The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 355: what you’re looking at

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

o24 REYNOLDS’ WORKS More than all this, too, he had learned from his sister, in the course of conversation, that Mr. Armytage was many years back a dependent of the duke’s in the form of land- steward, bailiff, or something of the kind, and that thence was the origin of his fortune. How was it, therefore, that his Grace should unwittingly evince such an antipathy to the mere mention of Mr. Armytage’s name? ‘You can retire,’ said the duke to Christian when the servant had withdrawn to introduce Mr. Armytage. ‘‘ There is NO more correspondence requiring my attention to-day, and your time is therefore now your own.” Christian bowed and issued from the library, but he was irresistibly led to enter the cabinet, where upon the table lay two or three books which he had selected for perusal and which he had left there. It can be easily understood how, in the circumstances in which young Ashton was placed, every- thing that seemed at all mysterious or unaccountable in respect to the Duke of Marchmont should have become a matter of deep importance to himself. And then, too, the counsel he had received from Mr. Redcliffe was continuously upper- most in his mind, — to keep a watch on all the duke’s pro- ceedings, and to report everything to the said Clement Red- cliffe. He had the highest confidence in this gentleman’s sagacity and good intentions, and without at all foreseeing the means which Mr. Redcliffe might recommend for contra- vening the diabolical plot that was now in full progress against the honour and well-being of the duchess, Christian felt assured that the more facts he could glean in respect to the duke’s proceedings, the greater would become the resources and the easier the plans by which Mr. Redcliffe would accomplish the salvation of the duchess and the dis- comfiture of her foes. All these considerations decided Christian to listen to what was about to take place between Marchmont and Mr. Armytage. ‘Your Grace will excuse me for intruding thus early upon your privacy,” said Armytage, as he was ushered into the library, ‘‘ but when I explain myself — ”’ ‘You don’t mean to say,’ interrupted the duke, “ that you have any fresh favour to ask at my hands, any new demand to make upon me? ”’ ‘“ Indeed, my lord, ’” replied Armytage, “I come to you for that purpose.”’ EOMIGIOOKS (EO)