We must go
with the times, my Lord. A virtuous middle class shrink with
horror from French actresses; and the Wesleyans--the Wesleyans
must be considered, Lord Marney."
"I always subscribe to them," said his Lordship.
"Ah!" said Mr Tadpole mysteriously, "I am glad to hear that.
Nothing I have heard to-day has given me so much pleasure as
those few words. One may hardly jest on such a subject," he
added with a sanctimonious air; "but I think I may say"--and
here he broke into a horse smile--"I think I may say that
those subscriptions will not be without their fruit." And
with a bow honest Tadpole disappeared, saying to himself as he
left the house, "If you were ready to be conspirators when I
entered the room, my Lords, you were at least prepared to be
traitors when I quitted it."
In the meantime Lord Marney in the best possible humour said
to Lord de Mowbray, "You are going to White's are you? If so
take me."
"I am sorry, my dear Lord, but I have an appointment in the
city. I have got to go to the Temple, and I am already behind
my time."
Book 4 Chapter 13
And why was Lord de Mowbray going to the Temple? He had
received the day before when he came home to dress a very
disagreeable letter from some lawyers, apprising him that they
were instructed by their client Mr Walter Gerard to commence
proceedings against his lordship on a writ of right with
respect to his manors of Mowbray, Valence, Mowedale, Mowbray
Valence, and several others carefully enumerated in their
precise epistle, and the catalogue of which read like an
extract from Domesday Book.
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