The Mysteries of the Court of London Vol. 7 — page 308: what you’re looking at

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

THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. “Ay wret | ae Pewee Craven I shall éall you—for it ie deorea:l that you and I are to get uncommonly intimate together ‘We have filled our glassos three or four times while you have been poring over that stupid paper.” “I was only looking at the Sporting Intelli- gence,” observed Ohristian, with a amile. Tho act is, I have a bet or two———” “Which is your favqurite F’ ejaculated Aloxis eagerly. » “Seringapatam,” suggested Captain Stanley— thus with readiness coming to our young hero's assistance; for he felt perfectly well assured that Christian knew no more of sporting matters than of what was taking place in the moon. “J don’t mind giving you large odds against Scringapatam,” exclaimed Alexis Oliver: and from a small pocket cut slantwise on the outeide of the left breast of his surtout coat, he drow furth his betting-book. ‘ What shall we say P—a cool hun- dred to eighty P” “Oh, by all means!” ejaculated Christian: and then drawing forth hia own pocket-bogk, he pro- ceeded to make a memorandum with as muc artistic sonchalance as that displayed by Alexis himself, “I am really glad I have fallen in with you two follows,” proceeded Oliver: “we will have rare games together. And*to begin, let us have an- other bottlo of claret 7° The wine was ordered; and when the first glasses had beun discussed and approved of, Alexis Olivor—who was now more than half-intoxicated ~-bogan to didaourse in that mysterious strain of somi-confidence which forms one of the phases of ebriety. “ The fact is,” he said, “I am in luck’s way at present. I don’t like to boast, you know,~-but there’s the finest woman in all London you understand me?—sho is over bead and cars in love with me ; and I of course cajole her in a mest exemnplayy fashion. I shouldn't let every one know what game is up: but as we have agreed to be stanch allies for the future, we mustn't have any scorets trom each otl@r. Have either of you heard of a certain Mrs. Oxenden P” “ Mrs. Oxenden ?” said Captain Stanley, slowly repeatiug the naine, as if in a sort of dubiousness whether ho had befure heard it mentioned or noé, “Why, what did [I hearP Surely that is the splondid woman whom Marchmont has had in skeeping P”” “Well, you are right,” rejoined Alexis. ‘ And she ds a splendid woman ton, I can tell you!—tull of passion, and devoted to me. Therv’s no vanity on my part: but it isa fact that she can’t endure the Duke ——he’s laid up now, pvor fellow !—but as for your humble servant, she'd go throfigh fire and water for bim !’’ “No doubt of ic!” said Stanley. “ But thero is no compliment in telling you, Oliver, that you're just the young fellow to captivate the fomale heart.” “Well,” observed Alexie, complacgntly caress- ing his beardless chin, “I may have made a few conquests in my time: but [ won’t say that I have, for fear you should charge me with vanity.” " Wot I indeed!” exclaimed Stanley., “ Bvery young man can telle few tales if he likes.” TTS — “ No doubt of it 1” cried Christian, sipping his claret. “And as a matter of course asmanget friends ——" “There should be no reserve!” ejaculated Oliver. “ That's juss what I cay! It is aston- ishing how we three fellows pull together! I see that we chall get on swimmingly.” “And a this Mre, Oxenden,” interjected Stanley, “is so infatuated with you P hat a lucky,dog youere! But I tell you what my ides of a woman's love is, If she gives you all her oon- fidence, then abe eaally Joves you: but if she keeps any secréta from -you, then she doesn’t in reality care a fig for you.” “ Now, ihere agsin wa agree!” exclaimed Alexis. “Betwgen ourselves, I saw plainly enough that Mrs. Oxenden had some searet from me; and it was eoncerning the Duke too Well, thought I ta mywelf, ‘I am resolved to worm it out of her :’—so [ plied her with all sorts of cajo- leries : I poured forth q volley of such vowa and protestations—I made her drink champagne, tao, of which, by the bye, sho is particularly fond; and ao by degrees, ———” “You're the cleverest fallow I ever met in my life!” exclaitned Captain Stanley, affacting to he in raptures with Alexis, ee “f must give you credit for most excellent genéralsbip,” said Obristian, throwing in the ad” ditional weight of his own flattery. “So it ended by this ‘What's-her-pame——Oxenden-—-= tolling you thing—eh ?”’ “ By Jove, Bact all out of her!” cried Alexis with a chuesie,' “Rus you mysn’} push me any farther. It’s all very fine, you know, for friends to have mutual confidences: but that secret, you understand,. is not mine to reveal. It’s like a sacred deposit——"”——— , “Ob, of course!” ejaculated Stanley: “ kcep your own counsel in that respect. Neither Craven nor mysolf would wishgyou to do anything that is unhandsome.” " “Not for the world {” cried Obrigtian. “ But we don’t drink |” . © Ab, the poor Duke!” said Oliver, shaking his head with a mifstorious siguificancy. “If he only knew everything! By Jove, I could tell a secret if I likéd! BueI won't! No, n0—it would bo too bad [’s “T tell you what,” said Stanley: “you shall beth of you dine with me to-morrow. Let it be at the Cmrendon Hotel at six o'clock.” “ You shall both dine with me the day after,” added Christian. “We will go to Blackwall.” “ Now, these are arrangements that I like,” esid Alexia: “they prove that we are getting all night and comfortable with each other. The day after- wards you shall dine with me at this very hotel; and I'll show you whether I exaggerated just now about the turtle and venison. But what are we going to do for tosnight ?”” . “ Drink qnother bottle of claret!” exolaimed Christian, looking at hie, watch; “and then away whithersoover you choose }” Scarcely were the wirds spoken, when tho waiter entered the coffee-room; end said to Alexis Oliver, “If you please, air, @ person wishes to speak to you op very partiouler business.” e “The deyoe |” exclaimed the young gentleman, somewhat sobered by an announcement whieh evi- eg ye EE @ COLUM LOAO© SS (CO)