The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 32: what you’re looking at

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

THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. which tho commeroial traveller almost instantane- ously endeavoured to veil bencuth a furced com- posura, Mr. Hodson approached the tuble, and took a scat, abserving, “ How do you do, Mr. Page? I felt assured, from your last letter, that you would arrive in town yesterday ovening ; and as I was passing this way, I thought I might as well give a call.” : “ Thank you, sir—I am really much obliged to yow for this kindness, sir—vory much obliged, sir,” stammered the commercial traveller. “How is Mr. Morley, sir?” “He ig quite well,” responded Mr. Hodson: “ that is to say, well in health, Mr. Pago—but in regard to epirita, I cannot give an equally satis- accqunt.” “ Indoed, sir?” exclaimed Page, interrogatively: “The fact is,” continued Mr. Hodson, “ Berkeley and Trent have stopped payment—and the result ig that our house experiences a very heavy loss.” 8 “ Berkeloy and Trent of Friday Street, sir!" erlad the commercial traveller. “I thought,they stood A 1 in the trado ?” i “ And eo did we,” observed Hodson. “ The contrary, however, has been made sadly apparent; and this very day have we two of their bills thrown beck on our hands.” “ 1—am extromely sorry to—to hear it sir,” fal- tored Page, now feeling convinced that his employ- ers would require the documents contained in the / pocket-book. “I hope that the loss does not put you to any sorious inconvenience, sir?” headded, “ Why—lI think wecangetoverit,"answered Mr, Hodson, his countenance now relaxing intoaspecies of grim smile: for the man was worth thousands, andcould havestood up against the bankruptcies of a dozen correspondentsoragents, “ But we require at once all thesecurities wecan get together, to pay intoourbankers' ; andasI am going direct to them, Ithought I might as well look in and obtain from comicbooks.conn — ee