The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 342: what you’re looking at

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

312 THE COURT OF LONDON ‘“‘ You have just returned from Warwickshire, I presume? ”’ said Montgomery, adopting a tone of curiosity, and subduing the feeling of painful suspense which was really dominant in his breast. ‘‘ Have you succeeded in obtaining an inter- view with my brother?. And has he complied with the con- ditions of that clause in our ancestor’s will — ” ‘* My lord,” interrupted .the clerk, assuming a tone and demeanour suited to the tidings which he was about to im- part, but which he was not altogether sure would prove to- ° tally new to the earl, for the man of business had imbibed certain suspicions not very. favourable to the nobleman, ““my lord,” he-said,, with demure look and solemn voice, ‘‘ you must prepare yourself to hear the most distressing intelligence concerning ac pe brother, the Lord Ray- mond Montgomery.”’ “ Good heavens! what mean you? i exclaimed Eugene, apparently labouring under the most. torturing sus- pense. ‘‘T mean, my lord, ” was the answer, “ that your brother Raymond is no more,” and the clerk: who had hitherto spoken with Jooks-mournfully bent downward, now raised his eyes suddenly and fixed them upon the earl with so peculiar an expression, as to strike the guilty noble that Rigden’s factotum was endeavouring to read the effect which, his communication would have upon him. “No more! my brother Raymond no more!” cried the earl. Then, covering his face with his hands and turning aside, he burst into a painful ebullition of woe, or at least appeared to do so. . “Tam wrong,” thought the clerk within himself, “‘ and I have done the earl an injustice. He is deeply affected at his brother’s loss, and it was most uncharitable in me to suspect him of so foul a deed.” And-having arrived at this eonichaniene, the clerk, who took snuff after the example of his employer, Mr. Rigden, regaled himself with a copious pinch of the pulverized weed; but he took it with a careful noiselessness, the grief of Lord Montgomery now appearing to be too violent for the slightest interruption. | ‘“ But tell me, my good friend, tell me,’’ exclaimed the earl, suddenly turning toward the clerk and speaking in broken accents, the profound grief of which corresponded CORNIENOOKS (E(0) m