The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 192: what you’re looking at

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

CHRISTINA 165 tain. ‘‘ Mr. Stanhope frankly confesses that under the influ- ence of a champagne breakfast, he behaved rudely to the girl, and therefore, my lord, a single word of apology on your part for the blow you struck will prevent this hostile meeting.”’ ‘“‘ And that word, Captain Whitby, will not be spoken by my lips,’ rejoined Meredith. The captain bowed and took his leave, while Octavian rejoined Zoe, who still saw nothing in his look or manner to create in her mind the slightest suspicion of what was going on. It is not our purpose to give a detailed description of the duel. Suffice it to say that Octavian rose at an earlier hour than usual, alleging that the fineness of the morning tempted him to a ride on horseback before breakfast, and having embraced Zoe, he took his departure. Mounted on his steed, and having dispensed with the attendance of his groom, he galloped to the place of meeting, where the Duke of March- mont arrived at the same moment. A few minutes after- ward the Honourable Wilson Stanhope and Captain Whitby appeared upon the ground. They had brought a surgeon with them, but he remained in their carriage at a little dis- tance. Shots were exchanged, neither party receiving any injury, and Mr. Stanhope declared that he was satisfied. The two principals then shook hands in the approved man- ner, and thus in five minutes all was over. Ere separating, it was agreed by those concerned that the utmost secrecy should be observed in respect to the affair, and thus not even a whisper transpired to reach a reporter’s ears and engender a paragraph in the public journals. Lord Octavian Meredith reached home at the usual break- fast-hour, and Zoe still remained without the slightest sus- picion that her dearly beloved husband’s life had been risked in a duel. We may add, ere closing this chapter, that Mere- dith had been compelled to inform his friend the Duke of Marchmont of the name and address of Miss Ashton, so that in case he had fallen, his promise might be kept, and the intelligence conveyed to the young lady. But Octavian had not chosen to confess that this Miss Ashton was the very selfsame beauteous unknown of whom he had made mention when consulting the duke in regard to his prospects, as described in a previous chapter. , (ECON (-) LOOKS (E(0)