The Young Duchess; or, Memoirs of a Lady of Quality — page 268: what you’re looking at

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

254 “Would you esteem me most,” asked Imogen, “if I demanded marriage as the proof of your brother’s love, or if I consented to become his mistress as the proof of my own love?” “By the latter course you prove, Imogen, how sincere and disinterested is the love which you bear towards my brother. ‘And, Oh! for this reason I must love you in return! iD Thus speaking, Azaline wound her beautiful arms about Imogen’ s neck, and strained her to her bosom. Meanwhile Launcelot Osborne had repaired to the drawing-room, where he only found his mother, Lord Trentham having gone to his club. Her ladyship’s manner was habitually cold and severe even towards her own children; but of late it had become absolutely frigid and distant to- wards Launcelot, because he would not consum- thate his own unhappiness by leading Selina be Casey to the altar. ' ~~ Launcelot now approached his mother with his ' wonted demeanour of affectionate respect; and he said, ‘‘ What! altogether alone ?” ' Yes—alone,” she responded with a severe look. ‘You know that Azaline retires to her own room of an evening to read or write, instead of sitting with me and doing some pretty little piece of embroidery. As for you, Launcelot, you have been out a great deal lately. I suppose,” she added satirically, “it is with that unknown object of your foolish, insensate passion which threatens us with ruin , ‘¢ Mother,” interrupted fanneelog “have I not assured you that you may put faith in Selina Casey’s word?” “Ah, if I thought so! But what suspense this keeps usin! There is your poor father, who _ has just gone to his club to divert’ his mind from the harassing perplexity of his affairs “ Mother, if everything can be settled somehow or another,” interjected Launcelot, “without the sacrifice of myself, why will you not agree to the arrangement? Have I not received’ the positive assurance that so far as the sixty thousand pounds are concerned we havé nothing to feat?” ’ “ But there are twenty thousand more,” said Lady Trentham. “Oh,” exclaimed Launcélot, with something like bitterness in his accents, “ you would not, sell me for twenty thousand pounds ie “T' am sure,” said his mother, evading the question; “I do not know how it is all to end. What can Selina Casey be doing ? how can she exercise this immense power on our belialf? If. she be playing’ her father any trick, we ourselves may get into trouble——” “Look you, mother,” interrupted Launcelot ; “T am not a villain nor a scoundrel—lI flatter myself that I have some little principle and moral sense: but I declare'that whatsoever means so good a young woman as Selina Casey may choose to adopt on our behalf, must not ‘only be legiti- mate, but must also be looked upon as belonging to a sacred cause. So do hot make yourself un- happy on that score.” ~“ But why all this mystery? And who is it that has ‘gained your heart? who is this un- known ? Evidently some very low and unsuit- able person ‘Laincelot started angrily at this slur which was thrown upon his Imogen; 'but before he had THE YOUNG DUCHESS; OR, MEMOIRS OF A LADY OF QUALITY, time to make any reply, and hefore his mother had leisure to give utterance to another word, a footman entered, and then with a disappointed look was immediately about to retire again. “What do you want?” asked Launcelot, wha was struck by the domestic’s manner. “T thought his lordship was here, if you please, sir,” was the response. “He is gone to the Club,” said Launcelot. ‘“‘ What is it, Charles ?” “ Some one wants to see his lordship, sir » “T will come,” interjected Launcelot: and he hastened from the room. ‘‘Now, Charles, what is it?” he demanded, as he closed the door behind him and they stood on the landing together, “ Something is wrong, I see by your Idoks.” “Well, sir, I'm afraid that there is. Here's three men come to see his lordship—I’ve shown them into the library ‘Not a word for the present!” interrupted Launcelot. ‘I will see to this at once.” He repaired to the library, where the first per- son who encountered his view was Mr. Bulteel ; and as he happened to have met him once at Mr. Casey’s house in Hatton Garden, and knew that he was the usurer’s attorney, he instantly com- prehended that a blow was about to be struck from that quarter. A glance at the other two persons only tended to confirm the suspicion ; for one was a flashily-dressed, Jewish-looking indi- vidual, with the unmistakable air of a bailiff about him—and the other was a shabby man, with a sinister countenance, and who having sat himself down, seemed to be already making him- self quite at home by not rising from his chair when Launcelot entered. © ~“T don’t think I need to introduce myself, Mr. Osborne,” said Bulteel, with a bow that was half familiarly, half patronisingly polite. ‘We've met before—you know who I am ‘“ “Yes,” interrupted Launcelot : me, what have you come to do?” Mr. Bulteel glanced at the Jewish-looking in- dividual, who stood by with an easy familiar air; and said with a significant emphasis, “ This is an officer. It is an execution, Mr. Osborne.” Launcelot felt as if all the blood was suddenly turning to ice in his veins : but conquering his emotions as well as he was able, he asked, “ For how much ?” “Twenty thousand pounds in round numbers,” replied Bulteel. ‘There'll be costs “* And my fees,” added the bailiff, with a know- ing wink at the lawyer. . “Good God! an execution for twenty thousand pounds !”—and Launcelot was tottering towards, a chair, when Bulteel caught him by the arm. «Just step aside with me for a moment, Mr. Osborne,” said the lawyer: then drawing the young gentleman towards a corner, he assunied a look of mysterious friendliness, saying, “‘ Now come, Mr. Osborne—I should advise you to settle this business off-hand. It may prove more serious. than you think.” ‘What! do you think that I do not compre- hend, and bitterly appreciate, all the seriousness of this step which Mr. Casey has taken ?”—and Launcelot almost, wrung his hands in despair. ‘t Ruin-—exposure—degradation | 1” “ Aye,” interjected Bulteel ; “and that’s not all either.” ‘and now tell COMO YN Wn) Colin