The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 202: what you’re looking at

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

180 THE COURT OF LONDON ings having been amended, the suit terminated in his favour, putting him in possession of some property. Such was the tale he told, and it was the true one. But he did not add, as he ought to have done, that the name of Beckford was a fictitious one, which he had temporarily assumed the better to avoid the inimical process of the chancery court. He was now, then, about to leave Rochester, and he told some story as a reason for wishing that his marriage with Melissa should take place under circumstances of the strictest privacy. No matter now what the story might have been; it was one of those which false gallants under such circum- stances have but little difficulty in devising, and so specious was it, that Melissa believed it. She communicated the circumstances to her sisters Lydia and Lilian. The former was at once suspicious, and recommended searching inqui- ries; the latter, naturally credulous to a degree, supported all Melissa’s hopes and arguments that everything was straightforward. Even Lydia herself was somewhat if not entirely disarmed of her misgivings when Mr. Beckford was duly introduced at the house and proposed that the marriage should take place there, but under circumstances of great privacy. This was agreed to, Mr. Beckford undertaking to obtain the special license and bring the clergyman with him at the appointed hour. All these arrangements were duly carried out. Mr. Beckford came punctually to the moment with a post-chaise, and accompanied by the reverend gentle- man who was to perform the ceremony. The special license was also produced, Lydia and Lilian acted as bridemaids, the rites were solemnized, and the happy Melissa was saluted by her sisters as Mrs. Beckford. She and her husband then entered the post-chaise and were whirled away to London. On arriving in the metropolis, Melissa was introduced to a handsome house in a beautful suburban region, and there was she installed as its mistress. But in a few days Mr. Beckford urged the motives which he had before given on behalf of the private marriage as the reasons why he could not dwell altogether with her for the present. ‘‘ He had a very particular and self-willed old father to conciliate, who would cut him off with a shilling if he knew of this marriage.’”’ Melissa, loving devotedly, and not wishing to see her husband frustrated in what he represented as his connicloooKks (CO)