The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 144: what you’re looking at

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

DUCAL RECEPTIONS 121 hate. At last the Duke of Marchmont separated so far from his wife that they occupied distinct rooms, though still con- tinuing to live beneath the same roof, and preserving, when in society and before the world, all the outward de- cencies which husband and wife are bound to maintain toward each other. The duchess was not the less virtually and in reality neglected, — the duke seldom dining at home, but seeking his own pleasures in quarters that were most agreeable to him. Though he had been extravagant and improvident in the earlier part of his life, and was indeed overwhelmed with debts at the period he succeeded to the title and domains of Marchmont, he had, since that accession, lived within his income, but then his income was ample enough to minister to all the wants and wishes of even the most pleasure-seeking individual. The town-mansion occupied by the Duke and Duchess of Marchmont was one of the handsomest and most extensive in Belgrave Square. It had lately been refurnished in a sumptuous manner. The picture-gallery contained some of the finest works of the old masters; all the appointments of the palatial residence were indicative of great wealth and a luxurious taste. Throughout the entire arrangements the voice of the duke himself was autocratic, the duchess not being allowed to interfere. Neither did she seek to do so; her disposition was gentle, meek, and submissive; her lot was an unhappy one, but she endeavoured to bear it with all becoming resignation, and sedulously avoided the ag- eravation of its hardship by any manifestation of a will of her own in opposition to that of her imperious husband. It was in the beginning of June, 1847, that the scene occurred which we are about to narrate. The timepiece in one of the elegantly furnished apartments at Marchmont House had just proclaimed the hour of noon, and the duke, who was alone there, laid aside the newspaper which he had been reading. He was sitting, or, rather, lounging upon a sofa; his person was wrapped in a handsome silk dressing- gown of a rich pattern, with a cord tied loosely around the waist. He was thinking of the recreations he had proposed to himself and the appointments which he had for that day, when a footman entered the room, announcing ‘‘ Mr. Army- tage.”’ | An expression of annoyance swept for a moment over the EORNICIOOKS (EO)