The Young Duchess; or, Memoirs of a Lady of Quality — page 390: what you’re looking at

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

corey 376 - matter,” answered Sylvester. ‘You see, my lord, as I tell them, it’s of no mortal use to go off into hysterics, or to sit down snivelling and whimper- ing all day long! It isn’t Christian-like. One must grin and bear in this world: th«t’s my maxim, my lord. I’m sure everythiny shall be done for the deceased that can be cone; and I know I’ve ordered a deuced deal fier funeral for him than ever he would have orééred for himself. Beeause, *twixt you and me and the post, my lord, the governor was precious close-fisted. But that’s all the better for me, of course—because I’m now his heir.” While listening to this tirade, Lord Trentham was a prey to the acutest suspense, and he was trembling with an irritating impatience; for to him it was almost a matter of life and death to know how he stood in a pecuniary sense towards his visitor, and whether the lost deeds and docu- ments, for the sum of sixty thousand pounds, had been discovered—and if so, whether they were to be put in summary force against him. But he was compelled to master his emotions as well as he was able, and to play the part of a willing, in- terested, and sympathising listener to the vul- garisms and impertinences of Sylvester Casey. ‘You see, my lord,” resumed this precious in- dividual, ‘funerals isn't so expensive as they used to be. You can get a jolly fine one now for a twenty pun’ note! I don't know whether you’ve seen em, my lord—but they’ve got the black coach and the hearse all in one, looking like a sort of ’bus; and it’s deuced convenient, because if there’s only half a dozen mourners or so, the same pair of horses and the same four wheels takes them and the coffin all in a lump, as one may say.” | | Lord Trentham affected to blow his nose that he might conceal with his kerchief the expression of unconquerable disgust which he felt was spreading over his countenance. “Then, as I tell my mother and Selina,” con- tinued Sylvester, “they ought to bear in mind the other ways in which we are expressing our regrets for the deceased. You've got to-day’s paper, my lord, laying on the table there? Well, just look among the Deaths, and there you'll see the flourish I’ve put in—as a paid advertisement of course. But it speaks of the deceased as being beloved by a large circle of friends 7 ‘‘T have seen the announcement, Mr. Casey,” interposed his lordship. ‘‘But you haven't seen the epitapb, though, that I've drawed up,” pursued Sylvester. ‘It's arum ’un, I can tell you! What the deuce have I done with it ?”—and he proceeded to thrust his fingers into all his pockets. ‘Pray do not trouble yourself so,” said the nobleman, scarcely able to maintain even the most distant air of politeness. ‘‘I have no doubt you have done due honour to the memory of the deceased.” ‘‘T should rather think I have too!” cried Sylvester. ‘I’ve laid it on precious thick, I can tell you, my lord! ‘ Deeply lamented by all who knew him—irrepayrable loss—void left in society not easily replaced—fond parient—stanch friend —true philanthropist—charitable to the poor— sincere Christian ’—and all that sort of thing. Of course your lordship knows as well as me that them epitaphs is all gammon——” THE YOUNG DUCHESS; OR, MEMOIRS OF A LADY OF QUALITY, Ae oy an se “Would you permit me, Mr. Casey,” inter- rupted the nobleman, “to offer you some little refreshment before we enter upon the business which has procured me the honour of this visit 2” ‘Well, no, I thank’ee, my lord. I’m not peckish just now; and being rayther out of sorts with one thing or another, I daren’t drink much before dinner. But now to business, as your lordship says. I’m sure,” added Sylvester, with a sort of knowing look and a mocking grin, ‘your lordship will be uncommon pleased to hear that the lost securities have all turned up?” ‘Indeed ?” said the nobleman, in a faint voice, and with a heart that appeared to sink within him: and then he added slowly and deliberately, ‘‘ Documents of such value could scarcely be sup- posed to have become lost altogether. No neglect or carelessness would reach to such an extent.” “Well, my lord, there wasn’t much neglect or carelessness in the matter, anyhow. I may as well be plain with you, and tell your lordship at once that my sister Selina took it into her head that the papers were best in her possession; for all the truth has come out now—and, in a word, she didn't want to marry your son Launcelot.” “And now, Mr. Casey,” said the nobleman, quivering with suspense, ‘‘these ducuments are doubtless in your hands—you are your deceased father’s heir : ‘As a matter of course, my lord. So I thought Td just step down to Berkeley Square and have a quiet chat over the business. Don’t make your- self uneasy, my lord I think I can see a way of putting matters in a channel that shall be pleasant and agreeable to all of us.” ‘* Ah! I am delighted to hear you speak thus, Mr. Casey,” cried the nobleman, beginning to breathe more freely. “ Pray explain yourself. I think you said that your sister —~—” ‘“‘ No offence, my lord—but she don’t want to marry your son. Well, there's no harm done: for if all I hear is true, your son don’t want to marry her. But that’s no reason why there shouldn't be a union ‘twixt the two fami- lies - ‘Hey? what, Mr. Casey ?”—and Lord Trent- ham drew his chair a little closer to that on which his visitor was seated. ‘“‘T thought I spoke out plain enough, my lord,” continued the young man. ‘I said there was no reason why there shouldn't be a union ’twixt the two families. Your lordship has always wished it——” ‘‘Ahem, Mr. Casey ! tains this repugnance “Put Selina out of the question, my lord,” ex- claimed Sylvester; ‘and look at me! Well! what do you see? A dashing young chap that by the death of his father intestate has suddenly dropped into a matter of eighty or a hundred thousand pounds or so, and therefore an heir that isn’t to be sneezed at. Well, my lord, that’s me. And so, as I was thinking over matters yesterday, it struck me that your lordship has got a daughter as well as a son——” “Ah!”—and the nobleman drew his chair with a movement of nervous uneasiness still more closely to that which his visitor occupied. “‘And Azaline is a deuced pretty girl—un- common genteel—and with just that air of dis- But if your sister enter- ” COMO a COW