The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 368: what you’re looking at

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

334 THE COURT OF LONDON to be the lackey of an Englishman? There is a grace in your movements, an elegance in your attitudes, a per- fect accuracy in your speech, a gentility in your man- ners —”’ ‘Enough of flattery, my lord,’”’ exclaimed Rao, sharply. ‘‘ Who and what I am matters not to you; and if you suspect that I am not what I appear, you will keep your own counsel in that respect, because I am prepared to render you a service of a nature which will lay you under no small obliga- tion toward me.”’ “Sit down, Rao, sit down,’ said Lord Montgomery, well convinced that the boy was indeed something more than he appeared and that the lackey’s livery suited not well his real condition, however elegantly it might become his slight and graceful figure. ‘‘ Now will you take a glass of wine? ”’ ‘‘T thank your lordship,”’ responded the page, “‘ but my favourite beverage is water. And now you will permit me at once to open the discourse upon the topic which it is destined to take, inasmuch as I dare not remain too long > absent from Piccadilly.” ‘“‘ Proceed,’”’ said Lord Montgomery, the first feeling of prejudice and dislike which he had entertained toward the page having already changed into one of sympathy and interest. ‘‘ Your lordship intends to be present at the masquerade which is to take place at Covent Garden to-morrow night? ”’ said Rao, fixing his dark eyes with a peculiar keenness upon the nobleman’s countenance. ‘“‘ Yes, such is my intention,”’ was the reply. ‘“‘ And your lordship would fain personate my master, Lord Florimel? ” continued Rao, in the same precise tone and positive manner which seemed to show that he was describing those thoughts which he had fathomed, and was not hazarding interrogative conjectures. “Well, I am not audacious enough to deny the truth of your surmise,” said Lord Montgomery. ‘“‘ Surmise! ” echoed the boy, in a contemptuous tone. ‘Think you, my lord, that I cannot read your hidden soul as plainly as the printed page of a book? Yes, I have pene- trated all your thoughts and wishes in-respect to that mas- querade; ay, and I have read all the hopes which the nar- GOMIGIOOKS (C(O)