The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 328: what you’re looking at

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

AN ADVISER 297 But how could he assume a placid and respectful demean- our in the presence of the duke? How could he maintain a becoming deportment before one whom he now knew to be a detestable miscreant? Christian abominated dissimula- tion, he was high-minded and well principled, his soul was imbued with the loftiest notions of honour and integrity, he was as truthful, for one of his own sex, as his sister was for a being of the feminine race. And yet if Christian remained at Marchmont House, he must dissimulate, he must to a certain extent play the hypocrite, he must treat the Duke of Marchmont as if he knew nought to his detriment, he must wear a contented, if not a smiling and cheerful countenance, — in a word, he must play a part which he despised, loathed, and abhorred. It was difficult indeed for Christian Ashton to bend himself to this necessity, and yet for the sake of the duchess he resolved to do so. He felt that any sacrifice of feeling must be made on his own part in order to save an innocent lady from the atrocious machinations which had been devised for her destruction. At about ten o’clock he attended the duke in the library, and his Grace bade him sit down to answer the letters which had come by that morning’s post. These were chiefly on business matters from the bailiffs of the duke’s provincial estates, from tenants soliciting renewals of leases, or request- ing forbearance in respect to arrears of rent, from country gentlemen earnestly begging the duke’s interest to procure government situations for their sons or other relatives, and so forth. On the backs of the greater portion of these docu- ments, the duke noted the replies which were to be trans- mitted, and Christian proceeded to execute his work to the best of his ability. As each responsive letter was finished, he handed it across the table to the Duke of Marchmont, who was evidently well satisfied with the manner in which his young secretary acquitted himself of his duties. Thus nearly two hours were passed, and it was about noon when a foot- man entered and presented to his Grace a card upon a mas- sive and exquisitely wrought silver salver. | ‘‘ Ah, Mr. Hyde,” said the duke, as he glanced at the card. ‘““T sent for him yesterday. Let him come in.”’ The footman withdrew, and Christian, thinking that the business might be private, rose from his seat and was about to retire also, but the duke made a motion for him to remain, EORNICLOOKS (C(O)