The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 66: what you’re looking at

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ae 60 standing his worldly-minded pursuits. Before he and Mr. Armytage separated on that occasion, the latter gave the young nobleman to understand the amount of the dowry he purposed to give his daughter—the mode of its settlement—and the allowance that would be made to Octavian himself. To all these proposals Meredith assented with a readiness which originated from his own earnest straining to convince himself as well as others, that he was unbiassed by interested views in the matter. Then Mr. Armytage hinted that if the young nobleman had any debts they should at once be liquidated: but to this offer Octavian was enabled to give a proud negative, he having no pecumiary liabilities. We do not mean that the pride of that response was of an aristocratic nature: it was the pride of one who felt that he might assume a manly dignity in proclaiming the rectitude of his conduct, which had been proof against all the temptations to extravagance by which he had of late been surrounded. But if Octavian went away from that interview in. astonishment at the apparently frank, noble- minded, and fondly paternal behaviour of Mr. Armytage,—not the less astonished was Mr. Ar- mytage himself to learn that Zoe loved her noble suitor. However, he did not waste much time “in pondering upon this matter: it was sufficient for him that Zoe had thus by her own conduct fallen into the views which he had entertained on her behalf; and he sped away to Belgrave Square, to inform the Duke of Marchmont of all that had just taken place. A month afterwards,—namely, at the end of August, 1847—the bridal took piace. Mr. Ar- mytage insisted that it should be solemnized with all possible circumstances of splendour; and im- mense therefore were the preparations made for the occasion. Zoe would gladly have gone to the altar under circumstances far less ostentatious: but she had never been in the habit of disputing her sire’s will—and she was by no means lhkely to do so while entertaining the belief that he had put all selfish considerations aside through a fond re- gard for her happiness wholly and solely. She accordingly suffered the arrangements to progress without the slightest remonstrance on her part,— reserving to herself the privilege of settling the precise details of her toilet, which she was resolved should be characterized by that elegant simplicity which was most congenial to her taste and dispo- sition. The wedding-breakfast was to be a perfect banquet; and as if Mr. Armytage did not already possess plate sufficient, he expended two or three thousand pounds in the purchase of additional table-ornaments to be used on the occasion. The invitations were likewise more numerous than Zoe would have preferred, if left to her own choice: but herein again she quietly let her father have his own way. The Duke of Marchmont faithfully promised to attend at the wedding-breakfast ; and Mr. Armytage, satisfied with this pledge, readily excused his Grace from accompanying the bridal party to the church. On the eve of the day fixed for the ceremony, Mr. Armytage was seized with a violent fit of the gout; and his physicians positively forbade him from attempting to stir out of doors. Zoe, deeply afflicted at this circumstance, besought her sire to postpone the wedding; but he would not listen to ——— ee —————ee THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. it. All the preparations were fully made; and he was determined that the ceremony should take place. Zoe still renewed her entreaties: but in the midst of this discussion Octavian Meredith himself arrived,—his countenance beaming with the satisfaction of one who had good intelligence to impart. He was however for a moment sad- dened on perceiving Mr. Armytage sitting in an easy-chair with one of his legs hugely bandaged up,—saddened too likewise, because he beheid the tears trickling down Zoe’s cheeks. The intel- ligence he had to communicate was to the effect that the invitations, which as a matter of courtesy had been forwarded to his father and his two brothers, were all accepted; and he himself had brought the written replies, addressed to Mr. Armytage. They were couched in courteous terms ; and Octavian explained that he was now com- pletely reconciled to his relatives. If any circum- stance had been wanting to support the resolution of Mr. Armytage that the bridal should take place on the morrow, notwithstanding his own indis- position,—it was the intelligence Octavian had just imparted. Zoe, perceiving farther remon- strance to be vain, yielded to her sire’s will; and her grief at his illness was mitigated not only by the assurance that he should be enabled to preside at the wedding-breakfast, but also by the satis- faction which he and she alike experienced at Octavian’s reconciliation with his family. On the following morning the bridal was cele- brated.. The Marquis of Penshurst—a tall, thin, pale old man—accompanied by his two elder sons, arrived at the mansion at an early hour; and though they were but little more than coldly courteous to Mr. Armytage, they were on the other hand exceedingly affable and cordial to- wards Zoe, whose beauty and inobtrusive manners made an immediate impression upon them. The Marquis of Penshurst gave Mr. Armytage to un- derstand that he had converted the allowance of five hundred a-year made to Octavian, into a per- manent settlement; and that he had moreover presented the young bridegroom with a thousand guineas, duly paid over to his account at the bankers’. Two young ladies of rank acted as bridemaids ; and an Earl undertook to give the bride away, as her father was unable to proceed to the church. The ceremony was solemnized at All Souls, in the fashionable quarter of Langham Place; and we must content ourselves with observing that the bride looked ravishingly beautiful as well as sweetly interesting. The wedding-breakfast fulfilled, in its sumptuous display of plate and in its profusion of all the choicest delicacies, the intents and wishes of the ostentatious Mr. Armytage: the Duke of Marchmont, faithful to his promise, was amongst the guests, who were described in the newspaper- paragraphs of the following morning as being “ the elite of the fashionable world.” When the repast was over, Zoe—having taken an affectionate and tearful leave of her parent—was handed by the bridegroom to the handsome carriage presented to the young couple by the bride’s father; and they set off to spend the honeymoon at some watering- place, where a suitable house had been already en- gaged for their reception. i ® 5. bales eee eo micboo