The Mysteries of the Court of London, Vol. 5 — page 369: what you’re looking at

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eve OM) wg Oo Vere So 856 without courage to back up the pride which he as sumed. On twoor three occasions, when in tho socicty of young mon, he had put up with insults which every one elso would have indignantly resented : and thus he had drawn down upun him- self tho contempt of those who would othorwise have gladly sought his society for his rank and his money. An allusion has been made in a recent chapter to the last insult of the kind which he had received without sccking what in fashionablo life is termed “satisfaction:” and as this was the most flayrant instance that had occurred in respect to him, he had becomo more talked about than over %s a downright coward. On theday after his breach with Emily Archer and Iord Harold Staunton he had visited a billiard-room in Bord Street, where ho found himself, if not exactly cut, at loast treated with such marked coldness by the gentlemen pre- sont that not even his vanity could Mind his eyes to the circumstanco; and he had speodity left the placo in bitterest wortification. | We now find him, as stated at the commence- mont of this chapter, dining alone at Sagondale House. Ho had written in the morning to two or throo acquaintances to invite thom to dinner: bit from each ho had received a letter of refusal, couched in torms coldly courteous, and without alle;sing any reason for thes declining. No wonder, thorefore, wns it that ho folt dispirited and discon- tented, Adilicted though he was to wine, he could not enjoy it now. Ho knew not what to dq with himself. ‘This was tho third day gince his breach with Emily; and ho bad remained in-doors almost entirely since the little demonstration at the billiard- table. Io was horribly @nxuyé; ho knew not what to do with himself. Ho had no intellectual re. sources; and even tho last throc-volume novel issued from some West End publisher’s establish- mont, failed to amuse him. Ife now missod both Harold Staunton and Kwily Archer. Ho regretted having quarrelled with them. Ife was ignorant that his late mistress had left London—equally ignorant of tho terrible fate which had befullen her; inasmuch as thero had not as yet been time for an account of tho tragely to appoar in the London newspapers: As he sat sipping his wino, moro from habit than because he really liked it on the present occasion, he said to himself, “I havo an uncommon great mind to go and seo Emily, and endeavour to make it up with her. What if she was really unfaithful to moP She ig only liko the rest of them; and I certainly vould not find a handsomer mistress. Bo- sides, after all, sho was an amusing girl enough; aud we got on very well together till that cursed affair took -placo. I was in a terrible rage at the time: but it was enough to mako me so. Yes: I will go and see her; fur this is such precious dull work! I shall be glad to make it up with her, even if she had boBaved twice as badly.” « Having come to this resolution, Lord Saxondale issucd forth; and taking a cab from ¢he nearest stand in Oxford Street, he procecded to Holloway. Not knowing exactly how his visit might terminate, ho ordered the cabman to wait for farther instruc. tiuns. Indeed, he fancied that Emily was not at home, from the.circumstance of no lights appearin g in the front windows. On knocking at the door, the summons was anawerod by the cook, who was me: Ga. erae ~~ @ Geie.-Ws 'S 0: See ES + i 9 ae EE EE Sa Ee eoeee op DO eS THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT, dressed out in her gayest apparel: for she had tho coachman, tho groom, and some ether friends to sup with her and make merry during her mistrese’s absence—that mistress who was never to return! “Is Miss Archer within?” asked Saxondale. . ‘No, my lord—imissus fing was the reply. “‘ Gone out of town,” he exclaimed. that &”’ ; . “The morning after you was last here, my lord.” ' , “ And the maid gone with her P’” | The vesponse was in the affirmative. , ; “‘ And where has she gone to P” “Well, my lord, to tell your lordship the truth, sho bas gone down into Lincolnshire; and from what the maid told me, I think to Saxondalo Castle.” “ With Lord Harold #” demanded Edmund, more andensore astonished. a “Qh, no, my lord,” rqplied the cook. “ The fact is, there was a terrible row aftor you left t’other night: for 4t schms that Lord Harold had got up-stairé quite unbecknown to misgus—and she callod him all kinds of names; so that he went off in high dudgceon.” _ Al! is this tho case!” said the young nobloman: thon in‘ musing tono, he observed, “ After all, I was wrong to quatrel with Emily. However, I must think of what’s to bo done. £ shall most likely c@l here again to-morrow :”—and with this intima- tion he took his departure. | Re-entering the cab, hecordered the driver to take him back into London; and while rolling along, he said “to himeelf,—“ Perhaps Emily fancied that I should cut off into, Lincolnshire, and she has gone to look after mc. Or perhaps sho means to com- plain to my mother of the treatment she has received at my hands? And yet she Would ‘hardly be such a fool as to fun on a wild-goosa, chase; without being previously certain that I had left London: and as to carrying her complaints to my lady-mother, that is most unliko Emily Archer. No, there is something in all this I can’t upéerctand. Shall I cut into Lincolnshire attor her? or shall I wait until she comes back? I think I had better wait: for wo might cross each other. Yes—I will wait.” Having come to this resolve, Lord Saxondalo turned his thoughts upon another subject. This was neither more nor less than the important mattor of how ho Was to pass the evening. He revolved in his mind all the various places of amusement,—dis- missing them however one after the other, until hw suddenly recollected that there was one of which he had heard a groat deal—which he and Lord Harold had frequently thought of visiting—but which some- how or another had escaped the honour of their presence. Thrusting his head out of the window, he said to the cabman, " Drive to the <Garrick’s Head in Dow streot.” : In due course Lord Saxondale reached the, far. famed hostelry; and dismissing the cab, he made his way up into a spacious room, where a numerous oqmpany was assembled, and where the Judge and Jury Socia’y held its sittings. One portion of the room was fitted up in miniature imitation of a cowt of justice. There was the bench, with the little desk for the jddge—there was the table for the bar- “When _ De | a gone out of town,” - | COLUM LOAO© SS (CO)