The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 53: what you’re looking at

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

36 REYNOLDS’ WORKS withering sarcasm. ‘“ But I repeat, it is useless for- your Grace to question me; I will explain nothing.” ‘One word? ”’ said the bewildered duke; ‘* only one word, I beseech you? Was it Stanhope himself — ”’ ‘No, my lord. J will tell you this much, that the villain Mr. Stanhope went away in ignorance of all that was to take place. But beyond this I shall say nothing more. I am now about to take my departure, and I request from your Grace a certificate of good conduct.” But Marchmont heard not the youth’s last words; he had begun to pace the apartment in an agitated manner. The mystery which enveloped Christian’s proceedings troubled his guilty mind. From what source could the exposure of the plot have possibly come first of all? How was it that Lettice Rodney had been either persuaded or foreed to surrender up the dresses? These were the questions which the duke asked himself, and the solution of which he burned to arrive at. “My lord,’ said our hero, “‘ under existing circumstances I cannot remain another hour in your Grace’s employment. But inasmuch as I do not wish to stand the chance of your Grace subsequently speaking ill of me behind my back, I repeat my request for a certificate of good conduct.” ‘““ Ah, a certificate of good conduct?” and for a moment Marchmont was inclined to treat the demand with scornful contempt; but a second thought restrained him, for he felt that his character was so completely at the merey of the young man, he dared not convert him into an open and avowed enemy. Biting his lip, to keep down the feelings of rage and hate, | and the threats of vengeance, which were seeking a vent, Marchmont placed himself at a table where there were writing materials, and penned a few lines favourable to the character and qualifications of Christian Ashton. It cost him a painful effort indeed to complete the task, brief though it were; and when he had finished it, he could not help tossing the paper across the table with an ungraciousness that was almost brutal. But Christian, with a becoming dignity, which on the part of the obscure and humble youth contrasted strongly with the mean, petty, and ill-concealed spite of the great and powerful nobleman, took up the docu- ment, read it, deliberately folded it, and placed it in his COPMICLMOOOKS (E(@)