The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 306: what you’re looking at

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

A Craven I shall call you~for it is decreed that you and I are to get uncommonly intimate together ——We have filled our glasses three or four times while you have been poring over that stupid paper.” “I was only looking at the Sporting Intelli- gence,” observed Christian, with a smile. “The fact is, I have a bet or two id ‘Which is your favourite P” ejaculated Alexis eagerly. “ Seringapatam,” suggested Captain Stanley— thus with readiness coming to our young hero’s assistance; for he felt perfectly well assured that Christian knew no more of sporting matters than of what was taking place in the moon. “] don’t mind giving you large odds against Seringapatam,” exclaimed Alexis Oliver : and from a small pocket cut slantwise on the outside of the left breast of his surtout coat, he drew forth hie betting-book. ‘“ What shall we say ?—a cool hun- dred to eighty P’” “Ob, by all means!” ejaculated Christian: and then drawing forth his own pocket-book, he pro- ceeded to make a memorandum with as much artistic nonchalance as that displayed by Alexis himself, “I am really glad I have fallen in with you two fellows,” proceeded Oliver: “we will have rare games together. And to begin, let us have an- other bottle of claret P” The wine was ordered; and when the first giaeses had been discussed and approved of, Alexis Oliver—who was now more than half-intoxicated -—began to discourse in that mysterious strain of semi-confidence which forms one of the phases of ebriety. “ The fact is,” he said, “I am in luck’s way at present. I don’t like to boast, you know,—but there’s the finest woman in all London——you understand me?—she is over head and ears in love with me ; and I of course cajole her in a most exemplary fashion. I shouldn't let every one know what game is up: but es we have agreed to be stanch allies for the future, we mustn't have any secrets from each other. Have either of you heard of a certain Mrs. Oxenden P” ‘Mrs. Oxenden ?” said Captain Stanley, slowly repeating the name, as if in a sort of dubiousness whether he had before heard it mentioned or not. “Why, what did I hear? Surely that is the splendid woman whom Marchmont has had in keeping ?”’ * Well, you are right,” rejoined Alexis. “ And she iz a splendid woman too, I can tell you ! —full of passion, and devoted to me. There's no vanity on my part: but it is a fact that she can’t endure the Duke——he’s laid up now, poor fellow |—but as for your humble servant, abe’d go through fire and water for him!’’ “No doubt of it!” said Stanley. “ But there is no compliment in telling you, Oliver, that you're just the young fellow to captivate the female t,’’ “ Well,” observed Alexis, complacently caress- ing his beardless chin, “I may have made a few conquests in my time: but I won’t say that I have, for fear you should charge me with vanity.” “ Not I indeed !’’ exclaimed Stanley. “ Every young man can tell a few tales if he likes.” THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. 295 * No doubt of it !” cried Christian, sipping bis | claret. “And as a matter of course amongst friends . “There should be no reserve!” ejaculated Oliver. “ That’s just what I say! It is aston- ishing bow we three fellows pull together! I see that we shall get on swimmingly.” “And eo this Mrs. Oxenden,” interjected Stanley, “is so infatuated with youP Whata lucky dog you are! But [ tell you what my idea of a woman’s love is. If she gives you all her con- fidence, then she really loves you: but if she keeps any secrets from you, then she dvesn’t in reality care a fig for you.” “ Now, there again we agree!” exclaimed Alexis. “Between ourselves, I saw plainly enough that Mrs. Oxenden had some secret from me; and it was concerning the Duke too. Well, thought I to myself, ‘I am resolved to worm it out of her :'—so I plied her with all sorts of cajo- leries : I poured forth a volley of such vows and protestations—I made her drink champagne, too, of which, by the bye, she is particularly fond; and so by degrees: 7 “You're the cleverest fellow I ever met in my life!” exclaimed Captain Stanley, affecting to be | in raptures with Alexis. | “I must give you credit for most excellent , generalsbip,” said Christian, throwing in the ad- | ditional weight of his own flattery. “Soitended | by this Mrs. What’s-her-npame——-Oxenden——— | telling you everything—eh P” “By Jove, I got it all out of her!” cried Alexis | with a chuckle. “But you musn’t push me any farther. It’s all very fine, you know, for friends to have mutual confidences: but that secret, you understand, is not mine to reveal. It’s like a sacred deposit ———” “Ob, of course!” ejaculated Stanley: “keep | your own counsel in that respect. Neither Craven nor myself would wish you to do apything that is | unhandsome.” | “Not for the world !” cried Obristian. “ But we don’t drink!” | “ Ah, the poor Duke !” said Oliver, shaking his head with @ mysterious significancy. “If he | only knew everything! By Jove, I could tella secret if I liked! But I wun’t! No, no—it woald | be too bad !” “TI tell you what,” said Stanley: “you shall both of you dine with me to-morrow. Let it be at the Clarendon Hotel at six o'clock.” “You shall both dine with me the day after,” added Christian. “We will go to Blackwall.” “ Now, these are arrangements that I like,” said Alexis: “they prove that we are getting all right | and comfortable with each other. The day after- | wards you shall dine with me at this very hotel ; and 1’ll show you whether I exaggerated just now about the turtle and venison. But what are we going to do for to-night ?” “Drink another bottle of claret!” exclaimed Christian, looking at his watch; “and then away whithersoever you choose!” Bcarcely were the words spoken, when the waiter entered the coffee-room; and said to Alexis Oliver, “If you please, sir, a person wishes to speak to you on very particular business.” “The deuce!” exclaimed the young gentleman, somewhat sobered by an announoément which evic COMIC OOOlK<S conn