The Mysteries of the Court of London Vol. 7 — page 307: what you’re looking at

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

294 upon the hopes which Mrs. Oxcndon had lately been throwing out, relutive to her intention of making herself Duchess of Marchmont. For a few days this idea had scemed to be reduced to hopelessness by the Duke's ylness, whieh it was feared would terminate fatally: but Alexis Oliver had this afternoun been informed of the turn which had takev place in favour of Matchmont’s recovery. It was therefore with edditional gueto that he was now eenjoying his olaret,—haviug dined alone at that West End hotel where we find him. Several other gentlemen had heen dining at the game place: but one by one they bad taken their departuro; and Aloxis was now alone in that coffee-room. He had not however been loft a quarter of an hoyr by himself, whgn the door opened, and two new-comers made their appear- ance. One was Captain Stanley, who, as the reader will recollect, was a young man of abuut four-and-twenty, exceedingly handsume—and what was better still, of remarkably honourable charkc- ter. His companion was our young hero Ohgjs- tian Ashton. Christian hed met Stanley after he loft Mr. Coleman’s office; and in the course of conversa- tion it transpired that Stubley had some slight acquaintance with Alexis Oliyer. Christian tuld him enough to make him comprehend that it was of vital importance to Lord Clandon’s ultimate in- terest that certain measures should be carried out in reference to Alexis; and Stanley—who was himself a firm believer in the innocence of him whom he had known ap Mr. Rodoliffe, and who had sayed his father’s life in India—readily as- sented to succour our hero in his present enter- price. Hoe entertained a thorough contempt an aversion for the character of Oliver: but he h nu difficulty in temporarily crushing his scruples in order to further the interggts of that imprisoned and accused nobleman to whom his father was io- debted for his life. He and Obristian had with little difficulty “succeeded in tracing Alexis to this West End hotel which was one of the dissipated young man’s favourite hauate; and the two now lounged in together, as if totally unconscious of whom they were to meet in that coffee-room. “Ah, Captain Stanley !” exclaimed e Oliver, starting up from his seat: “I am delighted to see you! Come to dine here, I suppose? Well, you could not do better. The turtle is first-rate —the venison excellent. As for the iced punch— cowroend me to it!” Captain Stanley shook Mr. Oliver's hand with far more eordiality—or at least the uppoaranco thereof—than he had ever before displayed; and presenting Christian, he said, “Allow me to in- troduce my friend Mr, Craven.” The introduction was accorilingly effected ; and then Captain Stanley said, “ Had we known of the excellencies of the turtle and venison @t this house, we he assuredly have proved them. But we have dined; and it was‘at a place where they gave THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. this compliment; he and Stanley sat down at the same table with Alexie Oliver; and moro claret was called for. After a little conversation on the light Hoating topica of the day, Obristiag rose frown his seat— ostensibly to glance at en evening paper which lay upon an adjacent teble—but in reality to afford Cuptain Stanley an opportunity of whispering a fow words, according to previoys understanding, in the ear of Alexis Oliver. “Who is this young Craven P” inquired Alexis, in a subdued tone, when Christian had left bis seat in the manner just described. “ Ho is quite a youth—he oust be at least two years younger than I am—but exceedingly handsomo——whint the ladies would call a perfect specimen of mascu- line beauty.” “ Ho is a desperate wild young fellow,” replied Stanley; “with plenty of money—for his ¢urr- dians make him a splendid allowance until he comes of ago. He gambles and drinks— and, in short, my dear Oliver, he is twenty times wilder Chan you yourself are.” “The deyce!” ejaculated Alexis: “he must in- deed be a precious young blade! So you have taken bim in tow, Stanley—and are showing him, I suppose, a little of London lifeP But how the devil is this? I thought yéu were the very pat- tern of steadiness——” © “To tell you the truth, my dear Oliver,” re- sponded Stanley, with a significant smile, “T am heartily sick and tired of what the world calls a eteady life; and perhaps too the stillvst water sometimes runs the deopest. You sce, my sover- nor is rather strict and severe; and therefore what with partially being under terrorism, and what with having hitherto felt no inolination to be par- ticularly wild, I have got the reputation of being altogethor steady.” “ And now you mean to break out at last ?” ex- claimed Oliver, laughing merriy. “ Well, this is capital; and I like you ten thousand times better than ever I did betoro. Indeed, I do not know that I ever liked you at all until the present oo- casion 7 “Ohl if you only like wild people,” responded Captain Stanley, smiling, “you will henceforth like me well enough, I oan teli you! I mean to break out thoroughly and completely. In fact, [ have begun. This young Craven and [ are now cénstantly togethor-——’ " “You must let me be one of the party,” inter- rupted Alexis. “The truth is, I want to get into anew ect. All my old acquaintances have fallen off someLow or another—or disappeared, I ecarcely know by whut means. One is in the Bench—another has goné abrodd with his regiment—e third has died—a fourth has married—a fifth has taken holy orders—and what the devil has become of the rest, I can’t tell. Ruined and yurned billiard-markers, perhaps ?” “Why, you really speak, Oliver,” oxdlaimed Stanley, laughing, “like a nian of sixty who had outlived all his acquaintances ;—and yet you are - us d bad wine: so we determin D coming to take just one bottle of claret.” | not more than one-and-twenty I” By. mpgeay join me!” oxclaimed Alexis] “ Bomething of that sort,” replied Alexis: and Oli* % rhe we ed with Captain Stanley's} then he added with half-affected, halfgdissipated usbentie of ver, “T shall bo ‘alighted, ie yawn, “ When one knocks about town for two or Craven, to make your better acquaintance.” threp years, you know, one dies begin to foel Our young hero bewed in acknowledgment of {cursed old. But I say, Mr. Oravent—or plain COMicloOOlksS. com