The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 153: what you’re looking at

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

132 REYNOLDS’ WORKS suits, I should scarcely think he ever fired a pistol in his life.”’ The two gentlemen conferred together upon the arrange- ments for the pending duel, and Stanhope then set off to call upon Captain Stanley. In the meanwhile Christian himself had been to Stanley, and had informed him of the challenge he had received from Alexis Oliver. Stanley was grieved to hear that the adven- tures of the preceding night were to lead to such a result, but he saw no possible means of avoiding the hostile en- counter. He accordingly undertook to second his young friend upon the occasion, and he was pleased to behold the calm, courageous demeanour with which our hero contem- plated the prospect. Christian paid his usual visits to Shrubbery Villa as well as to the mansion of Isabella Vincent. He had resolved to say nothing of the approaching duel, but when he took leave of his sister at the one dwelling and of his beloved Isabella at the other, he felt the chords of his heart tighten painfully, though he suffered not his countenance nor his manner to betray the feelings which were thus inwardly moving him. He returned to his lodgings in Mortimer Street, and he spent a couple of hours in writing letters, which were to be de- livered only in case he should fall in the hostile encounter. One was to Lord Clandon, thanking him for all the kindness which our young hero had received at his hands, and ex- pressing the fervid hope that the measures then in progress would have the result which every well-wisher of this noble- man so earnestly desired. Another was to Christina, and therein the affectionate brother said everything that was kind and tender to his much-loved sister. A third was to Queen Indora, thanking her Majesty for all her goodness to Christina; and the last was to Isabella Vincent, taking the fondest farewell of her to whom Christian’s heart was devoted. Our hero was careful in preventing Mrs. Macaulay from suspecting the duel that was about to take place, and in this aim he fully succeeded. He retired to rest at his usual hour, and he slept soundly, — for that young man had not a taint, much less a crime, upon his conscience. The little worldly affairs he had to settle, and which were summed up in the letters he had penned, were put in order; he was a youth of courage, and he feared not death, otherwise than Gomiuicbdoc CS (E()