The Mysteries of the Court of London Vol. 4 — page 151: what you’re looking at

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

Half. maddened, then, was Emmerson as he sat a@ noon in his own private office, looking over his letters and obtaining a deeper insight junto his per- plexities as he advanced step by atep down the precipies which that correspondence thus deve- loped to his views. And while a)l these fearful things were forced upon his contemplation, through the whole cloud of miseries peuetrated the thought of his astounding folly in respect to Lady Curgon. Aud how humiliated—how profoundly humiliated —did he now feel when he reflected that the hayghty peress, so far from ever loving him—the plebeian money-griibber—had bebii making a tou! and au instrument of him n whole time; and that if whe had edvouraged Hilt to quit the dingy regions of the City in order té enter the paradud of West End fashion, the portals of which had un- fulded their wings at her magie touch to give him admission, it was only beditise the epchantress had her own selfish purposes to serve! For he felt—full keenly felt—that those gilden gates of high fife’s elysium would how be és sternly and ineroilessly closed ayalist him ae thé doors of a workhouse are to a pauper who has no settlement in the parish: and he almost guashed his teeth With rage as he reflected that, although he had paid thon- sands of potinds for the privilege of basil in the | sun-light of patrician beauty and miingling Wik the other gilded Insects that flitted about in the rogeate floods of luxary, yet that he was only a plebelun intrader and vulgar interloper after all! Suoh was Emerson's state of mid dn the day of which we are oow writing. Having gone thrdugh all his oorrespondence=-as a man traverses a dis- trict where nature presents naught save features vf horror, glooin, and danger, unrelieved by a single spot of refreshing vordure or floral colour- ing—-he ctarted from his seat and hepa piciug the room with rapiil but uneven steps. " What was he to do? Should he beeditie bunkrapt —pass through the ordeil of that tribanal so hum- bhug to conidierola! pride, 80 ruinows to the crédit of the money-grubber—and then seek td begin the world anew? Or should he gather together such wrecks of his late immense resources as he could possibly accumulate, and fly to Canada, or some part of the world where under another tame he might enter upon afresh career? This Jatter idea was the one that pleased him best. He was so disgusted with the extravagances of his wife and déughter—forgetting that he himself had first enouaraged them in a lavish expendirure, and then hud not eottrage to check iv when it exceeded all reasonatie bounds—that he resolved to leave them behind him to shife for themselves. Heartless, selfish, and eruel was this map, even at the very noment when it was most natural that he should scek the solace and the sympathy of those whom he thus coldly and deliberately determined on ubandoning for ever! Asa matter of course, Emmerson was too cau- tious to confide to aby one his intention of de- parting from the country. But still he could not raake all the necessary preparations himaelf. There vere certain little sums of money owing to him im AtFerent quarter>Maud most of which might be obthised upon application; but he could not go round edilecting them himeelf-and indeed it was absolutely necessary Vuat this duty should be per- formed by Varian. THE MYSTBRIES OF THE COURT. é ¢ foe “But will he suspect anything ?” asked Emmer- son of himself, suddenly stopping short in the midst of his agitated walk as the necessity of employing Theodere ia the business ths struck him, *No—I do net think that he will suspect! Ever since he returned to me, he has been docile, meek, and gbliging: he has done everything he conld to. regain my confidencé; and it is clear from a few words which he bas odtasionally let drop, that Ke himself does not imagine my affairs to be very serivasly embarrassed, I do believs he id a good, kind-hearted, faithful creature after all; and that I treated him cruelly and harshly when some tonths agd 1 sent him fo Newgate. Well, then, itis not Nkely he'will suspect anything : and if tie do, he would not betray me. No—I might almost make nim a cotfdant of my inten'ions: and, yet ft were better tit I should not.trust him farther that here y ; But atall events, J will a speak to iim did Wilteh his countenance nar- fowly” , _ Havittg thos ingded, fir. Emiverson cofaposed hls features as well da Hd was'able~took a lass of wine frbin ate bf the sample-bottles Which he iivariably kopt in hts office—ahd then’ sdtanioned Theodire Vi fit: td iis prédence. The young fit Eritered With an air so perfectly frack and Opeti, aid at the same time sy respeotful, that the bill-broker parcdived thereltt the corroboration of dll the reflections fe laid jdst been rodkiog with repaid to him; dud re-d-a'ing himself at the table, he said, “Shut ths door, Varlan. I qish to speak: to you for a few tiliutes.” " Theodore did dé he was deslteds ahd ad he ap- proached the table, he said, “ Pwo or tliree persons came inquiring for you just now, sir; but aa | knew you were occupied with your letters, I sais you Were hot in at the moment.” Ah!” ejaculated Emthereon: “then I suppose you knew they wete persons whom I did uot wish tio see ?"—and he fixed his eyes steadfastly upon Theoderc’s countenance. T did certainly entertain that impression, sir, replied Theodore, totally unabashed aud unmoved —jindeed not appearing to observe that his master’s ‘eyes were settled upon him “ because the persona came for payment of their accounts. But as | know that your resources are all locked up for {ne moment in your numerous speculations, I touk it upon myself to give the answer which I havr mentioned.” : * and you have not only done well, but alac reasoned corredtly,” said Emmerson, with an ap- proving smile. “In facteTheodore, you have been long enough in my office aud are well enough acquainted with the commercial world, to know that there are times and seasons when even the richest aad the mo&t prosperous merchants, traders and speculators are temporarily embarassed Such ia the case with me at the present moment I have thousands locked up in ventures which are really no ventures at all, because they are safe as the Bask of England itself: and mureovgy, cer- tain remittances which I have been expecting from the colonies, have not yet arrived. The conse- quence is, that Lam somewhat hamperel for the pregent——" e . “All this is precisely #hat I knew, sir,” re marked Varian, with every appearance of the most wénuine sincerity: “for I felt convinced that - | | a a I I a EO Te a a TSG a EO a a a OD a, @) AOC) cS) CO