The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 316: what you’re looking at

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

CHRISTIAN’S FIRST DAY 285 cidence that my sister should have obtained a situation with his lordship’s wife! ”’ ‘Very singular,’ observed the duke, convinced that the lad was speaking in the genuine sincerity of his unsophisti- cated heart. A little more conversation took place, and by means of farther questioning, but all conducted in such a way as to prevent Christian from suspecting that the duke had any ulterior object in view, his Grace obtained a sufficient insight into the character of Christina and the recent mode of life of the twins as to bring him to the conclusion that Miss Ashton was really a most virtuous and well-conducted girl, and that it was through no secret understanding on her own part that she had entered Lord Octavian’s household. On the contrary, Marchmont felt convinced that up to the very moment of her proceeding thither, she had no idea of the identity of Lord Octavian and Mr. Percival. ‘“ Should you happen to fall in with Lord Octavian,’’ said the duke, “‘ you had better not tell him that it was from my lips you learned the little secret that the name of Percival was an assumed one. Of course your sister will tell you, and you need not appear to have known it in any other way.”’ “Certainly, my lord, your advice shall be followed,’’ answered Christian, who saw no harm and suspected no evil in all these things. ‘“ We have no letters to write to-day,’’ remarked the duke, presently, ‘“‘ and therefore you may amuse yourself in becom- ing better acquainted with your new home.” With these words the duke rose and sauntered out of the library, fully determined to call in the course of the afternoon at Lord Octavian Meredith’s, and obtain a glimpse, if pos- sible, of the beautiful Miss Ashton. That this design was carried into effect the reader has already seen, and the result of the interview was that the Duke of Marchmont felt himself ‘as much enamoured of the charming girl as such a dissipated individual could possibly be. While ascending to his own chamber in the course of the afternoon, Christian encountered on the stairs a beautiful lady, attended by a maid, and whom he at once conceived to be the duchess. She was in her thirty-second year, tall, finely formed, and with lustrous masses of auburn hair floating over her shoulders. There was something more EORNIClHOoOKS (E(O)