The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 123: what you’re looking at

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

110 . “ An elderly lady, I presame ? Perhaps a widow —er an old maid ?”’ “ No, my lord,” Christian, flattering himself, in the ingenuouaness of his mind, that the Duke was considerable interest— and that of a very kind nature too—in the affairs of himeelf and his sister. ‘Christina has beeome the companion of # young lady———-Lady Octavian Meredi fair enknown, it at once struck him that Octavien | such a way es 40 prevent himself had mancogrred in some way cr eter | to the young girl beneath his own ore waspeted for om instant that there must Sireedy be ome sort of ea understanding between Christaan’s sister and Octavian Meredith,—an un- derstanding which the young lady had perbaps altogether unknown from her aertiess-munded brother: for it needed but a glance on the part of sach a thorough man of the world as the Duke of Marchmont, to discern how really unsophisticated his young secretary was. “ And pray,” he inquired, “how was your sister fortunate enough to obtain that atvateon °” “Through the recommendation of the landiady with whom we lived, my lord, and whose daughter ia in service at Ledy Octavmn Meredith's.” The Duke of Marchmont now felt more and tore assured that it was all a concoeted arrange- ment on Meredith’s part to get Miss Ashton into way.” ‘ris honse—and that the landlady just alluded to, had lent herself to the echeme, even # Obristina herself had not. “C dog, that Octavian !” he to himself; “but perhaps I will outwit him yet. And then he said, aloud, “I am well ac- with Lord Octavian Meredith-—Ah, by _ the bye, now I bethink me, i was on account of a Miss Ashton that he fought a duel some little time back—and I was hie second on the ocension.” “Lord Octavian Meredith!” ejaculated Chris- tian, opening wide his fine dark eyes im bewildered estonishment et this imtelkgence. “No, my lord—there is some maistake—it wase Mr. Percival.” “Cunning dog, that Octavian !” thought the Duke to inmeeclf: for % immediately strack him that the young nobleman had concealed his aristocratic rezk under a feigned name, and per- haps represented himeecif es an usmarried man, the better to carry on a love siege against the heart of the beautiful Christina. Then again wpeaking alond, Merchmont said, “I am afraid I have let out a secret: for it assuredly was Lord Octavian Meredith who fought om your sister’s behalf. About twenty-{wo or twenty-three years of age—very good-lookix shape-—brown herr and = The encne rey lord” evied Cartan, more and “Don’t look so estonished,’ said the Duka, uriiling: “it is Octavian should have taken a nemsé-—_-— By the bye, I recollect that he told me so, and that his reason was the fear that your sister would " ge and take steps to preventthe duel. But I sup- pose he called upon you afterwards?” “Once, my lord—and only once,” responded “ And you were present ?” “The whole time. He only remained a short while; and that very seine evening we removed to other lodgings. We never saw Lord Octavian agen. What a singular ecincidence that my sister should have obtained a situation with bis lordship’s wife !”’ “ Very singular,” observed the Dake, convinced ' ing that the Duke had poy ulterior object in view —his Grace obtained a auflicient insight into the character of Christina and the receat mode of life of the twins, as to bring him to the conclusion thas Miss Ashton was reelly a most virtuous end wel). conducted girl, and that i¢ was through no seas understanding on her own part thet she hed en- tered Lord Octavian’s honsehold. On the eon trary, Marchmons felt convinced that up to the very moment of her proceeding thither, she had no ides of the identity of Lord Octayien and Mr. Percival. “ Should you happen to fall in with Lord Octa- vian,” said the Duke, “ you had better net tell hin that it was from my lips gon learnt the little secret that the name of Percival wes 03 assumed one. Of course your sister will tell you—and you need not appear to have known it im any other “Certainly, my lord—your edyiee shall be fol- lowed,” answered Christaan, who sem mo herm aad suspected 20 evil in all these things. “We hare no letters te write to-day,” remarked the Duke presently : “and therefore you msy anvasge yourself in becoming betéer acquainted with your new home.” With these words, the Dake xose aad sauntered out of the library,—fully determined to call im the course of the aftermoon at Lord Ostavien Mere dith’s, and obtain a glimpee, if possible, of the beautefal Miss Ashtom. That this demgn was car- ried mito effect the reader has elready accom; end the result of the interview was that the Duke of Marchmont felt himeelf as much enamoured of the charmunt Eiri os such 0 dimmpated jodividual covid While sanding 40 his own chamber mm the course of the afternoon, Christian enocuntered en the stairsa beautiful lady, attended by a maid, ead whom he at ones conceived to be the Duohess. Bhe was in her thirty-second yeas—tall—fnaly formed—end with lustrous masees of auburn hair floating over her shoulders. These was eomething more than beautafal in her countenance,—e toach- ing pensvences bordering epon melancholy, whiok rendered her eminently intezesting ; and as Chris- tian stood respectfully aside to make way for her, and bowed courteously as he did 90, she stopped and spoke. gentleman,” she inguired, beniguant ““ Are you the young im @ soft musical voles vaice, and with her look, “ whom his Grace has engaged as his private pp Christian bowed again, and replied in the affirm- ative. “IT hope you will be happy and comfortable at Marchmont House,” proceeded her ladyship: ang (COLL (C DOO (GO)