The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 175: what you’re looking at

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

152 REYNOLDS’ WORKS should at once be liquidated, but to this offer Octavian was enabled to give a proud negative, he having no pecuniary liabilities. We do not mean that the pride of that response was of an aristocratic nature; it was the pride of one who felt that he might assume a manly dignity in proclaiming the rectitude of his conduct, which had been proof against all the temptations to extravagance by which he had of late been surrounded. But if Octavian went away from that intervew in aston- ishment at the apparently frank, noble-minded, and fondly paternal behaviour of Mr. Armytage, not the less astonished was Mr. Armytage himself to learn that Zoe loved her noble suitor. However, he did not waste much time in pondering upon this matter; it was sufficient for him that Zoe had thus by her own conduct fallen into the views which he had entertained on her behalf, and he sped away to Belgrave Square, to inform the Duke of Marchmont of all that had just taken place. A month afterward — namely, at the end of August, 1847 —the bridal took place. Mr. Armytage insisted that it should be solemnized with all possible circumstances of splendour, and immense therefore were the preparations made for the occasion. Zoe would gladly have gone to the altar under circumstances far less ostentatious, but she had never been in the habit of disputing her sire’s will, and she was by no means likely to do so while entertaining the belief that he had put all selfish considerations aside through a fond regard for her happiness wholly and solely. She accordingly suffered the arrangements to progress without the slightest remonstrance on her part, reserving to herself the privilege of settling the precise details of her toilet, which she was resolved should be characterized by that elegant simplicity which was most congenial to her taste and disposition. The wedding-breakfast was to be a perfect banquet, and as if Mr. Armytage did not already possess plate sufficient, he expended two or three thousand pounds in the purchase of additional table ornaments to be used on the occasion. The invitations were likewise more numerous than Zoe would have preferred, if left to her own choice, but herein again she quietly let her father have his own way. The Duke of Marchmont faithfully promised to attend at the wedding- breakfast, and Mr. Armytage, satisfied with this pledge, CORMICLIOO KS (E(0)