The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 190: what you’re looking at

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

ALFRED 163 ‘“‘ And if they have not? ”’ said Lord Montgomery, with a subdued nervousness. “Why, your lordship knows as well as I do,” exclaimed Mr. Rigden, ‘“‘ that in the case you have mentioned, two- thirds of the Warwickshire estates would go to Miss Aylmer —or rather Lady Holderness — and one-third to you, — that is to say, always supposing that we gain our suit against the Marchioness of Bellenden.”’ “And of that you have little doubt? ”’ said Lord Mont- gomery, inquiringly. | ‘The additional evidence which you procured about three months ago, when your lordship went into Warwickshire, for the purpose, you know,” said the lawyer. “Yes, yes,’ exclaimed the earl, with something like petulance in his tone and manner. ‘ I remember what you mean.” “Well, my lord,’’ continued Rigden, surprised at the nobleman’s irritable impetuosity, “‘ the light which you were enabled to throw upon the case, on your return to London, and the subsequent investigations which we caused to be made down in the country, have all produced a visible effect upon the Master’s mind and seem to have given a new com- plexion to the whole matter. Frankly speaking, then, I am sure we shall beat Lady Bellenden as completely and thor- oughly as ever a suitor in Chancery was vanquished yet.”’ ‘‘ What! beat her on every point? ”’ cried the earl, joyfully. ‘Yes, my lord,’ answered Rigden; ‘‘and now I am proclaiming a positive opinion for the first time. Indeed, it is not my habit to commit myself to my clients by means of pledges and promises. Butif I do not beat the marchioness in respect to your claims, —1in respect also to Lord Ray- mond’s claims, and lastly, in respect to the claims of Lady Holderness, — then will I consent to be denounced as a fool and branded as a liar.’ ‘‘T am charmed to hear you speak thus confidently, my dear Rigden,” said the earl; and now his features brightened up, and a gloomy cloud which hung over them when he first entered the lawyer’s office disappeared altogether. ‘‘ But you will not fail to send off for my brother Raymond? ”’ ‘‘T will despatch my head clerk this very afternoon, my lord,’’ returned the man-of business. ‘‘ He shall start in an hour, and travel post-haste to Malden Farm. If he does not GomiilGcaooks (S©)