The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 180: what you’re looking at

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| gleton, complacently. “Society is very kind to me—society spoils me—I am its pet child ——” “Rayther a old child—up’ards of fifty, I take it,” muttered Crimp to himself. “What did you say, Sir Nathan?” inquired Lady Singleton, with a bland smile that showed her false teeth. “I was a-saying, ma'am, that I shouldn’t have took your ladyship to me more than five or six and thirty—there or thercabouts,” responded the bailiff. “Well, I never!” ejaculated Miss Jukes, as if lost in amazement. “ Did you ever know suclr an accurate guess? Really, Sir Nathan, you must be quite a wizard to have hit so fally:upon the truth respecting my dear Lady Singieton’s age.” “Lord bless ye, ma‘am,” cried Mr. Crimp, winking at Miss Jukes in a very knowing man- ner; “I’m one of the downiest coves at that there kind of thing in al) England. Bat about our dear Mrs. Fitzherbert--I s‘pose you've both on you the esteem and respeck for that lady.” “J would go to the end of the world to serve cher f* exclaimed Lady Singleton, emphatically. “* And I'll be bound to say ¢other lady would to the devil for the same purpose?” remarked the bailiff, pointing his dirty fore-finger at Miss Juices. ‘TI certainly would go very great lengths for Mrs. Fitzherbert,” said the toady: then, getting ap under pretence of poking the fire, she whispered rapidly in the ears of her patroness, “Depend opon it this is a sporting baronet—a regular eoun- trv squire.” “ Jugt so, my dear,” returned Lady Singleton, in the same low and quick tone. “ Very yulgar—but very rich, I dare say.” Miss Jukes looked her assent to this opinion on the part of her patroness and resumed her seat. “By the bye,” said Lady Stogleton, “I wonder whether it can be really true that Mra. Fitzherbert nas broken altogether with the Princo—or whether she has merely taken a separate establishment in ence of the a marriage of his Highness? Which do you think it is, my dear?” asked the lady, appealing to Mies Jukes. “I should really like to hear your opinion first, ‘my beloved friend,” said the eompanion, in ¢ tone ‘of deferential entreaty. “Woell—I will frankly confess that I think the separation is only feigned on account of the ap- ing marriage,” replied Lady Singleton. “And I agree with you perfectly,” excigtmed ‘Mise Jukes, who would have said precisely the game had her patroness adopted the other opinion upon the subject. “And now perhaps Sir Nathan ‘I will give us his ideas—-~-” “ We'll come to that pint In'a moment, ladles,” interrupted the sherlff’s-officer. “I’m quite de. lighted to hear that your friendship for Mrs Fits- brerbert is so great--—” * There is no sacrifice I would not make for her,” exclaimed Lady Singleton. * She should command all my fortane, were she ever unfortunately placed in a situation to require such a manifestation of my love and esteem. You know, Miss Jukes, that 1 am sincere in what I now say.” “J can conscientidusly bear testimony to the truth of your ladyship’s declarations,” said the toady ; “and no one can appreciate more deeply than my- self the value, fidelity, and generous disinterested- ness of your ladyship’s friendship. In fact,—-I do wy not say it to flatter your ladyship-~because I hate a” “T know you do, my dear,” observed the wealthy widow, quite seriously. “ But do tell me what you were about ta say, even if it were to reproach me with some fault or failing.” “Well, my dear friend,” resumed Miss Jukes, adopting a tone of bland remonstrance and a look of gentle deprecation,—-“ I ane ‘going to be eandid with you, and I am about to reproach you with a fault. In fast, you have one very great failing— and that is, you are foo generous. You will really ruin yourself outright if you gd on in this manner. Your purse 4s constantly open—your hand is always. in your pocket. A friend requires a loan—a poor relation craves assistance ~ thé misgrable and wretched of the lower orders beseech eleemosynary assistance,—and you: never refase ;—I do believe you could not say ‘ Nay.’ Now F'think, Sir Na- than,” added Miss Jukes, turuing towards the sheriff’s-officer, “ you will admit with me that her ladyship does possess a very great failing, and that I was in the right to reproach ‘her with it even at the risk of her friendship.” “Well, I'don’t think her tadyship will feel her- eclf so aggrawated as to get up and punch your head for them remarks,” said the bailfff, who did not however see through the disgusting flattery and sickening fulsomeness of Miss Jukes’ proceed- ing. “But Pm as happy as a sand-boy to hear that her ladyship is so unkimmon generous: ‘cos vy, if you'll on’y just read that there ietter which the flunkey laid on the table——” | “I did not perceive any letter, Sir Nathan,” ex- claimed Lady Singleton. “Did you, Miss Jukes ?” “Oh! here it is,” cried the toady, picking it up from the carpet on which it had fallen. “It is ad- dressed to your ladyship, and is in the never-to-be- forgotten but ever-to-be-admired handwriting of our beloved friend Mra. Fitzherbert.” “Be so kind as to read it, my gear,” said Lady Singleton. “ Certainly,” returned Miss Jokes, with a most amiable smile: and she proceeded to ‘read the con- tents aloud in the ensuing manner >— “I know, my dearest Lady Singletd 1, that you will be surprised to receive from me such a 5 quest as the one I am about to make: but I likewise feel that I may address myself in full confidence to your frien Iship. I have not time to enter into particulars: but I:viil explain every- thing when we next meet. What I ‘require is the loan of a couple of thousand guineas for a week or ten days, to save me from a most painful difficulty.” “Good heavens! is this possttle?” exclaimed Lady Singleton, snatching the note from the hands of the toady. “Yes—here is her signature: and ‘is her handwriting beyond all possibility of doubt! To what difficulty does she allude, Sir Nathan ?— and why cannot you advance the money, since you are an intimate friend and doubtless a rich man “I advance the blunt!” cried Crimp, throwing himself back in bis chair and bursting into an up- roarious fit of laughter. “ Well, I'm damned if ever I heard anything better than that. By jingo! it beats cock-fighting hollow! I advance the tin !— he! ha! ha!” « And wherefore should you not, Sir Nathan * demanded lady Singleton, now louking unéommontly demure, and even exchanging a suspicious glance with Miss Jukes. (COU (C DOO (CO