The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 278: what you’re looking at

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

STRUGGLES 247 a sister dependent on me. We are orphans —I could not separate from her — ”’ ‘‘ A sister? ’’ observed the duke, and it immediately struck him that if she were as beautiful as Christian himself was handsome, he should have no objection to become acquainted with her. ‘‘ And pray how old is your sister? ”’ ‘““My own age, my lord; we are twins.” “Twins, eh?” ejaculated Marchmont, more and more interested, for now he felt convinced that there must be a great similitude between the brother and sister, and there- fore no doubt remained as to the beauty of the latter. ‘‘ And pray, how old are you? ”’ ‘“‘ Seventeen and a half, my lord,” replied Christian. « And what is your name? ”’ inquired Marchmont. ‘‘ Christian Ashton,’ was the response. The duke was somewhat struck by the name; he thought he had heard it before; he reflected for a few moments, and all of a sudden it occurred to him that Lord Octavian Mere- dith had mentioned the name of Ashton as that of the beautiful creature for whom he had fought the duel with Mr. Stanhope. But the duke did not suffer Christian to perceive that he was in any way struck by the name, and after a pause, he quietly asked, ‘“‘ Where do you live? ”’ The youth named the address in Park Street, Camden Town, and Marchmont recollected that it was not the same mentioned to him by Lord Octavian as that where his Grace was to call in the event of Meredith succumbing in the duel. But all in a moment another thought flashed to Marchmont’s mind. Octavian had represented his “‘ fair unknown ”’ as having been seen walking with a youth whom by the striking likeness he knew to be her brother. Putting two and two together, the duke, who was cunning enough in such matters, began to surmise that Miss Ashton must have been Octavian’s “fair unknown.” But still there was the discrepancy in regard to the address, and this was to be cleared up, in order to prove that Christian’s sister was really the same Miss Ash- ton who had caused the duel, and whose identity with the ‘‘ fair unknown ” the duke more than half-suspected. “ Have you lived long in Park Street, Camden Town? ” he inquired, as if in a careless manner. ‘“ Between nine and ten weeks, my lord. Previously to our removal thither,’’ continued Christian, ingenuously giving (EONMICE NOVO KS (E(O)