The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 179: what you’re looking at

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

158 REYNOLDS’ WORKS ‘Tf it wasn’t for such men as you, my lord,” growled the Burker, ‘‘ there would be fewer such men as me. Your day is gone by, and it’s of no use your making long speeches and abusing them as you was accustomed to use as your tools.” “As for Madame Angelique,’’ continued the Duke of Marchmont, who affected to turn away with loathing and disgust from the fierce regards of the Burker, — “ as for Madame Angelique, her character befits her to take her place in this company with which your Majesty has chosen to sur- round yourself. ‘The whole career of that vile French- woman has been one of hardened iniquity, and she has ac- cumulated wealth by means the most degrading, the most disgusting, the most abominable. Is it such testimony as hers that can all in a moment ruin the character of a noble- man bearing one of the proudest of British titles? Place that woman in a witness-box, and any judge will indignantly command her to stand down; no jury would listen to her.’’ ‘And yet, bad as I may have been,” exclaimed Madame Angelique, ‘‘ I have had the honour of reckoning the Duke of Marchmont among my most intimate friends.”’ ‘“T will now address myself to your Majesty,’’ proceeded the duke, who chose to have the appearance of disdaining to bandy a word with Madame Angelique. ‘“ I have spoken unreservedly of the characters of your witnesses, and your Majesty’s own good sense must tell you that I have spoken only too truly. I will not pretend to fathom. the purposes which you may have in view, but whatever they may be, you must confess by this time that you have failed in carry- ing them out. That I have been gay, perhaps dissipated, that I have been a man of pleasure, all this it is not worth my while to deny; but, on the other hand, these things assuredly concern not yourself. That Mrs. Oxenden has been my mistress, that Amy Sutton has received me in her arms, or that my visits have been paid to the house of Madame Angelique, are facts which I might readily have admitted without the necessity of this dark parade and solemn ordeal. That my purse has been open to Mr. Stan- hope, and that I have been plundered as well as personally maltreated by that villain who sits on your Majesty’s left hand, are likewise facts. But that I have ever been their suborner or the instigator of their iniquities, is something Gomicdoc cS (E()