The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 139: what you’re looking at

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

118 REYNOLDS’ .WORKS ““ Now, there again we agree,’ exclaimed Alexis.. ‘“‘ Be- tween ourselves, I saw plainly enough that Mrs. Oxenden had some secret from me, and it was concerning the duke, too. Well, thought I to myself, ‘I am resolved to worm it out of her.’ So I plied her with all sorts of cajoleries; I poured forth a volley of such vows and protestations. I made her drink champagne, too, of which, by the bye, she is particularly fond, and so by degrees — “You're the clearest fellow I ever met in my life, ”” ex- claimed Captain shied: affecting to be in raptures with Alexis. Pael! must give you credit for most excellent generalship,” said Christian, throwing in the additional weight of his own flattery...‘‘So it ended by this Mrs. What’s-her-name — Oxenden — telling you everything, eh? ”’ lay, Jove, I got it all out of her!” cried Alexis, with a chuckle. «.“‘ But you mustn’t push me any further. It’s all very fine, you know, for friends to have mutual confidences, but that secret, you understand, is not mine to reveal. It’s like a sacred deposit — ‘Oh; -of course,’ ejaculated Stanley, “ lene your own counsel in that respect. Neither Craven nor myself would wish you to do anything that is unhandsome.”’ “Not for the world,’ cried Christian. ‘‘ But we don’t drink.” “ Ah, the poor duke!” said Oliver shaking his head with a mysterious significancy. ‘‘ If he only knew everytinng! By Jove, I could tell a secret if I liked! But I-won’t. No, no, it would be too bad.”’ ““T tell. you what,” said Stanley, ‘‘ you shall both of you dine with me to-morrow. Let it be at the Clarendon Hotel at six o’clock.”’ ‘You shall both dine al me the day after,’ added Christian. ‘‘ We will go to Blackwall.” — “ Now, these are arrangements that I like,” said Alexis; ‘“‘they prove that we are getting all right and comfortable with each other. The day afterward you shall dine with me at this very hotel, and I’ll show you whether I exaggerated just now. about the turtle and venison. But what are we going to do for to-night? ”’ ‘Drink another bottle of claret,” exclaimed Christian, look- ing at his watch, ‘“‘and then away whithersoever you choose.” Gomicbdoc gs) (E(0)