The Mysteries of the Court of London Vol. 7 — page 277: what you’re looking at

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

Pee. must obey the instructions which that other hes given me.” “But you can make a farther advance? or he ean make another advance?’ said Armytage, geeping as it were with the awfullest feelings of auspense, “If you do not, it is rain !—utter and complete ruin for me-~—aye, and nof only ruin OF have such opportunities! There is at this moment @ project which, if entered into, would be certain to realize hundreds and thousands. Qb, you must —you must afford me, this opportunity of wedecning may pest ad, back my lost fortune—of rede versities! Ob, dear kind sir! I you to aid me!” There was & wild horror in the look and manner feonsigit negative response 6 lips. His eountenanes was forward as he sat, —his..gene: | devouring avidity ppon Oolegagn’s, countenance. The solicitor, who was & hambne folt his heart touched. by the ; ie, whd was in the nexh room, was likewise mbdved adthe listened to the tone of anguishad qnirealy in which the wretched being epoke, :, Bus viill neither would yield upon the subject: théunarse which was being rT tol you, vn, atinued Are or a thas jt « you, ad is not meray ruis for one-—it:is das more | My daughter——my beloved da the amiable hard—-faor whose sake I strove ponury itecif,—she who. has never known what it js to want! And theg, her hushand—my son-in- law—Lerd Octavian-——~Ob, what a dreadful blow for him No, no! it is, impossible not do me so much injaey! . You would not-—— you are a mass of feallngry—". “Mr. Armyfage,” inquired Coleman, “how much money do you possess FP", ..' i “Not’a hundred pounds fh, the whole world almost shrieked forth the dimen, “I to have made hundreds of tho ! JZ onghs to be rieh | Oh, T ought to have axnsned treasures ! ut a hideous fatality ung ¢ver o16—eveEry- thing has gone wrong! I throw myself upon your mercy {”’ “Mr. Armytage,” said Ooleman, rising from his seat, and leaning egainst the mantel with a certain resoluteness of air, “ you borrowed this money for a stated time—the instructions of my client are positive—and however muoh I the ne- cessity of using. harshness, yet circumstances leave me no alternative.” “And what—whet would you doP” asked the miserable man, bending forward in his chair, and looking up with an expression of haggard, ghastly appeal into the lawyer's countenance. “ Mr, ” Ooleman, «J have already toid' you that my client's instructions are of poaitive character. And when I tell you the-most that.it ip no secret to us that you are otherwise in- davigGv= that you have raised twenty thousand of bills-——— 99 exes —~ bills!” gasped Armytege: and more qualy haggard, if possible, became his coun- tenance. * Thoee bille—those bills! Ruin—tlie- grace~infamy i” he muttered to himself, with a —but likewise for others} And I who | tage beeptoh, I heseseh | ought THE MYSTERIRG OF THR COURT. certain vaoaney, as if reason ware abandoning “And these bills,” continued Mr. Ooleman, “have all fallen into my hende-or rather the bands of that same client to whom you were already eo largely indebted.” “ But they are nob as yet due!” cried Armye ** No: but they will ba due in a few days,” re- oined Coleman; “and how will you pay them? pwards of seventy thousand pounds do you now owe to this client of mine; and you have admitted your almost total.want of resources. Permit me to ask one question.. I believe you the friendship of the Duke of Marchmont. Think you that be will come forward with 90 large a-sum to extricate you from your difficulties P”’ “What if he were to advance a part P” ejacu- lated Armytage eagerly. “Say twenty thousand ? I dare not beseech him for more!” “So far as my client ie concerned,” responded Ooleman, ‘‘he insiste upon being paid evarything to the uttermost farthing. Or else——” “Or what?” eaid Armytage quickly. “Ob, bave mercy! Think of my poor daughter ! She has been ill—she has been in France for ber health-—--and, Oh! if she were to seo her father in prison, it would kill ber! I beseech you to have mercy.” . “Mr. Armytage,” resumed the lawyer, “ there is the warrant of attorney; and if you fulfil not your ¢, is must be immediately acted upon. Unfortanately in these circumstances all private feslings are lost sight of: my duty towards my client prevents me from paying that regard to this which you make on your daughter's be- Flaeneoe?? “Bat who is this client of your's?” exclaimed Armytage, driven almost to despair. “Surely he eannot be'so hard a man ?—surely he cannot wish to plunge three of his fellow-crestures into a ruin for which there will be no redemption? , Give me time, even if you will not assist me with further loan! But to put the bailiffs into my house—to seine upon my person~——Oh, the disgrace! And then, when the news reach my poor Zoe———” “You would make very great sacrifices, Mr. Aruwytago,” said the lawyer, “in order to avoid this catastrophe &” “‘ Sacrifice!” ajaculeted Armytage. “Tell me what sacrifice you demand? Tell me what I can do—~~"* “Theee is something, Mr. Armytage,” said Coleman,—“ yes, there ff something—but you little suspect to what I allude———~yet there is sonsthing, I repeat-——” “My God! keep me not in suspense!” cried the miserable creature imploringly : “but tell me, te there a means of saving myself?” “There is a means,” anawered the lawyer; “ it is the only alternative to save you from e debtor's prison. [ will even go farther; and wild though my may evem, yet they are nevertheless fraught with truth. The warrant of attorney, and the bilis which ate coming due, may all be torn up before your face and tossed into the fire: the lost fortune of your daughter may be replaced— averted from yourself——~if— if,” repeated Ooleman, with a solemnly significant look," if you————” | LOAO© A SS (CO)