The Mysteries of the Court of London, Vol. 7 — page 67: what you’re looking at

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

A , Ae er IE TE is, 56 anne cI? “The family is @ very ancent and a most honourable one,” continued the Duke of March- mont. “Meredith himself is s hangsome and elegant young man——” “ But if I mistake not,” observed Mr. Army- tage, “ he is at variance with his relatives; and I would not have my daughter marry into any family where she would stand a chance of being cut, and where I myself should not be a welcome guest.” “Of all this you need entertain no apprehen- sion,” rejoined the Duke of Marchmont. “The Marquis of Penshurst is more parsimonious than proud; and depend upon it, he will joyfully re- ceive his son and his son’s wife when the latter brings an ample dowry with her on her wedding- day. As for yourself, you have only to lend a few thousand pounds to Lord Meredith, the Mar- quis’s eldest son—and to Lord Charles, his second son—both of whom are kept by their father’s penuriousness in total want of money,—you have oniv to do this, I say, in order to receive all possible civility at their hands.” “Yes, your Grace speaks truly,” said Mr. Armmy- tage. “As for Octavian Meredith, he is a very nice young man—a son-in-law of whom one might feel proud. But are you sure, my lord——”’ “TI am eure, Armytage,” interrupted the Duke, “that I have managed the thing most capitally for you. Meredith furnished me an opportunity the other day of counselling him relative to his affairs: indeed it was the very same day on which you vourself called—and I have had him with me every dey mance. You may expect a visit from lun this afternoon: so I shall not wait another mespent—lest he might think it strange if he were to sé me in conversation with you. Play your cards well, Armytage—and the fair Zoe will be Lady Octavian Meredith.”e The carriage drove away; and Mr. Armytage re-ascended to his drawing-room, perfectly satisfied with the proposed arrangements: for after al) the Duke of Marchmont had just said, he saw at a glance how his daughter and himeelf would ob- tain, after the marriage, a suitable footing in the Penshurst family. But ae he returned to the apartment in which Zoe was seated, his counte- nance betrayed not that anything unusual was passing in his mind; and as he was invariably ‘accustomed to parade before his daughter, as well asin the presence of his friends and acquaintances, his great intimacy with the Duke of Marchmont, he was at uo loss for an excuse for his Grace's flying visit. “If I was to listen to that fellow Marchmont,” he said to Zoe, “ you would scarcely ever have my society at the dinner-table. Hoe is always wanting me to go and dine with him. That is what he came for just now. I do really Bélieve he feels more pleasure in my company than ip that of any other of hie friends. But hark! there’s another knock at the door.” : Agan did Mr. Armytage take up one of the splendidly bound annuals, and affect to be reading some stangsas by Lady Letitia Fitsharding Fitz- patrick Langui The lines were by courtesy denominated poetry ; but in reality they were the most mawkish: twaddle thet ever was conteined in an array of words se¢ out’ i -unmetrical lines, and with false jingles by way of rhymes. The door 4 9 ON eee a ee mpeg ents RE — THR MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. was thrown open by the gorgeously dressed foot- man; and Lord Octavian Meredith was an nounced. The reader is already aware that this young nobleman had for some little: time past been an occasional visitor at Mr. Armytage’s house, and one of those scions of the aristocracy whom the wealthy parvenu had, through the aid of the Duke of Marchmont, secured as the “lions” of lis saloons. He therefore received Octavian with becoming courtesy—though with no more cordi- ality than he had been previously wont to display ; for he was careful not to excite a suspicion of the machinations which were in progress. Zoe ree ceived the young nobleman with a lady-like affa- bility; and the conversation at firet%urned upon indifferent subjects. Suddenly Mr. Armytage re- collected that he had letters to send off to the post; and he begged his loraship to excuse his temporary absence from the room. Meredith was now alone with Zoe; and he gave the conversation an intellectual turn. The young lady entered easily into this train of discourse: at was pursued—and both became gradually more and more interested in it. Meredith saw that Zoe bossessed a well-oultivated mind: he had all along known that she was accomplished; but he did not suspect the existence of so much of wisdom's treasures in her understanding. He was the more charmed too, inasmuch ae her remarks were rhade with a mingling of well-bred ease and maidenly bashfulness which totally divested her of the obtru- siveness of the “blue-stocking.” He had come expressly thus to draw her out—or, in other words, to fathom the depths of her mind: for he was nei- ther so wifishly degraded in his own disposition, nor 80 aesperate in his circumstances, as to resolve all in a moment to seek as a wife.a young female of shallow intellect and frivolous disposition. He remained an hour with Zoe on this occasion; so that he far exceeded the usual limit of a morning call: but the interval appeared to him the lapse of a few minutes only. He had never known so much of Zoe before; and he was as much surprised and delighted at what he thus found her to be on a better acquaintance. He took his leave, ana striking into one of the most secluded portions of the Regent’s Par%, de- liberated with himself. Did he love ZoeP No: assuredly not. Could he bring himself to love her? He sighed. That sigh was an avlewer to the question—an answer in the negative! The image of the lovely unknown of whom he had spoken to the Duke of Marchmont, suddenly rose up to his mental vision ; and he felt that his heart was inextricably engaged there. Then, should he persevere in his contemplated suitpwith Zoe His naturally honourable feelings shrank from ,the thought. At that instant he almost loathed him- self as one who had entertained the idea of per- forming the despicable part of a selfish fortune- hunter; and he said to himself, “No: poverty booner -— teu thougind times sooner, in estimation {” at the house of Mr. Armytaze ; Meredith was ono of the attached himeelf to Zoe as in the dancee' ke turned the music for her GORMGOOO SS CO