The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 358: what you’re looking at

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

THE LISTENER 327 my dear Armytage, you must raise this money in some other way Dime Nae ‘Impossible, my lord. I cannot do it with my own re- sources. If I went to a money-lender to ask for a loan on my own account, it would be whispered abroad, and J should be ruined. But if your Grace will not borrow of your banker, and if you also have an insuperable objection against apply- ing to a usurer, you may give me your bill or your bond, and with such a security I can at once obtain the funds I require.”’ ‘“ And about the repayment? ”’ asked the duke. ‘‘ Con- sider, Armytage; fifty thousand pounds is no small debt to contract.”’ ‘“ T am aware of it,’’ responded Zoe’s father, ‘‘ but I have no fear in respect to my ability to refund it in due time. I have numerous sums to receive from noblemen and gentle- men in the course of the year — ”’ “Then wherefore not render those securities available for your purpose? ” ejaculated Marchmont, clutching greed- ily at the idea which he hoped might save him from having to yield to Armytage’s demand. ‘‘ Because, my lord,’’ was.the reply, ‘if I were to part with those securities, I should lose my clients. The money- lenders into whose hands they fell would take away my patrons from me.” ‘“ But really, Travers — ”’ ‘“ That name again,” ejaculated Armytage. ““ Well, well, you have yourself to blame for it, inasmuch as you ere now recalled those times when you bore that name, and when you were very differently situated from what you are now. Consider all I have done for you —”’ ‘‘In one word, my lord,”’ interrupted Armytage, ‘‘ am I to have this money? or am I not? ”’ ‘* And if I say that I cannot possibly accommodate you? ”’ inquired the duke. ‘Then I am a ruined man, and I blow my brains out,”’ was the unhesitating rejoinder given by Zoe’s father. ‘ But, my lord, in such an extreme and frightful case,’’ he added, in a voice so low that his words only just reached Christian’s ears, “‘ I should not pass out of the world without leaving behind me a written history of my life, and all my experi- ences of whatsoever sort they may have been.”’ There was a long pause in the discourse, and it was at ECORANICLOO© SS (GO)