The Mysteries of the Court of London Vol. 7 — page 200: what you’re looking at

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

THE MYSTERIES OF THR COURT. without the slightest change in his tone, look, or manner—but with « sort of calmness, balf business- like, half self-eomplacent,—“I have more than ones begged you not te allude to those circum: stances. Assurediy, if I had thought that the eqnversation would have taken this turn, I should not have epoken of that part of your brother's note which hints af important business.” “But whenevér my brother's name is men- tioned,” answered Lady Anastatis, “I am always reminded———yes, necessarily ao,” she continued . with much feeling, “of your great goodness and hie wildness—I may even say his wickedness. Never, never can I forget it! And at the time when our parents would not see him—whea he stood upon the very brink of ruin—wher oe frightful exposure threatened him —when the gulf was about to open at bis feet,—you, Sir Frederick, came for- forward — not ostentatiously, but privately and secretly-——”’ 8 “Stop, Anastatia!” said the great merchant : “thisie sufficient. Let us allude to the topio no more.” If a very aeute observer had been present—~one intimately acquainted with the ways of the werid, and skilled in reading the mysterienof the human heart—he would have been led to suspect, or indeed perhaps he would have plainly seen, that Sir Fre- derick Latham had suffered his wife to procecd to juat that sufficient extent whieh ministered to his awn vanity, and which reminded herself of the great pecuniary obligations under whieh ber family laboured towards him; aad that he had then stopped her just a4 the point where he might seem to have been listening hitherto for courteey's sake, bus beyond which to listen any longer would be perhaps to excite a suspicion as to his real motives. Iie now gave the conversation a complete turn; and shortly afterwards Lady Anaetetia procesded to her dsessing-room te porform her evening tovlet. v % a CHAPTER OCXXL THE LORD AND THE MERCHANT. Sroexrty after five o’clcck, a very elegant phaeton and pair dashed up to the entrance of Tudor Ifouse. This equipage belonged to Viscount Ttushbrook ; and his lordship himeelf was driving it,—@ groum ip ao elegaas livery being seated by his side. The Viscount was smoking a cigar; and his whole appeazasce was of that dissipated, rakish, devil-may-gare kind which denoted the spendthrilt and the improvident one. He was five or six yeers older than his sivter Anastatia: he was tall and well formed; he had dark hair, an aristocratic profile, and good features: buf as we have juat * hinted, the traces ef dissipation were upon his countenanee. He was moncover thopyoughly heart- less and unprincipled: he would sacrifice a friend at any moment iff it suited his interests, or if his necuniary wants had to be supplied. He cared not tor sister nor for pasents: but yet he was an accomplished hypocrite—ead at.eny time, to gam his own ends, could simulate the utmost fraternal }5ve or filial affection. From bis very boyhoud he Lad been reckless and extravagant: his proceedings Sa IS Dan ge aS ~Seraaresesttstarnsag"wUhasines exammavecen~o b 187 at college had helped to make considerable inroads upon the dilapidated income of his father the Earl of Fordwich; and it was whispored that oD mers occasions than one had hesinee the attain. masnt of his majority been compelled to leavo the country for a time until his debts were settled. Such was Anastatia’s brother, Robert Viscount Rushbrook. When the equipage dashed up ia grand style to the front of the mansion, the Vu» count tossed the reins to his groom on one side and tossed the cigar from hie mouth om the other: he then stood for a few moments to admire his splendid pair of horses, which were steaming on account of the pace at which he had driven them ; —and then he sauntered into the house. ing to the drawing-room, he found Sir Frederick end Anastatia there; and as he had a favour to ask of the former, it was his policy to render himeelf as agreeable as possible. * How are you, Sie Hrederick?” he exclaimed, profferiug his hand, and bestowis.g a very warm shake therewith, although there was nothing cor- dial nor fervid in the manner cf his brother-in- law, but merely as much gentlemanly courtesy as he would have, bestowed upon any other guest. “ You're lookiag uncommonly well! Aad you, ‘Btatia deay—it is qyite an age sinee I have seen you!"—with which remark the Viscount just touched bis sister’s cheek with his lips. Where have you been all this time P” inquired; Lady Anastatia. “ Heaven only knows,’ responded the Viscouns, carelessly : and throwing himeelf languidly upon a seat, he said, “’Pon my soul, Sit Frederick, you ave making your place Jook quite charming. Such taste as you. have displayed! Where the deuce you got it all, I can’t for the life of me conjecture —-buzied as you were for so many years ———” “In the midst of that honourable industry,” said Sir Frederick Lathoam, “ which has given me the wealth that I now enjoy, and whic: also had ita interval of leisure for the acquisement and the cultivation of that taste which your lordship has just been pleased to ~ulogize.” There was a cartain admixture of pomposity, vanity, and self-complacency in this speech: but yet it was scarcely perceptible, with ao much calm composure eras it delivered. It likewise conveyed a reproof in ap indirect manner—the phrase of “honest industry” irresistibly making tho im- pression of the contrast cxisting between the pur- suits of the great merchant and those of the young lord who bad so often been dependent on his bounty. Anaatatia felt that impressions, though she did not for an instant imagine that her husband had. deliberately intended to convey it. As for the Viscount himself, be either did not or chose not to comprehend Ehe allusion ; and he said with a characteristic figpancy, “Ah! it’s a devilish lucky thing that so..a men can settle themselves to high stoals an awval big books in a dark, dingy couoting-howe: but hang me, if ever I could have brought my miad to it \” At this moment the door was thrown opon, and a dumestic in a superb livery announced that dinner was served up. Nothing occurred during the repast which requires spacial mention: we will therefore suppose the cloth to havo beon removed ~—the dessert tobe placed upon tho table—Lady Anastatia to have retired to the drawing-room LOAO© COLUM SS (CO)