The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 336: what you’re looking at

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

302 THE COURT OF LONDON Raymond; while my own claims, although the elder son, regarded only the priory with its annexed property. Scarcely © did the lawyers ferret out those facts from the depths of mouldy documents and musty pedigrees, when it suddenly transpired that the Aylmer family had likewise some vague and indistinct claims upon a portion of the Warwickshire property; and thus the whole affair presented a curious but not the less bewildering imbroglio.” ‘“ And all this time the Marquis of Bellenden was in pos- session and enjoyment of the whole property, was he not? ”’ inquired Florimel. : ‘‘ Precisely so,’”’ answered Montgomery; “ and as he was an amorous old fellow of sixty-two, my mother hit upon a method of settling the law disputes amicably and to the satisfaction of all parties concerned. She had an orphan niece dwelling with her, a beautiful girl named Laura; and she negotiated a marriage between this lovely creature and the sexagenarian Marquis of Bellenden. The alliance took ‘place, and the documents were drawn up to the effect that, in default of male issue, all the disputed estates should become the property of our family at the death of the marquis, the Aylmers consenting to receive a sum of ready money as an inducement to waive all their claims. But, behold! the marquis died suddenly, before the deeds were signed, and confusion became worse confounded. The widowed marchioness, my beautiful cousin Laura, evinced so decided a spirit of her own that my mother could not bring her to any terms, nor induce her to listen to reason; and the lawsuits were accordingly renewed, as you Just now expressed yourself, after the temporary suspension.”’ ‘“ And that renewal took place twenty years ago, did it not? ”’ inquired Florimel. ‘Yes, and consequently when I was ten years old and my brother Raymond two,” said Earl Montgomery. ‘“ Our mother revived the process on our behalf; and its slow length has been dragged along until the present time, my cousin, the marchioness, fighting us step by step.” ‘“‘ Did the Alymers renounce their claims upon that portion of the Warwickshire property to which they had considered themselves entitled? ’’ asked Lord Florimel. | “The affairs of the Aylmer family soon afterward fell into such confusion,” replied Eugene Montgomery, “ and death (C(O) MG 6)(0)©) (C(O)