The Mysteries of the Court of London Vol. 7 — page 279: what you’re looking at

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

(pas, EM ° Te aiential 266 enmeshed you—it bas closed in around you; und there is but one means fur your emancipation. Everything depends now upon yourself. I offer to annihilate your debts by tho destruction of bonds and documents; [ offer likewise on my client’s part to restore your daughter's fortune with which you have mado away; and more thun tbat, I will gu@rantee to yourself a certain pur of money—a reasonublo sum, to the amount of 4 few thousand pounds,—so that if you cqnaider you have positively and veritably a ehangs of redeem- ing your broken fortunes, the epportuuity will be afforiied you. On the other hand the fullest and completest revelation in respect to certain past incidcots whereof I have no doubt that you pos- seus u knowledge,—thta is the condition on which alone so much will be dane for you. Meed I speak moro pleinly? Your countenance,” added Cole- man impressively, “proves heyood a matter of doubt that you labogr not under the glightest uncertainty as to the meaning of mg But fs this a delusion ? am | he influ- ence of a waking dream f 1} Relleve the language which megte my sare f"-—-gnd Arnie pressing hig bands to hie throbbing brows. &p: peared to fool as if this woul} steady Ble repling rain. . “You may believe O¢sr ¥e- sponded Mr, Coleman } ff $@ you that all has been q& matter You remember thee T sought money upon Ti to Woe Bt @ . out—1 foreed monet u who first ad- reaged yourself : “ Teup | gene 1” ejacuigted Agiyhage: ay sud donly starting up, be Bred Me eyed keenly upon the lawyer, saying, * But if ‘fo tell you everything, would any harm pedoued when my own heed ” . “T can sgerecly think, Mr. Coleman, ‘thal yan y¥ wherewith you have h rébroagh ——unless jt be the eoncenliment af your know- ledge of quether’s crimes bub (hat ig comparatively p Ma pti brectay Med barn: renial.” Armytage refigcted s 4 evidently taking place with ing acvin towards the lawyee, he sald, * J6 is truce I could make a revelation: but tu what pee would is be turned ?”’ « ° “ You must not question me too far,” answered Coleman: then assuming a solemn air, he added in a corresponding tone, “The day is near at hand, Mr. Armytage, when the justice of heaven will assert itself, end when all mysteries shall be cleared up. Think you that if I were not in pos- session of a certain clue I should be speaking as | am now addressing youP Think you that so much trouble would have been taken and so much money ventured, if ¢here were not in the first in- stance a degree of certainty as to the result which was to be produced ? Lookeat your position | The abyss of ruin yawns to roceive you—whereas on the other hand you may be reatored to the en- joyment of affluence, atid all your adversity may e ty into prosperity !{” . § will be forgiven meP” said Army- ‘my daughter's money which I have lost, fesjored to me—— ie everything \” replied Mr. Coleman. ‘ HOW a= THE MYSTERIES OF THE toe oils |e COURT. At this moment the door was thrown open; aad a clerk announced, “The Duke of Marchmont.” The lawyer started; and an expression of min- gled wonderment and annoyance passed over his countenance. He was astonished that this noble- man sbould have so suddenly made his appear- anoe at such a crisis; and be was vexed because he fancied that his interview with Armytage might now take a turn different from that which he had anticipated. Armytage himeclfelikewise started : he becumo exceedingly agitated: be lopked first at Mr. Coleman and then at the Duke, as if hardly kvowing whether to think that the appearance of his Grnco was an unexpected of pre-arranged event. But his uncertainty on thie point was apeedily dispelicd on observing the look of surprise ‘with which the Duke of Marchmont regarded him. “ What, Armytage! you hera Pf” exclaimed the Duke. “Ah! by the bye, now I recollect, you have pecuniary affeirs with Mr. Ooloman? | hope they are eogressing satisfactorily P— Mr. Oulo- map, parbhps I ought to beg your pardon for this t infrngion you clerk told me that you had some ope with u~but the instant I gave him my eqrd, he Hepraseed me without delay.” *¥es, wy lord,” said the attorney, “I will at- your Grace at once. Mr. Armytagr, beve tha kindness to slop inte another rvom. My clerk will show you thither. We will finish Ralston presently.” glerk, who had lingered st the door, led Mr. Army across the landing to another ms end Duke of Marecbwont remained glone with the solicitor—at least ao far alone as they could he said to be, considering that Mr. Redcliffe was jo an adjoining apartment and in a ion fa overhear everything that took place. y. Coleman gequested the Duke of Marchmont be seated: and then said, “ May I beg to be nfurmed of the business which Lae procured me the honqur of your Graco’s visit P” There was w-certain degree of coldnesf and re- gerve in Coleman's manner which could not be otherwise than perceptible toone who, by his rank and positiop, might naturally have awaited nothing but the profoundest respeot from the man of busi- ness. But not sppesring to notice the somewhiat glacial distance of the Jawyer’s demeanour, tho Duke said, “Ido not think, Mr. Coleman, that | shall take up your time many minutes; for 1 have only a simple question to put—and doubtless your anewer will be aq concisely given.” “ Proceed, my lord,” said the solicitor: and as he seated himself at his desk, ho awaited with cold and grave attention whatsoever was to ful low. «1€ has come to my knowledge,” continued the Duko of Maichmont, “ thet you have made in- quiries concerning a certain Madame Angelique three or four times lately; and to tell you the truth, she is somewhat alermed. Now, I need not inform you, Mr. Coleman, that somo of us mortals are frail exough—and J will frankly admit that I, being one of these fallible ones; frequented the establishment which Madame Augetique used to keep. Happening to call upon her to-day—just to see how she was getting on in the vijla to which she has retired—I found her overwhelmed with alara-—- his conviction you would sec ee ECOMRniclacae SS (CO)