The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 149: what you’re looking at

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THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. hope long to see it there. Oh, no, sir!—not for the world! Jills sent in every Christmas, sir: those are my terms:” You will pardon me for having offered you other terms,” said Mr. Redcliffe: “but i am com- paratively a stranger in England. IT have been many, many years abroad in India,” he added, as if quite in a careless manner ; although he both foresaw and intended what the effect should be. “Oh, indeed!—in India, sir!” said M. Bertin, at once catching at the idea that his new customer must be a wealthy nabob. “ Ah, sir, fortunes are rapidly made in India.” “Sometimes,” observed Redcliffe, still with an air of assumed carelessness—but yet with a suffis cient degree of significance to imply that it was so in his own case. “ Not been long in London therefore, I presume, sir?’ said M. Bertin. “ No—only a few months,” was the response. “Bee pardon, sir—but married, I suppose ?” continued the tailor, who under a show of garrulity, was always thus wont to fathom the affairs and circumstances of new customers so far as they themselves would allow him. “ All rich gentlemen returning from India bring beautiful English wives with them; or else they find them at once on setting foot i in their native land.” “Neither happens to be my case, M. Bertin,” rejoined Redcliffe. “Indeed, I am completely a stranger wh “Ah, sir, what a pity !” cried the tailor. “ Plenty of money, and don’t know how to spend it? Beg your pardon, sir—it may seem a very great liber ty —but I mean no offence :’—and then as Redcliffe forced his countenance to assume an air of interest, in what Bertin was saying to him, the bustling Frenchman closed the parlour door. “Pray speak candidly,” observed Redcliffe : “you need not be afraid of giving me offence. I know that vou fashionable tailors at the West End do not always confine your avocations to the mere cutting and fitting of garments—but that you sometimes considerately and kindly help the inex- perienced to initiate themselves into the mysteries of London life. Are my ideas correct ?” Nothing could possibly be more accurate, sir,” responded Bertin. “Your name is now upon my books, where I have the honour of chronicling some of the first names of the British aristocracy. Of course, sir, noblemen and gentlemen will be gay now and then: but they have a thousand and one reasons for concealing their gaieties as much as possible.” ‘iy understand you, M. Bertin,” answered Red- cliffe; “and to tell you the truth, IT am rejoiced that ‘accident should have led me to enter your establishment. It was the handsome exterior which drew my attention. Ah, by the way, there is an equally handsome establishment next door—I hap- pened casually to notice it 1“ “ Madame Angelique’ s,sir. An excellent neigh- bour of mine :’—and M. Bertin bent a significant look upon Redcliffe. “Madame Angelique?” said the latter, repeat- ing the name with the air of one who thought he had heard it before. “Surely that name is not altogether unfamiliar to me? Ah, I recollect! At an hotel where I was dining, I overheard two young gentlemen at a neighbouring table, mention Money in advance P| that name in a subdued tone. eg CO) iG JOO! N 143 It did not particu- 99 larly strike me at the time “ Very indiscreet of those two young gentlemen, whoever they were—very indiscreet indeed!” said M. Bertin, with a look of annoyance: but instan- taneously brightening up again, he added, “ Fortu- nately however their imprudent mention of that name was overheard by a gentleman of honour—a man of the world too—such as I perceive that you are, sir in “Oh, I should not think of telling tales out of school, ‘whatever they may be,” exclaimed Red- cliffe. “But frankly speaking, M. Bertin, I begin to be terribly wearied of the monotony of the exist- ence I am leading; and if,as I think I under- stand, you have the power of giving me a few sug- gestions in respect to the means of pleasure-pursuit, I shall not merely be grateful, but shall know how to reward you.’ The tailor gazed fixedly upon Redcliffe’s counte- nance for a few moments; and satisfied with the survey, he said, “At any time, sir, that you wish to be introduced into the most charming and agreeable female society, pray favour me with a call. You know what I mean—female society of a certain class—but where intellect and elegance of manners, as well as all drawing-room aecomplish- ments, are blended with the most ravishing per- sonal beauty.” “Not fora moment, M. Bertin, will I affect to misunderstand you,” answered Redcliffe. “On the contrary, I do understand your meaning; and Tt shall avail myself of your offer. How will you be engaged this evening 2” “T shall be entirely at your orders, sir,” re- sponded the tailor, inwardly chuckling at the idea of having got hold of a wealthy nabob, who beneath a severe exterior, concealed the passions and in- clinations of a licentious libertine. “ At nine o'clock I will return to pay you a visit,” said Mr. Redcliffe. “You will find me here, sir,” responded Bertin : “and then perhaps,’ he added, with a significant smile, “ you shall know something more of Madame Angelique—or at least of the paradise of houris which is as mysteriously concealed within her esta- blishment, as the happy valley of Rasselas was hidden in the midst of mountains.” Redcliffe smiled—nodded in a friendly way to the tailor—and took his departure. 99 CHAPTER XXVIII. EVELEEN. Prectsery at nine o’clock Mr. Redcliffe returned to the tailor’s establishment, and found M. Bertin expecting him. The little Frenchman bowed and scraped in his very best style, when Redcliffe thrust a well filled purse in his hand; and the recipient thought within himself that he was destined to turn a pretty penny by the wealthy Indian nabob. “T will not insult you, sir,” he said, as he con- ducted Redcliffe into his parlour, “by observing that the strictest honour and secrecy are required in respect to those mysteries into which you are about to be initiated. I flatter myself that Iam Se