The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 343: what you’re looking at

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

312 REYNOLDS’ WORKS Angelique. ‘“‘ She is the daughter of an old French marquis, and Marchmont took her, by my aid, from a convent between two and three months ago. She never really liked the duke; her only object was to escape from a seclusion which she abhorred, and as for her virtue, apart from this one little fail- ing, I am ready to guarantee it in a bond of a hundred thou- sand pounds, or on an affidavit sworn before the lord mayor of London.” Of course such guarantees clinched the argument, — at least in the mind of the credulous, conceited, and frivolous Augustus Softly; and already as elate as he could be with his presumed conquest, he gave vent to his delight in the most extravagant expressions, all of which Madame Ange- lique carefully echoed, while laughing in her sleeve. ‘‘ Feeling confident,’”’ she resumed, ‘‘ that you would grant the dear girl an interview, I sent to request that she would pay me avisit this afternoon. But would you believe it, she is so frenzied with delight, that she orders her maid to pack up, bag and baggage, and away she comes, leaving the splen- did apartments the duke had provided for her, and upon her toilet-table a rose-tinted perfumed billet, with a few laconic lines to the effect that she separates from his Grace for ever. I told her that her conduct was madness, as she could not possibly be sure that you would take her under your own protection, — though it is true that old Lord Wenham, who was here just now, and saw her alight at my door, offered me two hundred and fifty guineas if I would use my influ- ence — ”’ ‘““ By Jove, I will just make it double! ”’ ejaculated Softly. ‘““T hope you will not feel offended — ” “T really do not know,” said Madame Angelique, with a very serious countenance, “‘ whether I ought to receive anything in a transaction which is really so delicate, and which I merely undertook to manage from motives of pity for the sweet creature and out of regard for you. But if you must write a cheque for five hundred guineas, I can- not think of wounding your feelings by refusing to accept it.” “How lucky I got that loan through Armytage this morning,” thought the young lieutenant to himself, as putting aside all his fashionable languor, he flew to the desk to pen the cheque, ‘‘or else I should have cut but a CORNICLIOOKS (E(@)