The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 328: what you’re looking at

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THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. 819 She said no more; and there was ancther long pause. The tipsy individual in the corner now woke up; and having slept off the fumes of his former potations, he appeared to think it was necessary to ronew them. He saeeordingly drew forth a case-bottle from his pocket; and taking out the cork, applied i¢ first to his nose to inhale the emell, and next to his lips to imbibe the liquer. Having taken a deep draught, he wiped the mouth of the bottle with his sleeve, and prof- fered it to Amy, who dectined it with disgust—then to Christian, who refused it with cold civility. - “Well, then,” said the drunken gentleman, * there is all the more for me:”—and he forth- with proceeded to empty the bottle. He then observed, for the beboof of his lis. teners, that he could replenish it at Ashford-—but that he wished he had done so at Reigate, where the brandy was better: and then it occurred to him that thete was very good rum te be got at the Ashford station--and he thought it might agree with him best. He next notieed that the crops looked very fine: though how he could manage to see them at all, was a miracle, inasmuch as he had one eye elosed and the other blinking like an owl’s. So, having delivered him- self of the sage observations just recorded, he fell into the corner and into «4 sound sleep simul: taneoualy. In about half-an-hour the traim stopped at Headcorn; and there Amy Sutton took leave of Christian Ashton—for she had reached her desti- mation. At Ashford the intoxicated gentleman woke up, and contrived to alight for the purpose of replenishing his flask. When he had returned to his seat, he applied himself vith much industry ¢o the eaid fiask,—the effects of which, instead of making him eleepy, rendered him quarrelsome : 60 that, to Christian’a surprise and astonishment, he began. to pull off his coat, hiccoughing out an ex- pression of his deep regret at the necessity under whieh he laboured of polishing our hero off: For this polishing purpose he rose up from hie seat; but Christian, in order to put an end to these pugnacious displays, forced him baek into it again, with the assuranee that if they did come te a fight it would be much the worse for him who pro- voked it. Fortunately the city of Canterbury was soon reached; and there the drunken gentle- man was claimed by his wife and three grown-up daughters, who were waiting to receive him, and who assailed him in no measured terms on bebold- ing the condition in which he had brought him- seif beck to the bosom of hie family. Remagate was reached in due time; and the Hon. Talbot Sycamore took up his quarters at the Royal Hotel. CHAPTER LXI. CHRIGTIAN'’S NEW EMPLOTES. ‘W ETHER it were under the bracing influenee of the sea-sir—or whether it were because even the most fashionable people keep more natural hours when at watering-places,—we cannot take it upon ourselves to decide: but certain it was that the Hon. Talbot Sycamore did actually and positively leave his couch at nine in the morning after bis arrival, and did with an equal degree of certitude sit down to breakfast at half-past nine when he had taken @ short lounge upon the sanis in his flowered silk dressing-gown, his morocco slippers, and a red cap with a gold tassel very much resem- bling a Turkish fez. While still at breakfast, ho somewhat senten- tiously inquired of the waiter whether his private secretary had partaken of hée breakfast P—and on receiving an answer in the affirmative, ho desired that Mr. Ohrietian Ashton might be requested to walk up. Our hero aecordingly repaired to Mr. Syoamore’s sitting-room ; and that gentleman said, “If you place yourself at the side-table near the window, you can write a few letters to my dictation~-and during the intervals when 5 am wearied of talking, you can gaze out upon the har- bour and the sea.” This last recommendation might have been very considerate indeed if it were not somewhat puerile ;sx and while Mr. Byeamore went on discussing hie muffin, his egg, and his ham, Christian arranged the wniting-materiais at the side-table. The waiter entered the room with a hot muffin; and Mr. Sycamore said, with an air of éasy indifference, “Phe first letter, Mr. Ashton, is to my London bankers. Just put the address and date—don’t write the word ‘Gentlemen’—but put ‘My dear sits’, ag I am devilish intimate with them. Waiter, some more ereain.” While the waiter was absent, Mr. Byeamore remained silent; and Christian certainly thought it was rather @ singular coincidence that he should . only begin dictating again when the waiter re- appeared. Yet such was the fact. “Write thus,” seid Myr. Sycamore: *‘I will thank you to remit to the Ramsgate banker five thousand pounds to my account. With regard to that sum of twenty thousand which Lord Todding- ton paid into your hands on my behalf the other day ————” But here Mr. Sycamore stopped short, es the door had just closed behind the waiter. It might have been that he had dictated enough at a stretch for one of his languid temperament: buat it cer. tainly appeared to Christian very much as if he desisted then and there simply beeause the indi- vidual for whose behoof he was thus parading his financial concerns was ne lenger present. How- ever, after a little while the letter was eoncladed with some special instructions as to the laying-out of the twenty thousand pounds paid in by Lord Toddington; and by the time it was finished, the waiter entered to clear away tho breakfast. things. * Now, Mr. Ashton,” said the Hon. Talbot ore, “we must write a letter to my friend, the Duke of Arlington. Put the piace and date; end then begin ‘ My dear Aslington.’ Now go on to say—‘ Here I am installed in devilish comfort- able quarters at Ramegate. Do you mean, my dear fellow, te fulfil your promise of joining me here for six weoka? If eo, let me know by re- turn of post; as the place is most disgustingly esowded, and I must bespeak rooms for you at the hotel three or four days beforehand. Tell Lord Toddington that I find I have lost my wager of. five thousand guineas, and shall send him up a cheque by this same post. He paid me twenty (COL (C DOO CS (COL