The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 353: what you’re looking at

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

o22 REYNOLDS’ WORKS their wine for themselves. Would you believe it, Mr. Ashton? they went away without so much as giving the maid a single shilling for herself, and they took off with them the leg and wing of a fowl which they had for the previous day’s dinner.” ‘‘ My room is ready for me, you say?”’ exclaimed Christian, in astonishment. ‘Yes, — to be sure,’”’ responded Mrs. Macaulay. ‘“ Did not Mr. Redcliffe tell you in his letter —”’ ‘He merely told me that immediately on my arrival in London I was to come to him, and that I need not take up my abode previously at any tavern or lodging-house.”’ ‘To be sure not,’ ejaculated Mrs. Macaulay. ‘‘ And where was your shrewdness, my dear Mr. Ashton, when you failed to comprehend that Mr. Redcliffe meant you to take up your abode here? All is settled and arranged, and it was on your account I got rid of those odious Johnsons, with their meanness and stinginess. Ah, you have brought all your luggage with you? That’s right. But dear me! don’t think of paying the cabman till he has carried it up- stairs for you. And mind, my man,” she added, addressing herself to the individual in question, ‘‘ that you don’t knock the paper off the walls with the corner of that great box. Now do walk in, Mr. Ashton.”’ ‘‘But where is Mr. Redcliffe? ’’ inquired our hero. ‘He will be in presently to dinner, — at six o’clock as usual. It is only half-past five, and you have therefore plenty of time for a little chat with me. By the bye, I and that odious Mrs. Sifkin are as much at daggers-drawn as ever, although I gave that magnificent party in token of our reconciliation. But she behaved infamously. She went and told Mrs. Wanklin, who told Mrs. Chowley which keeps the baby-linen warehouse in the Tottenham Court Road, that I should say that Mr. Hogben had told me that both the Miss Chowleys were setting their caps at Captain Bluff. But here is Mr. Redcliffe, I declare, —a good twenty minutes before his time! ”’ Christian was not at all sorry that Mrs. Macaulay’s garrulity should be cut short by the appearance of his friend, — at whose hands he received a most cordial welcome. Mrs. Macaulay was very anxious to have the paying of the cabman, with whom she would no doubt have got up EORNICLIOO KS (E(0)