The Adventures of Mr. Verdant Green, page 60 by Cuthbert Bede
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's dealings in soda-water, Mr. Verdant Green inquired where he could find Mr. Larkyns; and as the rooms were but just on the other side of the quad., he put on his hat, and made his way to them. The scout was just going into the room, so our hero gave a tap at the door and followed him.
CHAPTER VII
MR. VERDANT GREEN CALLS ON A GENTLEMAN WHO "IS LICENSED TO SELL"
MR. VERDANT GREEN found himself in a room that had a pleasant look-out over the gardens of Brazenface, from which a noble chestnut tree brought its pyramids of bloom close up to the very windows. The walls of the room were decorated with engravings in gilt frames, their variety of subject denoting the catholic taste of their proprietor. "The start for the Derby," and other coloured hunting prints, showed his taste for the field and horse-flesh; Landseer's "Distinguished Member of the Humane Society," "Dignity and Impudence,", and others, displayed his fondness for dog-flesh; while Byron beauties, "Amy Robsart," and some extremely ~au naturel~ pets of the ballet, proclaimed his passion for the fair sex in general. Over the fire-place was a mirror (for Mr. Charles Larkyns was not averse to the reflection of his good-looking features, and was rather glad than otherwise of "an excuse for the glass"), its frame stuck full of tradesmen's cards and (unpaid) bills, invites, "bits of pasteboard" pencilled with a mystic "wine," and other odds and ends: - no private letters though! Mr. Larkyns was too wary to leave his "family secrets" for the delectation of his scout. Over the mirror was displayed a fox's mask, gazing vacantly from between two brushes, leaving the spectator to imagine that Mr. Charles Larkyns was a second Nimrod, and had in some way or other been intimately concerned in the capture of these trophies of the chase. This supposition of the imaginative spectator would be strengthened by the appearance of a list of hunting appointments (of the past season) pinned u