Up until the time I became the intrigued owner of this book I thought cheese-cake was what you got when a newspaper photographer persuaded a glamor puss to raise her skirts unladylikely high. Little did I know. Why, cheese-cake is won-der-ful! Particularly if it’s cottage cheese-cake,[…].

a rankish smell

Lady or pucelle, that wears mask or fan.

I should have spoke to him there and then, seen he was in the mood to do something stupid.