The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 342: what you’re looking at

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

MADAME ANGELIQUEH’S THREE BILLETS 311 Softly condescended to give forth a slight laugh, which corre- sponded amazingly well with his drawing-room drawl. ‘“ Wickedness indeed, you naughty good-for-nothing fel- low! ”’ responded the wily woman, shaking her finger at her intended victim. ‘‘ Here is the sweetest, loveliest, young French girl, who has only been in keeping with the Duke of Marchmont for two months, at the rate of a hundred guineas a week, and who has left him, positively and actually left his Grace, all through you.”’ “Through me, old lady?” said Augustus, running his fingers through his limp light hair, which hung in what are called rat’s tails over his ears. ‘‘ What the devil do you mean? ”’ ‘“T mean that she went to see the Guards parade the other day, and she came running off to me, — for I am her mil- liner, you must know, — to ask if I could tell her who was that duck of a young officer. And then she described you.”’ ‘““ How delicious, — positively delicious! ’’ said Mr. Softly, chuckling and rubbing his hands. ‘“I knew whom she meant in a moment,’’ continued Ma- dame Angelique, ‘‘ because when she said that she alluded to the handsomest, the genteelest, and yet the most military- looking of all the young officers, I was perfectly well aware whom she was speaking of; and when I told her that I had the honour of your acquaintance, she nearly fainted with joy, and she vowed that she could be happier with you on fifty suineas a week than with his Grace of Marchmont on two hundred.”’ “ Why, this is as good as a romance! ”’ exclaimed the de- lighted and credulous Augustus. ‘“ Quite as good,’’ answered Madame Angelique, and she no doubt thought precisely what she said. ‘‘ Only conceive, my dear Softly, the honour, the fame, and the glory of run- ning off with a duke’s mistress. Why, it is better than run- ning off with his wife, because a man of the world is always more sensitive in respect to his mistress than he is to his wife. How you will be spoken about! What a noise you will make, what a sensation! — and all the ladies will smi- lingly call you the naughty man! ”’ “’Pon my soul, it will be quite delicious,’’ exclaimed Lieutenant Softly. ‘‘ But is she beautiful? ” ‘“‘ Beautiful, elegant, and accomplished,’”’ rejoined Madame EGOMIIGIOOKS (CO)