The Mysteries of the Court of London Vol. 7 — page 281: what you’re looking at

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

268 you thus endsavour to etave off the instant when you must hear the truth. Listen, I say, my lord! You see before you a man who is placed in the most difficult and painful of positions. I am ruined—fifty thousand pounds do I owe this law- yer—-or, more properly speaking, his client; twenty thousand pounds of bills which I heve put in cir- cnletion-———~ and, my God, exch bills|—will be due in a few days: these are also in this lawyer's hands~—— Zoe's fortune made away with——~” “Well, well!” ejaculated the now evi- dently fevered with the intensest and most painful curiosity. “But how does all thie——” “ How does it regard your Grace P” exclaimed Armytage bitterly. “In a direst manner, I mean?’ interjected Marchmont, “Of course through friendship for A “ My lord, if you would but listen !” exclaimed Armytage, with renewed impatience. “TI have shown you how on the ane side I stand upon the very verge of ruin: I may now tell you bow on ghe other I have received offers of a most astouniling— a most incredible nature-——and yet ail true, nll true! I may be rish once more: I may be released from theee fearful linbilities--the fortune of my daughter, which T-have diss may be re- placed—and in addition to-all this, a Marge umn may be at my Giapoeel, all on ane ~_ yes, one condiiom, my lord=—" “ And shat gondition ?” ejaculated Marchmont, emitten with the conviction that all to which he was listening mast indied more or lesa regard himself. : . “Your Gerace may beliste me or not, as you think fit,” resamed Armytage: “Dut I swear unto you that no syllable suggestive of aught to your prejudice went forth from my lips: no word savour- ing of betrayal, didI utter. No, by heavens pot a syllable—not a word! dnd yet. reo was made—a proposition to the effect if I would only xeveak something——-—-Need I, my lord, say more P” ! “In the name of God,” geaned the Duke, white as a shoot, and staggering as if stricken a blow, * what—-what———” Bus he could not complete the eantences he could not complete the query which he endea- voured to frame with his ashy quivering lips. “For yoars has your Grace's aeoret been kept,” resumed Armytage; “and for countless reasons would I most sincerely desire to keep it inviolate unto the end! But the tempfation to betray it is immense! ‘With me everything is now at etake: ciroumstances render me intensely selfish ; and it is for your Grace to decide whether I am to owe the resuscitation of my fortunes to your- self, or to that lawyer in the other room P”’ Armytage hed spoken with a mingled nervous- a ne te ae mest, sinking upon a chair, is eyes stared wildly: his countenance became fear- fal fo-look upon in its indescribable ghastliness. The punishment of pandemonium was gnawing at tha beart within—rending the soul with ineffable moraciations, and reflecting ite direst agonies upon tha’ features themesives. ' Pravera,” said the Duke, in a low hollow voice, as he rose from his seat and “you could not do this!” “My lord,” was the response, “I repeat that I have grown intensely selfish: I can now think of no one but of myself and of my daughter. Seventy thousand rather to his client; and, Oh, my lord! you know not how absolutely necessary. it is that the bills which form a portion of that debt should be taken up before they are due!” “But, my God, Travers!” asked the Duke, with the most feverish and frightful suspense, “ what has this Coleman been saying to you? What does he know? what does he suspect? There must have been some clue——-” “ My lord,” replied? Armytage, “I swear that I know nothing as to the origin of all that has ere now taken place. I myself was astounded! — you that I would have wilfully dropped a W eee “ No, no, Travers!” exclaimed Marchmont. “ Pray cease from calling me by that name! It sounds ominous, my lord—I tell you that i¢ sounds ominous! The raven does not croak forth ite own n——" * Enough, Armytage!” interrupted Marchmont : * our language is taking a tone which is inde- acribably horrible! But tell me—tell me—I adjure 7m tell me—nay, I command you,” continued the uke, almost maddened with the hideous thoughts thet were agitating in his drain, so that he scarcely knew what he said: “is not all this some device on your part—-some understanding with that lawyer for the purpose of drawing me into the settlement of your debts? Ob! if it be, I will forgive you ~-{ will forgive you—I will come furward to assist you! Only relieve my mind—tell me that nothing really is known—that nothing 18 suspected,—tell me this, I entreat you, Armytage—give me that assuranos, my dear friend—and I will pardon tho little device—I will attribute it to the desperation of your ciroumstances-——Oh! set my mind at ease, I entreat and implore !” “ My lord,”. responded Armytage, “I am sof . deceiving you! It is utter folly on your part to Blind yourself te the perils which environ you, and to to take refuge in an idea which your own good sence tells you is unfounded.” ‘ The Duke was however catching at any straw which floated past; and like all men in desperate clroumstances, he was endeavouring to reason against bis own convictions. No pen can describe the degree of wretchedness which he ‘experienced =the forlorn desolate state of abject misery to which his mind Was reduced. Ghastly as his coun- tenance was, it was atill a tablet as imperfect to reflect all that was blighting, searing, scathing, and scorching his heart within, ae language iteclf is powerless to convey the extent of that deep in- ternal agony. “For heaven’s sake make haste, my lord! How is it to be P” exclaimed Armytage. “You know the worst—and it ie for you to decide. Desperate: as my own circumetances are, it is to me buta matter of indifference from which quarter help may eome—whether from yourself or from that attorney in the other room. There is however one thing which you should bear in mind. It is quite evident that whatecever Mr. Coleman may suspect, he is very far from having any certithde upon the Armytdge,| points it is clear that he must be udterly without proofs—-or else he would not be prepared on behalf q do I owe to this lawyer—or * ECOMRniclacae SS (CO)