The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 336: what you’re looking at

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

AN ADVISER 305 “Think not, young gentleman,”’ continued Mr. Redcliffe, ‘‘ that I am inspired by any impertinent curiosity in seeking your confidence — ”’ ‘Oh, no, sir! Not for a moment,” exclaimed Christian, ‘* could I entertain an idea so injurious toward you.”’ ‘“* Listen,”’ proceeded Redcliffe. ‘‘A youth of your age— thrown upon his own resources, and abroad as it were in the wide world — must inevitably on various occasions need suitable counsel and advice from older and more experienced heads. If I err not, you are at this present moment in some such position. Your sister is well provided for, and I rejoice to hear it, but you yourself appear to be less satisfactorily situated. In a word, you are not happy at the Duke of Marchmont’s, or else something has occurred —” | ‘‘Something has indeed occurred,” said Christian, in a mournful voice, and after a few instants’ reflection, he added, slowly and thoughtfully, ‘‘ Yes, I do indeed require the counsel of some one who is enabled to give it. I feel that I am placed in a situation of considerable embarrassment, that I have a duty to perform toward an innocent lady whose destruction is resolved upon, but yet that in the per- formance of this duty I must play the hypocrite — ”’ ‘‘ All this, Christian Ashton, is most serious,’ observed Mr. Redcliffe. ‘‘ Let us walk to a more secluded place where we can converse together. I see that you will give me your confidence, and again I assure you that you shall never repent it.”’ Mr. Redcliffe and the youth diverged away together from the neighbourhood of Park Lane where their encounter had taken place, and they rambled slowly across the wide open field of the park. During this walk Christian explained to Mr. Redcliffe how he had happened to fall asleep in the library on the preceding night, how he had overheard the conversation between the Duke of Marchmont and the Honourable Mr. Stanhope, how, after serious deliberation with himself, he had resolved to dissemble his looks in the presence of his Grace, and retain his situation in the hope of frustrating the diabolical scheme which had been ini- tiated against the duchess, but how when once this object should have been achieved, he was determined to seek his livelihood elsewhere. iti _ Mr. Redcliffe listened in profound silence. He spoke not (COUN (-) LOOKS (C(O)