The Mysteries of the Court of London Vol. 7 — page 226: what you’re looking at

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

ts @ eee eee GE. de ee Bhan ge eas wee, === THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. ** Not the slightest,” responded Madame An- gelique. “M. Bertin never knew with what partionlar lady any gentleman might have had an appointment. It was enffi- cient for the gentleman to afford M. Bertin some proof that he had no sinister nor hostile motive in seeking to pass through his house into mine——” ‘I understand,” interjected Sir Frederick. “There is consequently no means for me to aor the name of my guilty wife’s para- mour P”’ dame Angeligee, “But pray lotto borechyon, ame ue. ** But pray let me bes ou, Sir Frederick Latham—do let me beg and en- treat that you will deal mercifully with her Jadyship! Ah, sir! consider——” “Silence, madam!” interrupted the mer- chant sternly : “it is not for you to offer these intercessions—it is for me to act as I think fit. We made a bargain at the outset—and I keep it. You have given me all the formation in your power; and you shall not suffer there- from. For the present I enjoin you to main- tain the strictest secrecy as to everything that has now passed between us. It is pobsible that I may have to see you again——’”’ ‘‘At any hour, Sir Frederick,” oxolaimed Madame Angelique, “may you obtain ac- cess to me. And relative to that little sum——’ 9 e “Keep it—keep it,’ responded the mer- chant, disdainfully : and taking up his hat, he speedily issued forth from the luxurious apart- ment. No one, on perceiving Sir Frederick Latham issue forth from that villa-—deliberately mount his horse—and methodically take a shilling from his purse to give to the poor boy who held the animal, would have conjectured how much his feelings had been inwardly —— or how tensely they were atill wrung. He had affected in Madame Angelique’s presence that the supposed guilt of his wife, and the pre- sumed villany of some paramour, could not wiold %o great an influence over him as to wreck his happiness altogether; but he had not in that declaration expressed the éruth. His was the sort of pride which was exactly the one to be most wounded by the exposure of his dis- honour. He was too shrewd and coldly calou- lating not to be aware that if an explosion took place, all his friends and uaintances would in their mingled scandal and wisdom observe “that it was just what he might have expected for marrying out of his own aphere.’ And then too, if he brought the affair before the tribunals and sued for a divorce, he would have to parade all Madame Angelique’s evidence— he would have to show that Anastatia had been incontinent before her msrriage—and those same scandalous friends of his would,, with knowing shakes of the head, whisper among themselves *‘ that a daughter of the aristocracy would never have thrown herself away upon we unless she had very good reasons for so olng.” But how was Sir Frederick to act? To con- sign to oblivion ev ng he had heaéd, wasim- possible: to live with Anastatia as before, was not to be thought of: to abstain from her acquainted with the fact that eve WOr position Frede- rick Latham int bed hhaself to, For the firat time in his life the great merchant found himself bewildered how to act; and, as he rode t rei, Gee ee Gee eee homeward a thousand painful thoughts con- in bis brain. On reaching Tudor House, he learnt that Anastatia fone out in tho carriage, and that her ladyship had left a message to the effect that she intended to proceed to town to on her nta the Earl and Countess of Fordwich. Sir Frederick was that his wife was thus temporarily absent »it afforded him an opportunity of deliberating a while on the A Ep EG Eo, EE aap EE Ay, eet cr asia course he ought to pursue. But feeling as if the confined ait of his study oppres him, he walked forth into his grounds. While | there, he beheld a carriage drive up to the gate; and as the equipage entered; he saw that it was Queen Indora’s. The Quecu herself was however in it: the occupants were Mr. Red- oliffe, Christian, and Christina. The twins had come to pay the usual visit of courtesy after having been invited to the entertainment at will | Tudor House: while Mr. Redoliffe also deemed it suitable to pay hia respects in the same quarter, inasmuch as he himeelf had likewise been invited, though he declined the invitation ; and moreover Sir Frederick was the British financial agent for that royal lady whom Mr. Redoliffe was engaged, when circumstances should permit, to conduct to the altar. CHAPTHBR CxXXVI. THE BANK-NOTES. TH great City merchant wae for almost the first timo in hia life in one of those moods which are utterly uncongenial for the reception of visitors ; but the occupants of the carriage had already seen him in the grounds—and it was therefore impossible to deny himself. The carriage stopped—the twins and Mr. Redcliffe alighted—and Sir Frederick Latham advan to welcome them. ©The merchant maintained his wonted de. meanour: no one could have suspected that anything unusual had occurred. After somo little discourse he requested Christian and Christina to ramble about the grounds and gardens at their pleasure, while he remained conversing with Mr. Redcliffe. The twins were glad of the opportunity to leave the two gen- tlemen together: for they knew that Mr. Redcliffe proposed to make a particular communication to Sir Frederick Latham. Accordingly, after a little more conversation on general topics, Mr. Redoliffe said, “ Sir erick, I think it my duty to inform you of something which happened tho night before last —and thereby to put you on your guard t & r who is evidently of a very desperate description, and who appears to lurking about the least frequented suburbs of the ern bber—a high **Do you mean a ropber—& wayman—a larki ief P” asked the merchant. ‘I do,” respondeé Mr. Redcliffe. ‘The night before last, my young friends Mr. and Miss Ashton, when re from your house in the lage, were intercepted by a villain dressed aa & Pascar, but who is beyond all doubt an English raffian thus disguised. A le between him and Christian : Rushbrook drove up at the time, and lent his LOAO© COLUM SS (CO)