The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 77: what you’re looking at

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

60 REYNOLDS’ WORKS ‘““ Very indeed,” and with these words the young nobleman emerged from his couch. Having performed his toilet so far as the process of shaving, ablutions, and hair-anointing went, he put on his morning déshabillé, consisting of an immense pair of trousers of a kind of shawl pattern, red morocco slippers, and a dressing-gown of the costhest figured silk, with a gold cord confining it at the waist; and thus airily apparelled, like a Turkish pasha, he passed into his sitting-room, where breakfast was spread upon a table. And a most inviting repast it was, consisting of everything to tempt the appetite in the shape of coffee and chocolate, ham and tongue, cold chickens, raised French pies, new-laid eggs, hot rolls, and the freshest watercresses gathered by some poor girl who had risen for the purpose at that hour when Lord Harold himself was just seeking his couch. Having in his own words, ‘“ just picked a little bit,’ the young nobleman took up the newspaper and read the account of Signora Vivaldi’s splendid triumph on the Saturday night previous, and scarcely had he finished the perusal when Lord Saxondale was announced. — Be it understood that although the preceding day was the Sabbath, yet the two young aristocrats, having dined to- gether, had adjourned to some place of dissipated resort, where they supped and drank freely of champagne, so that it was not till daylight that they sought repose. Lord Harold, being three or four years older than his companion and of much stronger constitution, could better sustain the effects of adebauch; and, indeed, after a few hours’ sleep he scarcely felt them, much less bore their marks upon his countenance; whereas young Saxondale, being still little better than a mere boy, and by no means of vigorous health, was invariably punished by his sensations in the morning for the previous night’s follies. Accordingly, as he now made his appearance, the bluish circles about his eyes, the redness of the eyes them- selves, his parched lips, and pale cheeks, sufficiently indi- cated all that he felt. “Tam regular out of sorts this morning,” he said, flinging himself upon a chair. “ A thundering headache, such a tightness across the forehead, and a horrible sickness of the stomach. Look how my hand shakes, too.”’ “Take a bottle of soda-water, with some brandy,’ gested Lord Harold. ) sug- Gomicbooks:€co m