The Mysteries of the Court of London Vol. 7 — page 272: what you’re looking at

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

“ Everybody has admired theth, ma'am,” hie ré- sponded; “and many offers have been made.” “ Whae ia the pride?” inquired Mrs. Oxetden. “ Bight thousind guineas, ma’ain,” was the shopman’s anewet 3 “ with a disceunt of five pet cent. for ready money.” . And these are thé lowest terms said the ady. *Tho very lowest, me’am :"—and the shopmati began to look eager; for he perceived that there wana chance of her being « purvhaser—bdt he also feared {oat she ehould slip through bis hards, Mrs. Oxenden examiiied the diamonds more closely; and all the other personages prdesst looked on with interest—for they likewise thotight that @ purchaser was fourid at lest. The dovr vpened : Colonel and Mrs. Tressilian reappedted~ and at that very instant Mre, Oxenden ssid to the shoptnan, “I will give you your price for thé did monies: they are mine.” “Oh, how unfortunate!” was the involdntaty ejaculation which burst from Mr, Tressilinn’s lips, and the meaning of which may be explained to the effect that the proprietor of the establishment had just stepped out, but was ex to rétira in a few minutes, when Colongl Tressilian, in order to gratify his wife, would have been prepared to meet his demand. r All eyes wero turned from Mirv. Oxéndén to- wards Mra, Treesilian, who with the twofold wésa- | ard tion of disappointment, and of havitig betrayed {t, could not prevent the tcars from forting their way. Nothing eould exceed the anovyancé of Oolonel | y ‘Tressilian bimself, when Mre. Oxehden darted a look of haughty triumph tipon bim and of éon- temptuous pity upon his wife. The Colosel grew pale and bit his lips with oohcentrated rage: then turning suddenly on his hevl, he led his wife forth from the room. Mra. Oxenden aecompanicd the shopman to the countidg-house,—the proprietor of the establish. ment Inying just returned. He was by no means prepared to trust a stranger with stich 4 costly amount of property—nor even to send the diamonds to hor house without previous payment. Nor did she choose to expose herself to the humiliation of a refusal on the point. She therefore desired that he would send the billin an envelope to his Groce the Duke of Marohmont; and she inti- inuted that it would be paid on presentation. The jeweller bowed, and attended the lady forth to her carriage. He now comprehended that she was a Duke’s mistress: but i¢ was nowdoncern of his, so long as the bill was paid—of which he entertained not the slightest doubt. And the bill wae paid; and the diamonds were pont home to Mrs. Oxenden. But the Duke of Marchmont wae setounded ab this act of extrava- guuce,--an extravagance which wae more wilful and wanton than any whereby lie had previously fuund bimeelf victimised on Mrs. Oxenden’s ac- count. Accordingly, on the following day, at about the hour of noon, he proveeded to the residense of his new mistress, with the frm resolution of remon- utrating against her conduct. She expected this visits and she was prepared ta give Marphront such & ae she deemed moet suitable under the eirquesctaneve. It was by so means her inten tion #9 whtedie nor to cajole him, nur to take the trouble of condescending to blandishments : ‘she had THES MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. es assumed the attitude of an imperious mistress from the very first—a miistresd in two sonses of the term; and she did not feel inclined to step down from her pedestal. She was apparelied in a dark dtess which set off the eyeamnetty of her sliape to the falleat advantage of its supésb contours; and she felt all a woman's pride in the conscioiishess of had be. had Baeinidned all nis It might tebe Habpeoed i in my bankers’- hands to meet the chaque which I was at once cotupétled ta dtaw——" “And dowttitield gutir bankers would have ho- noared it all ihe same,” said Mrs, Oxenden, with comipisute. Would nek’ overdraew thom for the world,” anewdred hes rnd “thas ia not how. évyer the procs quéstien. It fs whother or NOG Hohan’® yO “There 16 05 Guesifon at all,” interrupted Mre. Oxendet. . “On the. that you and I were so thrown u stid to me, ‘You Sot there fe nothing not - [ will you have grimace on acdount of iny putchaes; and it would. seem, therefore, as if wé did not have a thorough underitanding together at the otutest. If not, let us have it now.” “There fs thoderation, in all things,” replied the Duke of Marehusonts; “and you ought to be rea- sonable. Brankly speaking, I have not the means to support euch marvellous extravagancies as thy peg se” *and I tell you, my ford,” exclaimed Mrs. Oxendan, Ber dark eyes now flashing angnily, “that you do possess the means, and that you shall furnigh me with them! You are immensely riths and I am positively ashamed of you for dating————Yes, I will use the word daring—to come and plead pauperism in my presence.” “ Mrs. Oxenden,” exclaimed the Duke, making a desperate effort to assert his own empire over her imperiousness, “ I cannot atid qill nut minister to your boundless extravagancies. If you chouse to be reasonable hefteeforth, we will say nothing more of the past. Two or three thousand a-year will keep you in affluence; and this aniount I do not grudge—very far from it I” “Enough, my lord!” ejaculated the lady; “it is high time for nie to speak. Wot mahy weeks heve clapsed since a young Hiadod woman was néarly murdered-——” “Why refer to this?’ demanded the Duke. “Did you not promise.” “That the seal of eeerecy should remain tipo my lips,” cuntinyed Mes, Oxenden, “so long es you ,romuined faithful to your own side of the mi ene word, my lord, you are in my Rimes ad you know it. Becollovt, I overheard ee eee ee pA sage ECOMRniclacae SS (CO)