The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 122: what you’re looking at

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

PLANS AND INTRIGUES 99 was fortunate, and now by a little good management I shall avoid any further questioning relative to this license.”’ Upon opening the front door, Rao beheld an elderly man whose clerical style of dress at once convinced him that this was the accommodating parson mentioned by Mrs. Brace. A certain sanctimoniousness of look and a rubicund counte- nance denoted the admixture of hypocrisy and dissipation which constituted the character of the man; and Rao per- ceived at a glance that he was in every way a suitable instrument for his purposes. ‘“ One word with you, reverend sir,’”’ whispered the youth, as he led the clergyman into a parlour opening from the hall; then, closing the door of the room, he said, “* Will you favour me with your name?” ~ “Tobias Colwell,’ was the response; ‘‘ Tobias Colwell, at the service of whomsoever I have been invited hither to aid or assist — ”’ ‘“‘ Well, reverend sir,” interrupted Rao, ‘‘ I presume that Mrs. Brace has already given you some idea of the nature of the business for which your presence is needed? ”’ “ To perform the marriage ceremony for a noble lord and some lady whom he loves, is it not so?” said Mr. Tobias Colwell. ‘* Precisely,’ answered Rao. ‘“‘ And you must be pleased to look upon me as the master of the ceremonies, having full power to regulate the same. As a proof of this, I beg to tender your reverence a fee, which shall be doubled if you implicitly and accurately follow out the instructions which I am about to give you,” and the sable youth counted twenty sovereigns into the parson’s hand. ‘You can command my services in any way,’’ observed Mr. Colwell, his rubicund countenance growing brighter than even the gold that he fingered with such ineffable pleasure. “ Be it a marriage, a baptism, a burial, a christening, or a churching, it is all the same. I am your man.”’ “I was sure of it,’”’ exclaimed Rao. ‘‘ And now take this special license,’ he continued, producing the paper. ‘‘ You will see that Lord Florimel is one of the parties, and a lady ~ whose name is also given is the other. But you must avoid any mention of the lady’s name until after the knot shall have been indissolubly tied; and should it be necessary to GomillGcaooks (S©)