The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 174: what you’re looking at

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

ZOE 151 claimed, even before a single syllable fell from his lips, and now Zoe no longer withdrew her hand when he sought to retain it, nor did she with a prudish affectation hold back her countenance from the kiss which her accepted lover imprinted on her pure chaste forehead. Octavian might well be astonished at the assent which he had received from Mr. Armytage, for notwithstanding the reasoning of the Duke of Marchmont, he had scarcely anticipated that a man whom he knew to be so worldly- minded as Zoe’s father would with a comparative readiness afford his acquiescence to the suit of a portionless lover. But then Mr. Armytage had given an affirmative response in that specious manner which he was so proficient in adopting. He had thrown out a hint to the effect that he had never sought for his daughter an alliance with mere rank, but had hoped that she would become the wife of some individual more in her own sphere. ‘“‘ However,” he had gone on to observe, “‘ Zoe is an only child, and I am too fondly devoted to her to thwart her hap- piness in a single respect. You say, my lord, that she loves you, and therefore you have my concurrence. All my earthly alms are concentrated in the ensurance of my beloved Zoe’s felicity. Without being considered guilty of too much pa- ternal pride, I may safely assert that I bestow upon you a veritable treasure. See that you treat her kindly, my lord; show me that you appreciate the precious gift which I now declare to be yours, and I shall know how to express my oratitude.”’ Lord Octavian made suitable acknowledgments, and he was completely deceived by the specious language used by Mr. Armytage on this occasion, so that he thought to him- self that Zoe’s father must in reality possess an excellent heart notwithstanding his worldly-minded pursuits. Before he and Mr. Armytage separated on that occasion, the latter gave the young nobleman to understand the amount of the dowry he purposed to give his daughter, the mode of its settlement, and the allowance that would be made to Octa- vian himself. To all these proposals Meredith assented with a readiness which originated from his own earnest straining to convince himself as well as others, that he was unbiassed by interested views in the matter. Then Mr. Armytage hinted that if the young nobleman had any debts they (C(O) EORNICLOOKS