The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 302: what you’re looking at

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

MATRIMONIAL STORMS 269 allow me to return. In my own heart I at once resolved to accept this proposition, because I perceived the oppor- tunity it would afford me for carrying out an implacable vengeance; but I pretended to hesitate ere I accepted the offer, and indeed raised some difficulties. But these Mr. Emmerson speedily overruled, and we ended by renewing our engagement.”’ | ‘But what on earth could have induced him to take you back? ”’ demanded Curzon. ‘“‘ Because he sees that I have obtained influential friends, and it is in the man’s nature to court those who are thus situated; because also he wishes to have it trumpeted forth that he is a true Christian and can forgive those who have injured him; because, likewise,’’ added Varian, bitterly, ‘““he knows that I possess a sister whose good looks have already excited his unhallowed passions. These are his motives for taking me back. The cold calculation of selfish- ness has prompted him to offer me my old situation; a ferocious thirst for revenge on my part has prompted me to accept of it.” ‘“‘ And you have been with him ever since? ”’ said the earl, interested in the conversation because he not only owed Emmerson money, but the name of that individual was also mixed up in the affair of Colonel Malpas, Editha, and the forged bills, — an affair which, as the reader will recollect, was still involved in so much mystification for the earl. ‘In consequence of resuming my duties in the City,” continued Varian, ‘‘ I had to find a convenient residence, and the bounty of Sir Douglas Huntingdon has enabled me to take a neat little house and furnish it comfortably. My sister is installed there, and we are once more tolerably happy. But all these circumstances have so occupied me that I have not been able to call upon your lordship until now, and indeed I do not know that I should even have been able to find time to come to your lordship at all — at least for the present — had it not been for a certain circum- stance — ”’ ‘‘ And that circumstance? ”’ said the earl, with a sort of presentient anxiety. ‘“IT dare say,’ observed Varian, with some little degree of hesitation, “‘ that your lordship wonders why I should have made a confidant of you so readily in respect to the (EOMNIKE LOOKS (E(@)