The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 301: what you’re looking at

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

a. awabieqa=tiyp diet Gee ve Ques Gewtte hee ee e-em eet ee ee oO ED re. OE | ea a ET — i ME > Ea EE Gap TaD ain a AS x a io | 290 This private room was approached through the elerks’ office, where seven or eight of these indivi- duals divided their time between. the papers on their desk and the sandwiches inside it. Opening from their office were other rooms—one ing to the managing clerk, another to the cashier, and a third to some other official in the establishment: for, as stated in an earlier chapter, Messrs. Marlow and Malton carried on a very extensive business. We must however return into the private room where these gentlemen were seated: but we should observe that there was still an inner room, ing out of their own, and which was termed “the parlour”—that being the sasciun wheve they received very aristocratic visitors, ay else where one engaged in a like manner. But at the moment when we thus peep in upon them, they were alone together, discoursing upon their affairs. Presently some One knocked at the door communicating from the outer office; and upon being bidden to enter, a clerk made his appeayance. Adv towards the table, he laid q eard upon Mr. Marlow’s desk, saying, “This acy, OG, soquests aus bnmneciate tater. view.” “ Mrs. Chandos!” ejaculated Marlow, bounding upon his seat. “Was there ever such-~—-Bat no matter. How shall we act, Malton?’ “ Bee lier,” was his wore sedate partner's re- sponse. “So we will,” cried Mastew: then turning to the clerk, he said, “ Show the lady in.” The young man disappeared; and My. Malton said, “ Now don’t act as if you were #0 over positive about that identity. You might have been mistaken you know—— “Mistaken! Pooh—nonsense! Wave I not eyes? and must I not believes thant But bush! here she comes.” The door again opened ; and Mrs. Chandos—or rather Lady Bess, bearing that name em) wearing the costume best befitting her sex -— made her appearance. She was very elegantly apparelled; and with her veil thrown back, lkoked even handsomer than when Mr. Marlow had seen her at Dover at the Admiral’s Head. The garb which she wore became ber splendid shape to the utmost advantage; and thoagh her features might be pronounced by rigid criticism to be some- what coarse, yet it was impossible to deny that she was a very fine creasere, Her hair in its raven richness, set off the high and noble forehead; the large dark eyes, so bright and so unfathomable, gave a wondrous animation to her countenance ;— and as she entered, her moist luscious lips, parting fn a sxinchiovous enile which she eoald 208 Coasible subdue, revealed those unblemished teeth of ivory whiteness. Observing this smile, Mr. Marlow, who had at first looked grave and severe, coyld not help relaxing from that mood; and then, bemg suddenly seized with one of those jocular humours which are inspired by the remembranee of ludicrous circumstances, he threw himself baek in his chair and burst out into a bearty laugh. Mr. Malton caught the infection— but far more slightly; and the self-styled Mrs. , Chandos gave way to such a joyous fit of merriment, = that the flute-like tones of Ler musical laugh must -e@n- =~ 7 =e = - —_— eee ee peat + ee eo come oe ere Qe eee re wwe © op oe eee ee ee eee THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. ower Ww ww -~ oD have reached the ears uf the derks in their own office, and made them wonder what hilarious client had just been introduced to the presence of thar employers. “Pray sit down, ma’am,” said Mr. Marlow, feel- ing that it would be almost impossible to resume his severity of look after this virtual abandonment of rancour for the past. “Have I really the honour of addressing the Mrs. Obandos of Dover ” “* Really that honour—df en honour it be,” she answered, her gaicty having by this time eubsided into a emile of roguish arshnegs, which made her look most wickedly handsome. «Well, I must confess that I do not know exactly how to receive you,” continued the elder partner: “for in my own mind the conviction is still “Bat you have received me with a laugh,” tn- Lady Bess. “ Never mind what your con- vietion may be. I have gome te talk upon a business watter—and I beg that the Dower scene may be put out of the question-—at least fog the present.” “ Well, we will try to lose sight of it if we can,” ejaculated Mr. Marlow: “but I egnites it’s difficult ugh. And now, what ebout this business? I “Oome, let us be serious,” walk the maces eotete Mr. Malton. . “I am quite serions now," exclaimed the elder partner. “ Mrs. Chandos, we will put aside the past for a fow minutes if you please; and you may con- tinue at ones.” “So much the better,” cbaseved Lady Bess: and then she added with a anil, “I am cure om my part there is no rancour om asesunt of the Dover affair.” “On your part indeed?” ejaculated Marlow. “ No—I should think not. All the trouble and an- noyance were on our’s. There was [ cutting down to Dover, while my partner here rushed of to la a “ Bat I thought,” interrupted Mr. Maltom, “that we were to forget the past, while thie lady epoke to us of the present.” “ Yes, yes,” said Marlow. “I am eure I do uot want to be hard upon the lady, let her be whe she may and call herself what she likes. But perhaps,” he added with a lurking gnesr, “she has come with the honourable intention of payiag our coste——I mean the costs incurred in racing and chasing, one of us to Dover and the ether to Liverpool.” tlemen,” said Lady Bess, now qesuming a severe look, “you are carrying your joke a little too far.” “ By heaven! 1¢ wae you who carried the joke too far,” ejaculated Marlow: and he took up an ivory peper-outter and tossed it patalantly helt across the table. “Come, come, Marlow, do be quiet,” said Mr. Malton; “and let us seo what Mre. Chandos wante with us.” Mr. Marlow throw himself back in his chair, as if ing himself to the penitence of keep! silent on a subject which so much excited hin ; conto «Subject which wy mh ested him; and CORNICE Oe SS | CO