The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 279: what you’re looking at

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

248 REYNOLDS’ WORKS his explanations with all becoming candour and frankness, ‘““we dwelt in Mortimer Street, Cavendish Square.” The duke’s uncertainty was now completely dissipated, and his mind was made up to take Christian into his service. ‘Well, my lad,” he said, “‘ I should much rather that you would come and live in the house, but if you object, it shall not stand as a barrier in the way of an arrangement. You appear to suit me in every other respect, and therefore it is a bargain. Go and consult your sister, but I think that if you were wise, you would make up your mind to dwell beneath my roof, and your sister could occupy a lodging somewhere in the neighbourhood, so that you might often be with her when not engaged in writing. I don’t suppose you will have more than a couple of hours’ work every day, and you would therefore have ample time to pass with your sister. But take your choice; return to me to-morrow morning at this same hour, and let me know your decision. The place is yours, whichsoever way it may be; I promise you that much.”’ | Christian issued forth from the presence of the Duke of Marchmont. He could scarcely restrain his joy as he crossed the spacious landing ornamented with vases and sculptures, as he descended the superb marble staircase, as he traversed the hall where the livery servants were lounging about, and where an old porter of corpulent form and jolly countenance sat in his great leathern chair, reading a newspaper. But when Christian had cleared the threshold of the palatial portals, his heart swelled with such exultation that tears of bliss started from his eyes. He was happy; never had he felt so happy. It was a species of intoxication of the brain that he experienced. To think that when his hopes were at the very lowest, he should thus have procured a situation that was higher than his most ambitious soarings. He sped through the square, he ran along the streets, he leaped into the first omnibus that would take him near to his destina- tion. It seemed as if no journey was ever so long; he was so anxious to reach his humble home, and impart the joyous intelligence to his dearly beloved twin sister. But before Christian reaches the lodging, let us see what Christina herself has been doing in the interval. Her brother had gone out early, as the reader will recollect, and had promised to return in a few hours to escort his sister in her Gomichbooks (E(0)