlehurst palm off on him for five hundred guineas a horse that would be dear at fifty. Such was Lieutenant Softly’s idea of ‘‘ life;’’ and this was the young gentleman who, having received Madame Angelique’s third billet, now came to answer it in person. We must observe that the Honourable Augustus Softly had only visited the milliner’s establishment on two former oc- casions, and each of those times Mademoiselle Armantine, the French girl, was absent for some reason or another. This Madame Angelique knew full well; she was consequently aware that the young gentleman had never as yet seen her, and hence the game which she was about to play. ‘“‘ Well, old lady,” he said, on entering the boudoir, — for he thought it mighty fine to adopt a familiar manner with Madame Angelique, and we should incidentally remark that he spoke with the languid, dissipated air and with the draw- ing-room drawl which are best approved amongst silly young men in fashionable life, — “‘ well, old lady, what on earth could have made you send to drag me out of my comfortable bed at such an unseemly hour in the morning? ”’ “Yes, it is unseemly,” exclaimed Madame Angelique, “‘ I admit it. Only four in the afternoon — in the morning, I mean. But then you see, you fashionable young gentlemen turn night into day, and day into night. Oh, it is positively shocking, you naughty fellows! ”’ ‘Why, there’s really nothing going on in the daytime,”’ said Mr. Softly, with an air of satiety and disgust. “I am sick of bowing to the same beauties in the Park, sick of lounging up Regent Street; and as for morning calls, why, we of the Guards, you know, never pay them.”’ ‘Ah! I repeat, you gentlemen of the Guards are such terrible fellows,” said Madame Angelique, with a deprecating look. ‘‘ You are enough to turn the heads of all the sweet creatures, ravish their hearts — ’”’ ‘“ Well, I flatter myself,’’ drawled out Mr. Softly, leaning affectedly back in his chair and caressing his beardless chin with an air of languid listlessness, ‘‘ we of the Guards are rather overpowering in our way.” “ You may well say that, my dear Mr. Softly, for if you only knew why I took the liberty of asking you to favour me with a call this afternoon — morning, I mean — ”’ ‘‘Some precious wickedness, I’ll be bound,’ and Mr. ECORNICLIOOKS (E(0)