The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 208: what you’re looking at

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

DEATH | 183 narrative, and it would therefore be as well if the reader would here cast a glance over those earliest portions of the story which related the loves of Bertram and Eliza. Soon after the marriage of the Duke of Marchmont and Miss Lacey, they went abroad on a Continental tour, which lasted for several months; and they returned to Oaklands, in the autumn of the year 1829. There they were joined by Lord Clandon and Bertram Vivian. The singular behaviour of Eliza and Bertram to each other mystified Lord Clandon, who was perfectly ignorant of the loves of his brother and Eliza when they were at Oxford, as indeed the duke himself likewise was. Lord Clandon fancied that Mrs. Bailey, as a relation of the youthful duchess, might possibly be in her Grace’s confidence, and therefore be enabled to throw some light on the matter which thus bewildered him. He suc- ceeded, as the reader will recollect, in worming out of Mrs. Bailey the entire narrative of the past. Devilish ideas were thereby engendered in Lord Clandon’s brain. He was steeped to the very lips in debt, and he knew perfectly well that, generous though his uncle the duke was, he would not disburse the large sum that was required to clear him of his liabilities. Besides, he constantly trembled lest his creditors should expose the state of his affairs to the duke, who, being @ man imbued with the highest sense of honour in pecuniary matters, was quite capable of discarding him altogether and withdrawing his countenance from him. The duke’s mar- riage had been deeply galling to Lord Clandon, and the youth of the duchess seemed to promise that it might not be unproductive of issue. Thus if an heir were born to the title and estates of Marchmont, farewell to the last hope of Lord Clandon, who would be doomed to remain a poor peer, with an income of scarcely a couple of thousand.a year, and with debts to ten times that amount. , His lordship was therefore inspired with evil thoughts by the narrative he had received from Mrs. Bailey’s lips. At that time, however, he entertained not the slightest idea of assassinating his uncle. All he aimed at was so to direct his machinations that the duke should at once divorce him- self of the hope of having legitimate progeny from his mar- riage. It was of the highest importance for Clandon to achieve this object, for the success of the measure would leave him still heir presumptive to the title and estates of COnnIClOoKS (SO)