The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 304: what you’re looking at

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

“HE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. 293 en The allowance until he should come of age; and after another lecturing, which he listened to with sundry yawns and other evidences of impatience, he was at length permitted to take his leave. We cannot however immediately divert the reader's notice from the office of Messrs. Marlow and Malton: for soon after Edmand Saxondale’s the door of the private room was again opened, and a clerk entered to announce that « gen- tleman giving the name of Mr. Gunthorpe requested an interview. Marlow desired him to be at once | then intimated to Saxondale the ' amount of the addition to be made to his monthly . her ladyship from the scandal of exposure in a law-court.” “But what counter-allegation does Mr. Deveril make ?” inquired Marlow. “Mr. Deveril declares that her ladyship poured forth in his ears an avowal of love—that she acted towards him in a manner the most indecorous—and that plainly avowing marriage to be impossible, she offered to become his “Mr. Gunthorpe,” ejaculated Marlow, “it is im- possible this discourse can continue. M y partner and I have had the honour and pleasure of Lady Saxondale’s acquaintance ever since her husband's admitted; and our old friend bustled into the pre- | death—that is, about nineteen years: and if we sence of the attorneys, with his hat in one hand, his were asked to point out amongst the ladies of the cane in the other, and his scratch wig turned the | Aristocracy one who by her exceeding rectitude of least thing awry by accident. Having taken a seat, | conduct, her unvarying prudence, her self-elevation he at once said, “I believe, gentlemen, that you are | above everything savouring of levity, much more the of Lady Saxondale >” above everything calculated to excite the breath of “We have that honour,” replied Mr. Marlow. =| scandal, we should not hesitate to name Lady “Then, gentlemen, I request that you will give Saxondale.’ me your very best attention,” resumed Mr. Gun-! “ Appearances cannot always be trusted,” ob- thorpe. “You doubtless read in the newspapers of served Mr. Gunthorpe. “It is quite possible that a duel which recently took place between Lord Lady Saxondale may have conducted herself during Harold Staunton and a young gentleman of the along series of years with the utmost propriety : name of Deveril. Now, in this Mr. Deveril I ex- but in this instance it is evident enough to me that some degree of interest——" | she was beguiled by a strong infatuation into the “I think I once saw him,” seid Marlow, “at Lady’ grossest imprudence. I also have as high an opinion Saxondale’s. house. Did he not teach the young of William Deveril as you have of Lady Saxondale. ladies drawing, or pdinting, or sumething of the I know that Deveril was incapable of bending an kind, until be so misconducted himself towards | impure look upon Ledy Saxondale—enuch more of : daring to offer an insulting overture. It is abso- : “that is lutely in redible. Even before the duel, I was per- Get eee “Mr. Gunthorpe,” exclaimed Marlow, “I can- not permit thie language. Her ladyship is our t 39 “And that is the vevy reason why I have come to you. Mr. Deveril. ie parfectiy incapable of such | conduct as Lady Saxondale has represented. She hes injured him m two. ways—in a pecuniary sense by procuring his exclasion from the houses F is the source of affliction as well as the wrong | ia to be vindiested; and if there is justice in England, and it can be obtained for money, William | responded Gunthorpe. Tt’ to be the only y way of vindicating Mr. extreme mesaures; ahd therefore I thought I would call and see if you, as Lady Saxondale’s inends apd legal advisers, would interfere to save eee cama - 222 ~~ | the fullest corroboration. In a word, gentlemen, the night before that duel took place, he wrote several letters, amongst which there was one to me. _T have since read it; and therein he confessed to me that he was decply enamoured of s young lady; and being so enamoured—enamoured indeed almost | to infatuation—it is not credible that he would have’ made tender overtures to Lady Saxondale.” ‘¢ All thie may be perfectly logical in your esti- mation, Mr. Gunthorpe: but we cannot sce with your eyes. At the same time,” continued Mr. Marlow, “I must thank you for coming to call upon us with a view to prevent the disagreeables of a ; law-suit. It speake well for yourself; and I am quite ready to confess that although we do not doubt the issue for a minute, we should not like to see Lady Saxondale’s name before the country in such a manner. What is it that Mr. Deveril requires ?” “A written acknowledgment of the falsity of Lady Saxundgle’s acousation: and this he pledges hamself he will only exhibit in those quarters where | he has reason to believe the calumny has been pro- ! pagated. I should have called upon you ere this, ' had it not been for the duel whish has stretched my ;' poor young friend Devefil upon his bed: so that I lost all thought of everything except his danger. . Now he is approaching convalescence, and it is time to adopt measares to clear his character.” “You are aware perhape that Lady Saxondale has left town, and that she is plunged into the deep- est grief on account of her youngest daughter Miss Constance Farcficld—gr rather I suppose,” added dfarlow, “the Murchioness of. Villchelle, as she rust — - +. ee ee 8 .. Lee. 277 COMM (C OO SS CO