The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 231: what you’re looking at

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

218 THE MYSTERIEw OF THE COURT. “ ‘Yes—such, I can assure you, is the fact,” proceeded the German :” and I will tell you how it happens. You must know that all the Duke’s plate was unfortunately in pledge when he received the invitation to pay his present visit to England. What was to be done? he could not redeem it: the pawnbroker would not part with it out of his own keeping; and 4 reigning Sovereign come to England to stay at a hotel without his own plate. The dilemmas was serious: but a eom- promise was hit upon. It was agreed that the pawnbroker’s assistant should bring over the plate,—travelling in the ducal retinue, and with special injunctions to keep a sharp eye upon the property : for the Duke is quite as capable of lay- ing hands upon i¢ as any of the that surround him. §o0 I sapposs it was deemed pra- dent to give the fellow Farthenless an oflicial de- partment: hence the dignity of Baron and the post of Privy Purse,— both of which he will have to renounce the instant he gets back to Germany.” Christian was amased almost to stupefaetion b what be hed heard; and the especial care whic he had seen Baron Farthenless bestow upon the ducal plate was now fully accounted for. Ho remained a little longer in conversation with the intelligent German, and then took his departure from the tavern, more than half inclined to send in his resignation to his Royal Highness. Bat when he reflected that the term for which he was engaged would elapee in another fortnight, he eon- sidered that it would bo as well to remain for so short a space: and to this decision he accordingly came. We need hardly inform the reader that the principal subject which eontinued to occupy his mind,—and te which all that related to the peuper Duke and his frowsy horde, was but of secund-rate importance,—was the new and indeed brilliant position in which he found Isabella placed : nor less did he ponder with some degree of uneasi- ness on her companionship with that handsome and elegant-looking young man. Still Christian flattered himeeif that he was not altogether in- different to the young lady; and be entertained so high an opinion of ver, that be could not believe she would prove faithless to any such tender feel- ing entertained on his behalf—if it were really experienced. But on the other hand, a fear would steal into his mind that the influence of the new friends, or of the relatives—whichever they were -—whom Isabella had found, might possibly lead her to yield to their views, and form some brilliant alliance which it was natural enough they should seek for her. Still, as we have said on former oe- casions, there waa bope in the youth’s heart; and in juxtaposition with hie apprebensions, did ima- givation conjure up & proportionate atnount of cheering dreams, Thus the fortaight passed away,—during which Christian saw nothing more of the beautiful Jeabella, and experienced no farther adventure in respect to the Germans at all d ing of notice. At the end of that period he reeeived his dismissal, together with a certificate of good conduct from his Royal Highness the Duke of Maxe Stolburg- Quotha; and he was once more out of employ- ment. Again he inscried an advertisement in the newspapers; and in the course of a few days he received a note from the Earl of Lascelles, desir- ing him to oall at his mansion at Kensington. 8 SSS Se a a iS It was a fine day in the month of March, and about the hour of noon, that Christian Ashton proceeded to Kensington ; and was introduced into a large and handsomely furnished library, where he was desired to wait a few minutes and his lord- ship would be with him. Christian examined the book-shelvesa, and found that they were crowded not | with splendidly-bound volumes,—belonging, as a matter of course, to all classes of literature: but it oosurred to him that very few appeared to have been at all ysed. the impression pro- dueed upon his mind was that the library was what it too often is in the mansions of the great —intended more for show than for service. He wondered to himself what sort of a nobleman the Earl of Lascelles would prove to be; and in imagi- nation he was depicting a tall, arietocratic-looking individual, when the door opened, and an old gentleman of sixty, of most ungainly figure—ap- parelled with a ludicrous admixture of old bess dandyism and of slovenlincss—with large promi- nent features, the expression of which almost pro- voked an inclination to laughter—mads his appearance. Christian was marvelling who this eould be---whether the major-dome, the batler, the valet, ar any other functionary of the nobleman’s housshold—when the odd-looking individual, ad- vancing straight up to him, said with a patronising smile, “So you sre the young gentleman who advertised for the post of private secretary? Well, upon my word, your appearance is prepor- ingenough. You say your testimonials are P—bat I am terribly difficult to please, and must examine you ¢ritically.” Christian had now no longer any doubt as to whose presence it was in which he stood : bat be could not help thinking that his lordship was more fitted by nature to play the part of buffyon upon the stage, than to enact that of an hereditary legislator. “ Bit down, Mr. Ashton, and let us converse,” resumed the Earl of Lascelles. “First of all, with ta the testimonials ?”’ Christian produced them; and as the Earl took the papers, he said, “ You see I can read perfectly well without spectacles; and yet now-a-days it seems to he the fashion for gentlemen to taks to glasses at my ago—which ie five-and-furty.” Christian eould scarsely help starting; for he would have wagered his existence that the Earl was sixty, if he whs a single day. “ Ah, an excellent testimonial from the Duke of Marehmont! I know his Grace well. Between you and me,” continued the Earl, “they say that his Grace and myself are the two stars of the House—in respect to personal appearance, | mean.” Again Christian felt astonished—as well indeed he might: for the Duke of Marchmont was a tall, well-made personage, and he had once been hand- some enough until disarpation and evil passions hed begun to mar hie good looks: whereas the Earl of Lascelles had never the slightest preteo- gions to any such good looks at all, and was now a Irving counterfeit—an animate artificiality—a peri- patetic cheat—a breathing lie—made up of padded garments, falee hair and falee teeth, and even 8 talse complexion. “ Yes—we are called the stars of the House,” continued his lordship, with an air of bland and an (GO) (C DOO Col