The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 370: what you’re looking at

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

336 THE COURT OF LONDON the habit in so cleanly a manner that his linen never betrayed it even by a single grain of the pulverized weed. His bearing was naturally cold, reserved, and distant; he never spoke hastily, and scarcely ever betrayed an emotion, much less a feeling of excitement. In fine, he was one of those shrewd, cautious, and even mistrustful men who never take a step without looking well where they are about to tread and never give utterance to a word without having deliberately weighed it in all its probable or possible bear- ings. ‘“ Well, Rigden,” said Lord Montgomery, rising to proffer his hand to the lawyer, while the domestic who had intro- duced him retired immediately from the apartment, ‘‘ what news? Has anything unpleasant happened? ” ‘“‘ Nothing unpleasant,’’ answered the attorney, abandon- ing the tips of two fingers to the nobleman’s grasp, for he himself hated shaking hands and all similar proofs of friend- ship or social amenity. ‘ Just as I was leaving my office this evening I received a certain notice from the court; and I thought that as I was compelled to visit your neighbour- hood at about nine, I would call and communicate the cir- cumstances to your lordship.” ‘ And what is the notice about? ’’ demanded Montgomery, literally trembling with feverish impatience. “The notice, my lord,” said Mr. Rigden, taking out his gold snuff-box and deliberately indulging in a pinch of its contents, ‘‘ is from the Court of Chancery, and is to the effect that the Master’s final report will be delivered in on Saturday next in the several matters of ‘ Montgomery versus Bellen- den,’ ‘ Raymond Montgomery versus Bellenden,’ and ‘ Ayl- mer versus Bellenden.’ ”’ “On Saturday next?” repeated the nobleman, with the air of one who trembled at the close proximity of an event to which he had nevertheless been looking forward with so much anxiety. ‘‘ Yes, on Saturday next,’’ said Mr. Rigden. ‘¢ Then all the fresh evidence has been put in? ”’ continued Montgomery, in a tone of anxious inquiry; “ all the impor- tant and very remarkable testimony which I have procured from the country within the last few weeks? ”’ ‘Tt is all before the Master, my lord,” replied Mr. Rigden. ‘“‘ Come now, do throw off this hyperborean chill, this more COMmicooolks (CO)