The Mysteries of the Court of London Vol. 4 — page 149: what you’re looking at

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

Ce eve sim x _—_ Meee 4d OD ey eee Ae wh a Rewesee = see — | — SEA OA = Ape i3t , Mr. Eyimerson, the bill-broker, was seated in his private office, examining the letters which had ar- rive by the miorning’s post. His countenance was haggard and careworn: there was an o¢casional quivering of the lip*which denoted an inward excite- ment of no ordinary degree, and as he opened letter atter letter, his hands trembled with nervous agi- tation. Ever and anon he gave a kind of con- vulsive start, as if suddenly, becoming aware of the moral weakness to which he ‘was thus yielding and the physical derangement that was accompany- ing jt; and then he would compress his lips and clench his fists violently, and even stamp his foot upon the carpet, as he said to himself, “ This is ridi- culous! thie is childish! Things cannot be so bad as my fears pouttray them.” } But things were bad though, and very bad too, with Mr, Exomerson the bill-broker. Several unfor- tunate speculations had within the lagt few months crippled his resources; and the enormous drains which his amour with Lady Curzoh made upon his purse, tended atilP farther to hamper him. Concur- rently with these progressive sources of ruin, the extravagances of his family had increased at Clap- ham;:and in the endeavour te outshine all their neighboure, his we and daughter had set no bounds to their profusion. But, ‘#@:mimerson day by day had seen his own affairs Gesothing more invobved and. his family's expendigiye growing more lavish, a fecling of pride mingled with alarm had prevented hin from communicating to his wife the state of his finances and the necessity that existed for eco- aomy. Yes—pride, because he could not bring himself to give utterance to the humitiatiug words whigh should enforce the necessity of retrenchinent ~and alarm, because ho felt that if he were to show any outward sign of his embarrassments, all his creditors would become clamorous at ones, his credit would be stopped, and his destruction ucce- lerated, ‘Thus, the extravagances at home had gone on increasing while his “means of suppofting them were diminishing; and although his wife and daugliter observed at times that he became thoughtfal and sombre—and though they even detected an expres- siou of perfect agony oazasionally sweeping over his countenance—yet they quieted their own fears with the thought that too close an application tu business was the cause of Emmerson’s altering Jooks ; and not fora moment did they choose to suspect that any trouble was being introduced into his finances., In addition to the above-mentioned causes of pecuniary embarrassment, Emmerson had recently stood an expensive contest for the aldermanic gown of one of the City Wards. Hera again did the ‘pride of a man who was so strong in oppressing wl whom his usurious practices brought within his scope, become his weakness; and though at the very first moment when'a deputation of his friends waited upon him and asked him to stand as a can- didate, he,was friyhteued at the enormous expense mto which it would lead him, he nevertheless had not the courage to breathe the word “20.” The canvass theretore took place; aud judging by the promises received, Hunncrson’s success appeared eertain, But when the day of election came, many of those who had pledged themselves to support him, stopped away; while others actually went to the polling place and recerded their votes against him! Vain had been all his expenditure to ensure his eloction—cqually vain and futile had proved oo 6 See eee | oe ee) > we ee rere aa yee ne ES Te ee dhezath Qenepeb iad mek ee gee 9 seis we 3 gris Oye ole lee = ER Be eee = " THE MYSTERIES OF THEY COURT, ¢ . his frothy vapourings relative to “our blessed Constitution” ani “ glorious Jaws :” it was evident that some mysterious agency had been at work tc undermine him, and,that to such dark and insidious mancuverings was his defeat to be attributed. While still smarting under the galling sense of a failure which, prominént as he had made himself as a Common Councilman, was absolutely igno- minious, Emmerson began to observe fhat some of his most influential City friends seemed less cor- dial than, they were wont to be. At first he thought that this was mere fancy on his part: but he soon received such signal proofs to the contrary, that he was compelled to coufess to himself that his character was waning.and his Gredit dimimishiny. Fresh evidences of these facta promptly developed themselves. His bankers wrote a peremptory letter to remind him that-he had latterly beon overdraw- ing his account and paying but little money in: two or three cap:talists, of whom he had for years past been enabled to obtain apy sums he required, were full of excuses then he now demanded their aid. One had “locked up all his fands”—dnother had “ decidtd upon turning his Hoating capital into other channels” - and a third * could not pos- sibly oblige Mr. Emmerson on the present, occa- sion.” But this was not all. Some of his best ‘ clients—well-to-do tradesmen who occasionally ‘wanted the acqnuunodation of a few thousands or hundreds, and who did not mind paying hand- somely for the loan thereof for a short time-— found out soe other bill-broker #ho charged a lesser interest, and thus Enamerson’s business was rapidly falling otf. | a Still these were not all the evils and misfortunes that were closing in around him. During the last week or two, reports had been prvately whispered both in the City and at Clapham that his affairs were embarrassed beyond all remedy. Biils then came. pouring ia upon him; and he found, to his horror and dismay, that Jarge accounts for ups holstery, jewellery, wine, millinery, and so forth, for which he had given his wife the money, ‘remaiued wbliqoidated, she having lavished the funds in other ways. That his approaching downfall was rumoured, soon rediched his ears by several dis- agreeable meaus. Ilis wife had a quarrel with a fomaleservant whom she threatened to discharge ; wheréapon the woman blazed forth in a fury of invective and taunt, declaring that pride would have a fall and that everybody knew the end of | all this pomp and oateptation was at hand! Then Mrs. Emmerson’s eyes were suddenly opened to the truth; and she charged her husband with his financial embarragsment—as if it constituted a positive crime of which he had been guilty towards her! Asa matter of coure he turned upon her with virulent ‘reproaches for her extravagance: | and thus a gerrible ‘scene took place, of which all tho servants were listencrs. On guing into the | City on eceasion, Emmerson found that all ' prsons who had any claims upon him there, were reetting very presaing fur payments and in the 3 course of a few days they grew absolutely offmor- ous, acting ‘sid speaking as if they were secretly urged on by somebody who was giving them to understand that unless they became thud impor. tunate it was very likely they, would never be paid at all, Qach was now the position of Enimerson's affairs: COMMU O) LDOC cS) CO