The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 314: what you’re looking at

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

CHRISTIAN’S FIRST DAY 283 duke. ‘‘ You intimated your intention to come and take up your abode here to-day, and you have doubtless already found that arrangements have been made to ensure your comfort? ”’ “For which I sincerely thank your Grace,’’ rejoined Christian. “ Nothing to thank me for,” said Marchmont, carelessly. Then, after a pause, during which he had motioned Christian to take a seat, he observed, as if still in the same careless, indifferent manner, ‘‘ And what is your sister going to do? Coming to live in the neighbourhood, I suppose, so that you may see each other often? ”’ “No, my lord,’ replied Christian. ‘“ Fortunately my sister obtained a, situation at the very same hour yesterday forenoon that I was so happy as to satisfy your Grace’s requirements.”’ ‘“ Ah, indeed, a situation?’’ said Marchmont. ‘ And what is it? ”’ ‘“‘Companion, my lord, to a lady living in Regent’s Park.’’ ‘An elderly lady, I presume? Perhaps a widow — or an old maid? ”’ ‘No, my lord,” responded Christian, flattering himself, in the ingenuousness of his mind, that the duke was demon- strating considerable interest, and that of a very kind nature, too, in the affairs of himself and his sister. ‘‘ Christina has become the companion of a young lady — Lady Octavian Meredith.”’ The duke could scarcely repress a start at this announce- ment, for, being convinced in his own mind that Christian’s sister was Lord Octavian’s fair unknown, it at once struck him that Octavian himself had manceuvred in some way or another to get the young girl beneath his own roof. He even suspected for an instant that there must already be some sort of an understanding between Christian’s sister and Octavian Meredith,—an understanding which the young lady had perhaps kept altogether unknown from her artless-minded brother; for it needed but a glance on the part of such a thorough man of the world as the Duke of Marchmont to discern how really unsophisticated his young ar ety was. “And pray,’ he inquired, ‘‘ how was your sister for- tunate enough to obtain that situation? ”’ com (-) LOOKS (E(O)