The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 249: what you’re looking at

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

239 THE COURT OF LONDON had picked up another flat whom she took to live with her. As for myself, being immediately arrested on some of the bills falling due, I was brought over to the Bench; and being uncommonly hard up, I pocketed my resentment against madame, and wrote to her to lend me fifty pounds, as I happened to be well aware that she had received five thou- sand two days betore from her new lover. But she laughed in my messenger’s face, and told him to go about his business. To conclude, I have been three years in this place, and during that period have beheld the arrival not only of the flat who succeeded me in the favours of Madame Profligata, but also of four others who during the interval have succes- sively been her paramours and her dupes. But never mind,” he exclaimed, assuming an air of Jjollity which was not, after all, quite natural, ‘‘ we must take things as we find them, and fling care to the dogs! ”’ ‘“ Yes, that’s the only maxim to be followed in a place like this,’’ said the fifth individual. ‘“‘I suppose we have all been very gay and very foolish in our time. For my part, although now only in my twenty-sixth year, I have run through three fortunes, amounting altogether to a hundred and fifty thousand guineas. The first was left me by my grandfather, the second by an uncle, and the third by my father; but I had a mania for aristocratic acquaintances, and what with playing at dice with dukes, at ecarté with earls, at cribbage with counts, and billiards with baronets, I got so completely plucked that I at last found myself here, and not a feather to fly with.” ‘“And I suppose not one of your fine acquaintances has ever been in to see you?” observed the sixth individual. ‘Ah! that is just like them. Five years ago, on coming of age, I inherited a fortune of fourteen thousand pounds, and a certain fashionable friend honoured me with an introduc- tion to his Royal Highness the Prince Regent. His Royal Highness, hearing I had come of age and inherited prop- erty which was at my own disposal, was pleased to smile upon me most graciously. The next gracious mark of the princely favour was a very gracious invitation to a select supper at Carlton House, where I was introduced to five or six of his Royal Highness’s boon companions. After supper his Royal Highness was most graciously pleased to propose dice; and while playing with me, I could not help noticing CORNICE OOO KSa(EO)