The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 52: what you’re looking at

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es THE MYSTERIES —— ee to sway a hittle to and fro in ‘his ehair; as if the wine had indeed got up into his head. “Oh, certainly! We will find you everything ; and while you are making a perfect round of plea- sure at the West End, we will be looking out for an estate with a splendid mansion upon it, beautiful grounds, a deer-park, and everything proper. We must also have you presented at Court; and I don’t know—but I dare say it can be contrived,” added Lord Harold, with a mysterious air and knowing look, “ to get you a baronetcy.” “Ah, indeed!” cried Mr. Gunthorpe. “ Well, I don’t know but that I should lke a handle to my name. How my poor father and mother, the cobbler and charwoman, would stare if they could only get up out of their graves in Clerkenwell Churchyard and see their son a baronet!” “T am sure you deserve a baronetcy,” said Lord Harold, with a slight grimace at that reference to his guest’s parentage, “for having made so fine a fortune. How much did you tell us just now?” ~“Tdon’t think that I mentioned the amount,” responded Mr. Gunthorpe, now beginning to hic- cup: “but when I went into the whole affair with Snuff—my attor——solicitor I mean, we found it a little above half a million.” “Well, that’s not bad,” said Lord Harold, sipping his wine coolly, as if he were quite accustomed to contemplate such fortunes. “ But what is your. christian name ?” “Jonathan,” answered the old gentleman, with a somewhat vacant stare. “Sir Jonathan Gunthorpe,” observed Harold. “Excellent! It would look well enough in the Court Guide. Edmund, you must introduce our very intimate and particular friend Gunthorpe to Lady Saxondale and your sisters.” “ Ob! Lady Saxondale will be delighted to see him,” exclaimed Edmund: and as he spoke he could not help smiling at the idea of presenting that queer-looking figure to his haughty and brilliant mother,— with whom, by the bye, he was on no terms to present anybody at all. “Tam sure your lordships,” said Mr. Gunthorpe, “are uncommon kind; and if in return I can do you any little service, I shall be glad.” | He spoke these words with much apparent diffi- culty, swaying from side to side on his chair—hic- cupping—and surveying first one of the young noblemen, and then the other, with the dull and va- | cant gaze of complete inebriety. “Well, I hope that this friendship which has be- gun so pleasantly,” observed Lord Harold, “ will , continue for ever. But when I look at you, Mr. Gunthorpe, I really think you might marry again. | A hale, active, intelligent, good-looking gentleman like yourself: “ But I am sixty,” said Mr. Gunthorpe. | “Pooh, nonsense! you make a mistake. You can’t be more than forty-five.” “ Well, perhaps I am not,” observed the old gentleman, looking uncommonly bewildered and owlish. “ My father and mother must have de- | ceived me ; and I will go and consult the parish- registers to-morrow. But about this marriage? In addition to all the other things you are going to find me, Cad you manage a suitable wife ?” “i have no doubt of it,” replied Harold. “I bave already got a Dowager-Countese in wny eye for sent crisis that I am pressed for five thousand. ————, —_———— ——— ---——-- = ~— eee OF THE COURT. 55 you ; and if she won't do, then there’ sa ae Baroness with eight thousand a-year.” “Oh! between the two I am pretty sure to ba suited,” observed Mr. Gunthorpe, refilling his glass again, while Harold looked acruss the table to Saxon- dale with a glance that impl.vd what a precious old fool their companion was. “And what fun we will have at the wedding! cried Edmund. * But again I say that you overwhelm me with obligations,” observed Mr. Gunthorpe, appearing to speak with more and more difficulty, and to be troubled with more frequent hiccups. “Well,” said Lord Harold, assuming quite a careless, indifferent tone, and speaking in an of,- hand manner; “it does so happen just at the pre- In fact, I have overdrawn my bankers, and if you would accommodate me for six weeks or a couple of months is “ Oh, certainly! replied Mr. Gunthorze; “ with the greatest pleasure in the world. Five thousand is a poor loan to advance to one who is going to assist me in buying estates, horses, carriages, and so on, and who is first to provide me with a mistress and then with a wife. Give me pen and ink.” Mr. Gunthorpe had made this speech in a some- what more fluent and collected manner tian he bad been’ talking for the last hour; and indeed both | Harold and Edmund were for a iene seized with a little uneasiness as they thought they observed a vein of sarcasm running through his words. © But as his \ooks corroborated not this suspicion, they grew perfectly satisfied again, and rapidly exchanged glances of delight as the old gentleman asked for the ink. Writing materials were speedily supplied ; and Mr. Gunthorpe, diving his hand deep down into one of his capacious pockets, drew forth a cheque- book, which to the two noblemen was mighty plea- sant to behold. Laying it open upon the table be- fore him, Mr. Gunthorpe proceeded to fill up one of the draughts: but it seemed that he had no small difficulty in steadying his hand to write, while his head kept bobbing down as if his wig would bob off also into a dish of strawberries just before him, However, he succeeded in writing the cheque for five thousand pounds; and then tearing out the leaf, handed it to Lord Harold, who, folding it neg- ‘ligently up, thrust it with true aristocratic listless- ‘ness into his waistcoat pocket. “‘ By the bye,” he said, “I will just give you my note of hand for this.” “Don’t trouble yourself. I dare say it will be all the same in the end,” answered Mr. Gunthorpe. “ Well, I will give it to you next time we meet. And now I suppose you mean to make a night of it _with us? What shall we do? It’s just ten o’clock,” added Lord Harold, looking at his watch. “Shall we go and lounge in to some hell ?” “ Don’t you think it’s better to wait till you are compelled to go there?” asked Mr. Gunthorpe, ap- parently with amazing innocence. “JT mean the gaming-house,” rejoined Harold. “ Not that [should propose to you to play, Mr Gun- thorpe. Oh, no—not for the world! But it struck me that if you would like to see a little of London life-—— “T don’t think it was exactly for that purpose your uncle gave me letters of introduction to you eee es —— re er eee ne mm ee ee ee tm ECORNICLOO (Cc SS) (CO)