The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 361: what you’re looking at

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

330 REYNOLDS’ WORKS ‘‘T met him about a week ago,’ answered Christian, ‘‘ and he desired me to call upon him.”’ ) ‘“‘ He is a very excellent man, though eccentric,’ resumed Mrs. Macaulay. “I never had a better lodger. Whatever is left cold, he seems entirely to forget, and never asks to haveitup. Now thatis what I like. His maxim is evidently, ‘ Live and let live,’ and so it should be. He gives very little trouble, and is a man of the fewest possible words that I ever knew. He receives no visitors, and likes to be alone. The other evening it struck me that he might possibly be dull — I recollect I had nothing in the house for my own supper that particular evenng— However, that is not to the point. But at nine o’colck, when his supper-tray went up, I followed, and I said in the politest manner, ‘ Really, Mr. Redcliffe, I can’t bear to know that you are always sitting alone, and I thought perhaps you would only deem it an act of courtesy if I just stepped up to have half an hour’s chat with you.’ But no! he assured me that he preferred being alone, and that he could not think of taking me away from my own domestic avocations. Well, 1 was obliged to leave him to eat his supper all by himself, and it was so pro- voking, for I had put on my best cap and gown on purpose, and had made myself look so smart. But isn’t he an odd man? ”’ Christian could have said, if he had liked, that he really did not see anything so particularly odd in Mr. Redcliffe’s conduct on the occasion referred to, but he did not choose to wound Mrs. Macaulay’s feelings, and so he evaded the necessity of giving a direct reply by observing, “ He is a very charitable and generous-hearted man.”’ “ Perhaps then he has done something for you?” ex- claimed Mrs. Macaulay, quickly. ‘No, it was not necessary,’’ rejoined Christian, — “ at least not when I met him a week ago. Previously to then — as you are indeed somewhat aware —I and my poor sister had to encounter severe troubles, but the tide of ill fortune suddenly changed, and on the same day we both obtained situations, — Christina as companion to Lady Octavian Meredith, and I as private secretary to the Duke of March- mont.”’ ‘Dear me, dear me!” ejaculated Mrs. Macaulay; “ to think of your good luck. You had really better take a glass EOMIGIOOKS (C©)