The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 280: what you’re looking at

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

eietctsbttfientnn P nnenimaseietiantmeninant tami | —— THE MYSTERIES OF THN COURT. 369 . Of his client to make such tremendous sacrifices in order to elicit revelations from my lips.” . “True!” ejaculated the Dake of Marchmont, clutching with a species of feverish joy at this hope. “ Bat that client—who is he P” ' “T know not, my lord,” rejoined Armytage: “his name has never been mentioned to me; nor to my knowledge have I ever seen him. Bat no matter! If the lawyer remain in ignorance, tho client mast be equally ignorant——” “And you, Armytage,” said the Duke,—* will gow maintain the seal of secrecy upon your lips if I make this enormous sacrifice on your behalf?” “For how many years, my lord, have I already kept that secret?’ asked the speculator: “and think you it is a secret which I should willingly reveal? Think you, in a word, it would please me to proclaim to the world that I have so long ren- dered myself an accomplice, as it were—yes, an ac- eomplice by my very silence——” “Enough, Armytage!” ejaculated the Duke of Marchmont. “I will do all that is needfal. What- scever they propose ” “The items may soon be summed up,” said Armytage. “Seventy thousand pounds to be paid to this lawyer—-Zoe's lost fortune of sixty thou- sand to be replaced—that makes a hundred and thirty thousand. Then say twenty thousand for myself ~——” “A hundred and fifty thousand pounds!” ox- claimed the Dake: “the sacrifice is immense! Nevertheless, it shall be accomplished. Tet us haere ourselyes—-let us calm our feelings, if pos- . j Marchmont eat down, rested his elbows on his knees, and buried his face in hie hands. He was exerting all his power to tranquillise his mind suffi- ciently to meet the lawyer and terminate the busi- ness. Armytage had far lees difficulty in com- posing his own countenance: for there was now joy in his heart—he was to be rescued from all his embarrassments, and without the dreaded alterna- tive of having to make any revelation whatsoever. “ Now let us rejoin the lawyer,” said the Duke of Marchmont, at length rising from his seat: but as he withdrew his hands from his countenance, Armytage perosived that the traces of a recent convulsing agony remained thereupon. They issued forth together from the room; and Armytage tapped at the door of Mr. Coleman’s private apartment opposite. This gentleman at once opened that door; end the two passed in. ‘‘ Mr, Coleman,” said the Duke of Marchmont, with an almost preterhuman exertion to maintain his composure, “ my friend Mr. Armytage has con- sulted me in respect to his affairs: he has enume- vated all his liabilities—and I feel inclined to assist him. Of course you yourself will rejoice that the matter is to be thas terminated in a way which will restore your client all the money he has ad- vanced.” “Mr. Armytage is of course the best judge of his own affairs, my lord,” replied Mr. Coleman, with a true professional coldness and gravity, though inwardly he was supremely annoyed at the turn that circumstances were thus taking. “I believe, Mr. Coleman,” proce8ded the Duke of Marchmont, “that your own demand upon Mr. Armytage is some seventy thousand pounds. but if you will give me the precise amount, I wil: at once write you a cheque, and you can hand over to Mr. Armytage the securities which you hold.” The lawyer was of course utterly unable to offer any objection to this proceeding; and adding up the amounts, together with the interest and ex- penses, he passed the paper specifying the total to the Duke of Marchmont. His Grace glanced quickly at the sum; and painfully anxious to have the business terminated, he took a slip of paper to write the cheque. While he was thus engaged, aclerk entered and handed a letter to Mr. Oole- man. Neither the Duke nor Armytage imagined for a moment that this letter had any reference to the present proceedings; and as the former con- tinued to write, the latter went on revolving the ideas that were in his mind. The cheque was completed; and then Armytage, stooping over Marchmont’s shoulder, whispered in his ear, “ At the same time your Grace must give me the draft for the eighty thousand that remains to be paid; so that everything may be now settled at once.” “ And why not presently, or to-morrow ?” asked the Duke, likewise speaking in a whisper, but hurriedly and. even angrily. “ Because, I repeat, everything must be settled at once,” retarned Armytage with a resolute air. “ The alternatives are before you: you have chosen your own course-——”’ “Well, be it so,” interrupted the Duke: and taking another slip of paper, he began to write the second cheque. Meanwhile Mr. Coleman had read the letter which the clerk had placed in his hand; and a gleam of satisfaction mingled with the expression of astonishment which appeared upon his coun- tenance. The Duke and Armytage were too much absorbed by what was then taking place be- tween them, to notive the effect produced on the attorney by the letter he had received: and he himeelf for a few instante appeared irresolute how to act. That indecision was however of only transient duration; and suddenly laymg hie hand upon the shoulder of Armytage, the lawyer ex- claimed, “Stop! the matier cannot be settled thus !” “ What,” cried the Duke of Marchmont, sprinog- ing up in terror to his feat; “ what mean you P”’ “I mean,” responded Mr. Coleman, fixing his eyes upon Armytage, although auswering the question put to him by the Duke,—“ I mean that the bills which I hold in my possession, are for- geries—and you, Mr. Armytage, have been guilty of a felon’s crime!” It was a ory of anguish which rang from the lips of Armytage—at the same time that an ejacu- lation of dismay burat from the Duke of March- mont, as the frightful conviction flashed to his mind that the rujned speculator was now com- pletely in the power of the attorney and his un- known client. At the same moment hasty footsteps were heard ascending the stairs: the door was barst open— and three other persons appeared upon the scene. COMIC OOOlK<S conn