The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 136: what you’re looking at

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

118 THE COURT OF LONDON aware that my habits have been somewhat of the most dissipated cast, and that I have indulged a little too freely in the juice of the grape. I know that I have partially in- jured my constitution, but, thank God, as yet I have neither got a red nose nor bleared eyes; still, I look pale — ”’ “You look better than I have seen you for a long time past,’’ interrupted Venetia. ‘‘ So far from being pale, there is a little colour upon your cheeks, an appearance of health which I never beheld there before.”’ ‘“ Ah! I am delighted to hear you say this,’”’ exclaimed the baronet. ‘‘ The truth is, I was fishing for your opinion on the point, and you have given it to me. Well, I do feel much better in health and also in spirits than I have done for some time. But I will tell you how it happened. A little time ago I began to feel so queer that I got alarmed. I always awoke in the morning with a nausea at the stomach, and my hand trembled so that I could not shave myself. Pardon such details; they are not perhaps overdelicate, but you and I are friends. So I may add that I was compelled to take a glass of brandy to put my stomach in order, and then a glass of curacgoa to steady my hand, and then a tumbler of hock and soda-water to quench the heat which the alcohol had excited. Unless I did all this, I could not begin the day, and, as it was, I seldom ate any breakfast. Altogether, I was getting regularly out of sorts, and began to entertain serious alarms lest death was coming upon me apace.” “Do not talk in so shocking a manner,’ interrupted Venetia. ‘‘ Death! I have never thought of it yet,’ she added, with a slightly perceptible shudder. “Well, it is not a subject for a splendid drawing-room, with the sun shining in gloriously at the open casement, and with the zephyr wafting around us the perfume of all the delicious flowers on the terrace outside. But shall I go on with my own story? ”’ “Yes, assuredly. Do not make it too gloomy,” said Venetia, now smiling again. “T will not. To be brief,’’ continued Sir Douglas, “ I resolved upon consulting my worthy and excellent friend, Doctor Corpperas, and to him I went. He listened to me with true professional knowingness. When I had explained all I felt, he shook his head gravely. ‘ We live too fast, my dear Sir Douglas,’ he said. ‘ We pay too much homage to comicloooks (CO) im