The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 71: what you’re looking at

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

54 THE COURT OF LONDON his purpose to make an enemy of that lady at the very outset of their acquaintance. The impression which his own appearance produced upon the ladies was at once of the most favourable character. His exceedingly handsome person, endowed with all the beauty and graces of youthful manhood, his elegant man- ners, the tones of his voice, and the unaffected yet fascinating style of his conversation and choice of language, could not fail to prove agreeable to an old coquette and three lively, animated, and impassioned girls. He was accordingly received with an evident welcome, whose warmth was only subdued by that habit of external formality which was rather practised from the ceremonial usages olf drawing- rooms than really felt in all its rigid reserve. The conversation at the breakfast-table was sprightly and sparkling; but the meal was somewhat hurried, as the chaise was announced to be in readiness even before the party sat down: ‘Then came the hurry and bustle of the preliminaries for departure; but as Jocelyn attended to the disposal of the luggage, a world of trouble, as Mrs. Ranger observed to the girls, was fortunately taken off their hands. French travelling-carriages, or berlanes, are spacious and commodious vehicles, containing six persons inside without the necessity of much crowding. There was consequently ample room for the whole party. Mrs. Ranger and Julia occupied the back seat; Jocelyn was placed between the two elder girls on the front one. He had Agatha on his right hand, and Emma on his left; but though in such charming contact, his heart wavered not in its allegiance to the loved and absent Louisa, and he felt that 1t never would. Much rather would he have been at this moment with his betrothed; but he had undertaken a certain duty, and his present position was only one of the inevitable phases of that enterprise in which he had so generously and chivalrously embarked. The equipage rolled out of the courtyard of Dessin’s hotel, the drawbridge of the ramparts was crossed, and the vehicle, drawn by four horses with two postilions, entered on the broad road leading to Boulogne. Mrs. Ranger now thought it high time to let Jocelyn know that her three fair charges were proceeding to Italy in order to enter the service Gomichbooks (E(0)