The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 321: what you’re looking at

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

290 REYNOLDS’ WORKS appearance to keep up, to fail in which were to carry me at once to the necessity of suicide. Well, my lord, all these things you know, and, what is more still, you feel that my cursed ill luck of the last three hours has left me entirely at your mercy. Judging of my habits, and taking my des- perate condition into account, you regard me as a suitable instrument for some purpose you have in hand. Is it not so? rH , “Tt is,’ responded the Duke of Marchmont. ‘f Then your lordship might have said so at first, without any unnecessary circumlocution; and you might likewise say so within the sphere of a lamp’s light and over a glass of wine.” ‘“ Not so,” rejoined the duke. ‘ As we are here in the dark, so will we remain until our conference be ended. As for the wine, it all depends upon the understanding to which we come whether we adjourn to the dining-room and empty a decanter ere we part — ”’ ‘It may be as well if I inform your Grace at once that I am not exceedingly particular in what I do to save myself from ruin. A man,” continued Mr. Stanhope, “‘ who has found himself compelled to contemplate suicide, and to talk of it, is not likely to stick at a trifle or two if it will enable him to live. To live — yes, but in his usual manner, I mean, with gold at his command, the means of pleasure at his bidding — ”’ ‘“‘ And all these shall be within your reach,” interrupted Marchmont. ‘‘ Now, look you, my dear fellow, — for circumstances are rendering you and me closely intimate. Indeed, I wish you to become intimate with me, I wish you to call at the house every day, to dine with me three or four times a week; and for that purpose I will dine at home on the occasions when you are coming. I wish you to call in the afternoon and lounge in the drawing-room in conversa- tion with the duchess, I wish you to pay your court to her, to make yourself agreeable to her Grace, to pass around to her box when she is at the theatre or at the opera — ”’ ‘‘ And what in the devil’s name,”’ cried Stanhope, with accents of unfeigned amazement, ‘‘ does your Grace purpose by all this? ”’ “You owe me twelve thousand pounds, which you cannot pay,’’ responded the duke, ‘‘ and I have no doubt that it EORMIELNOO KS (E(0)