The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 198: what you’re looking at

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THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. $87 “Thank you—bdut I must decline your hospitality. I will breakfast with you at any hour you name in the - be “That must be at five punctually,” rejoined Forester: “for we have to be upon the ground at half-past six o'clock.” ‘And which is the appointed place?” asked Dever. “The fields in the immediate vicinage of Hamp- stead Heath. By the bye, Captain Lennox under- took to bring the regimental surgeon with him; and therefore we need not trouble ourselves on that point. Have you got pistols? No. Well, I will take mine—and at all events you will have the be- nefit of good ones. And now, what are you going to do with yourself? You will not come with me to my rooms-—shall I stay with you? or shall we go ous for an hour or two ?”” “I wish to remain alone,” answered Deveril. * Do not think me rude or churlish, nor insensible to your kind intention———” “Not at all, my dear fellow,” exclaimed Forester. “In these circumstances one does as one chooses. Good night, then. You will be with me at five ” “Not a minute later,” anewered Deveril: and Sir. Forester thereupon took his leave of the young artist. OHAPTER XL THE DUEL. Iv we look into Lord Harold Staunton’s lodgings in Jermyn Street, at precisely the same time when the precedmg jnterview took place between Forester and Deveril in Pall Mall, we shall find that noble- man seated alone in his drawing-room. Captain Lennox bad just left him, having communicated the ts made with Mr. Forester, and having settled the hour of appuintment when they were to meet again in the morning. Lord Harold’s countenance was grave and serious. I¢ was not that he feared the duel, nor dreaded its consequences in respect to himself: but he scarcely admired the part he had played in provoking it. “ When once I stand in the presence of William Deveril,” he said to himself, “I cannot help taking a deadly aim at him. It is for this I have provoked the duel—and I almost wish that what has been done could be safely and honourably un- done. But no: that ‘is impossible! I am a fool,” he suddenly exclaimed, speaking aloud and rising from his seat, “ to let these feelings grow upon me. What is a duel after all? It is an incident in the life of every man of the world, and is fraught with an eclat of a flattering nature. Well, but somehow or another I cannot see tho thing in this light on the present occasion. Psehaw! this is drivelling folly—I will and mast be gay!” Scarcely had he spoken these words, when a loud double knock reverberated through the house; and Lord Sexondale was speedily introduced. “A pretty fellow you are, Harold, to make an appointment with me to dine at Long's and then preak it. So I had to dine by myself. Good turtle and venison, however—and iced-punch exeellent. ‘Shwe were conselations.” ‘ “You must forgive me, my dear fellow,” an- swered Staunton; “but some particular business kept me away from you. However, we can now ge out and pass an hour or two together.” “What the deuce is the matter with you ?” asked Edmund, surveying his friend with attention: “you have a strange look, and a sort of foreed gaiety. Has anything happened? I hope nothing bad. P your creditors have been dunning you——~” “Well, it is something of that sort,” observed Staunton, compelling himself to laugh, althcugh he was not altogether in the humour. “ But come— let us go and amuse ourselves somewhere.” le ee exactly what I wish,” returned Saxon- - “Emily Archer is dancing away to-night at the Opera—and she will not have me to eeourt her home.” “What do you mean? You have broken with her already.” “Not IT indeed! I mean that since Iam going to amuse myeelf with you, she must amuse herself alone for once. Come.” The two young nobleman now strolled forth to- gether. First of all they visited the gaming-table; and Saxondale, though by no means a shrewd ob- server, could not avoid noticing a continuation of that peculiarity which he had already seen in his frend’s manner: but Harold had his own reasons for saying nothing to Edmund relative to the pend- ing duel. He gambled recklessly, and drank large draughts of wine. His purse was well filled with money: for the reader will recollect that he had received a thousand-pound-note in the morning from the unknown’ lady of the masquerade. At least three hundred pounds of this sam he lost in ahout half-an-hour; and then suddenly flinging down the dice box, he said to his friend, “ Come, Sazondale-— I have had enough of this. Let us be off.” Gallying forth from the gambling-house, the two young noblemen visited the cider-cellars — then looked in at the Coal Hole—and subsequently be- stowed the honour of their upon three or four other places of the same sort,—-Lord Harold everywhere drinking immoderately. At two o'clock in the morning they wound up their amusements with e supper of devilled kidneys and Welch-rabbits at Keane's in Covent Garden; and then they sepa- rated, Lord Saxondale going home uneommonly tipsy in a cab, and Lord Harold Staunton proceed- ing to Jermyn Street on foot, that the fresh air of the morning might cool his heated brows. Not thad he himeclf was intoxicated. He could always im- bibe with impunity a large quantity of liquor; and though within the last few hvuurs he had partakem of far more than even un such occasions he was wont to do, yet he ecarcely felt the effects thereof. lodgings he bade Alfred — to pending duel—ocall him precisely at five o'clock: he then threw himself, dressed as he was, upon the bed, and sank into 2 troubled and agitated sleep. But we must now transport the reader's attem> tion to Mr. Forster’s rooms in the Albany, and sup pose that the hour of five in the morning was beng proclaimed from all the steeples of the West End, Punctual to his appointment, William Deveril made his appearance. Forester grasped him cordially by the hand, and surveyed him earnestly te see how he bove the prospect of the life-and-death afaw about { (CO OOOIlK (CO