The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 352: what you’re looking at

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

CHAPTER XXV THE LISTENER A wEEK had elapsed since the occurrences just related, and during this interval the Honourable Wilson Stanhope had called three or four times, and had dined twice at March- mont House. He was a man of about five and thirty years of age, hand- some, though with a somewhat dissipated and rakish look. He had been for some years in the Horse Guards, and although his necessities had compelled him to sell his com- mission, he still affected to a certain degree a military ap- pearance; that is to say, he continued to wear his mous- tache. His features were regular, but somewhat bold and prominent; the expression of his countenance was decidedly sensuous. His hair was light; his eyes were large, and had a look of bold hardihood when contemplating females, — thus indicating the thorough libertine. Though of profligate habits, a confirmed gamester, a spendthrift, and an un- principled seducer, yet he had done nothing to cause his expulsion from fashionable society. A man may cheat a thousand creditors if they be only tradesmen, without losing his caste, but if he fail to pay a single debt contracted on the race-course or at the gaming-table, he at once forfeits his rank and consideration as a gentleman. He may beguile credulous women by myriads of dishonourable artifices, and yet he can still hold his head high and proclaim himself an honourable man. But if he forfeit his word in the slightest degree to any individual in his own sphere, his honour is instantaneously considered as lost. Such are the usages, rules, and customs of the fashionable world, and therefore a man like Mr. Stanhope, though saturated with all vices, may continue to look everybody in the face, and no one 321 CORANICLOO© <S) (C(O)