The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 58: what you’re looking at

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

52 THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. “Let us recur to my argument about equiva- | according to the counsel which I have given you. lents,” said the Duke. “If you give a title, and | It may seem repulsive at first; but the longer the lady brings a fortune, you make common | you think of it, the more palatable will my plan stock of those elements which constitute social appear. Get a position, by all means: make position and comfort: you are mutually indebted yourself truly independent of your father, and of —and in that respect you stand on perfectly inde- | your elder brother after him. There are heiresses pendent grounds towards each other.” | who would jump at an offer from a good-looking “ Admitting the force of your argument,” ob- | young man with the title of Lord prefixed to his served Meredith,—“ and supposing that I fellin name. What say you, Meredith ?” with some young lady who, possessing a fortune, “Tt is something to be thought over,” replied would accept me as her husband,—how could I | the young nobleman: and then he added slowly, tutor my heart to love her? and how could I “If I did form such an alliance, I would do my marry her unless it did?” _duty towards my wife—I would surround her with “Oh! if you mean to throw love into the scale,’ | attentions, even if I could not bring my heart to ejaculated the Duke, almost contemptuously, “I ‘love her with sincerity But where are such must retreat from the argument. I only under- | heiresses to be looked for ?” take to advise you how to obtain a settled posi- “Where ?” said the Duke, apparently in a care- tion: I cannot compose philters that will engen- | less manner. “Oh, that is your business! I have der love. Perhaps, my dear Meredith, you love | given you the counsel: it is now for you But, already ?” Ah! when I bethink me, there is the daughter of “T know not,” responded Octavian, with some | that very gentleman we spoke of just now.” degree of confusion. “And yet methinks that ‘“Who ?” inquired Octavian. the image of one whom I have seen—on two| “Armytage,” was the Duke’s response. “Do or three occasions—is often present to my {you know, my good fellow, that Armytage is a fancy 2 very wealthy man—and that his daughter’s dowry “ And pray who is this fair being to whom you | will be sixty thousand pounds on her wedding- allude 2” asked the Duke: “for of course she| day? This I can tell you for a fact. I have known must be fair, thus to have made an impression on | Armytage, as you are aware, for a great number your heart.” of years: I respect him because he is an upright, “She is the loveliest girl I ever beheld in my | honest man, who by his own industry has made life!” ejaculated Octavian, with an enthusiasm | himself.” which he could not at the moment repress, but| “He was your factor, or steward, or intendant which when thus given way to, left him over- originally—or something of that sort—was he whelmed with confusion. not?” inquired Octavian, who had been listening may tell me: I never interfere treacherously with | “ Yes—something of that sort,” responded my friends’ love-affairs.” Marchmont, again relapsing into his manner of “T would tell you cheerfully—but I myself do seeming carelessness. ‘‘ He scraped together some not know,” responded Octavian. ‘“I have seen | money; and I think he had a pretty considerable her on two or three occasions, walking with a | sum left him by a deceased relative. So he came youth whom by the likeness I know to be her | up to London—launched out in business as a mer- brother > chant and speculator—and thus made his fortune, “Then you have never spoken to her?” asked | You know very well, Octavian, that my antipa- the Duke. thies are great in respect to the plebeian money- “ Never,” replied Meredith. “She is as modest | plodders on the other side of Temple Bar: but in as she is beautiful; and I do not think that she | this individual instance I have never forgotten that even so much as noticed that she was on those oc- | Armytage served me faithfully and honestly—and casions the object of my interested regards. No | 8? I have countenanced him.” —she is virgin bashfulnessitself !” “The feeling does you honour, my dear Duke,” “ And to what sphere of life does your unknown replied Octavian warmly: for he believed in its fair one belong? Ah, by that tell-tale blush I| sincerity. “It is all the more honourable too, see she is beneath your aspirations—or rather be- inasmuch as it is at the expense of a prejudice.” neath what they ought to be.” “And Zoe—Mr. Armytage’s daughter—is really “This brother and sister of whom I am speak- | @ beautiful girl,” proceeded the Duke,—“ elegant, ing,” replied Octavian, in a serious tone, “are accomplished, and well calculated to shine in any evidently respectable ” drawing-room. Come, my dear friend, I see that “Respectable, but not rich?” exclaimed the | ™Y counsel is not altogether thrown away upon Duke. “Perhaps tradesman’s children, or some-| you. We will have lunch now, and then go out thing of that sort? Now, my dear friend, re- | for a ride. You can reflect at your leisure upon nounce this phantasy of your’s as speedily as ever | all that I have been suggesting.” — you can.” “Ves,” murmured Octavian, with another ill- “Yes—I must, I must,” said Octavian quickly, repressed sigh, as he thought of the beautiful un- and with some degrce of emotion. “It is useless | Known whom he had seen on two or three occa- to cherish a dream—madness, in my position, to | $1005; and whose bashful loveliness had made more cradle myself in a delusion !” or less impression on his heart. “The fact is,” resumed Marchmont, “that if you fancied an obscure girl ever so fondly and passionately—I mean in a virtuous sense—you 2 ae could not afford to love her. Your circumstances will not permit you. You must marry, Octavian, CORnNICLOOOKS Co) |