East Lynne | Page 5

a
foreign ambassador, was ever admitted unceremoniously to the
presence of Lord Mount Severn. Years of duns had taught the servants
caution.
"His card is here, my lord. It is Mr. Carlyle, of West Lynne."
"Mr. Carlyle, of West Lynne," groaned the earl, whose foot just then
had an awful twinge, "what does he want? Show him up."
The servant did as he was bid, and introduced Mr. Carlyle. Look at the
visitor well, reader, for he will play his part in this history. He was a
very tall man of seven and twenty, of remarkably noble presence. He
was somewhat given to stooping his head when he spoke to any one
shorter than himself; it was a peculiar habit, almost to be called a

bowing habit, and his father had possessed it before him. When told of
it he would laugh, and say he was unconscious of doing it. His features
were good, his complexion was pale and clear, his hair dark, and his
full eyelids drooped over his deep gray eyes. Altogether it was a
countenance that both men and women liked to look upon--the index of
an honorable, sincere nature--not that it would have been called a
handsome face, so much as a pleasing and a distinguished one. Though
but the son of a country lawyer, and destined to be a lawyer himself, he
had received the training of a gentleman, had been educated at Rugby,
and taken his degree at Oxford. He advanced at once to the earl, in the
straightforward way of a man of business--of a man who has come on
business.
"Mr. Carlyle," said the latter, holding out his hand--he was always
deemed the most affable peer of the age--"I am happy to see you. You
perceive I cannot rise, at least without great pain and inconvenience.
My enemy, the gout, has possession of me again. Take a seat. Are you
staying in town?"
"I have just arrived from West Lynne. The chief object of my journey
was to see your lordship."
"What can I do for you?" asked the earl, uneasily; for a suspicion had
crossed his mind that Mr. Carlyle might be acting for some one of his
many troublesome creditors.
Mr. Carlyle drew his chair nearer to the earl, and spoke in a low tone,--
"A rumor came to my ears, my lord, that East Lynne was in the
market."
"A moment, sir," exclaimed the earl, with reserve, not to say hauteur in
his tone, for his suspicions were gaining ground; "are we to converse
confidentially together, as men of honor, or is there something
concealed behind?"
"I do not understand you," said Mr. Carlyle.

"In a word--excuse my speaking plainly, but I must feel my ground--are
you here on the part of some of my rascally creditors, to pump
information out of me, that otherwise they would not get?"
"My lord," uttered the visitor, "I should be incapable of so dishonorable
an action. I know that a lawyer gets credit for possessing but lax
notions on the score of honor, but you can scarcely suspect that I
should be guilty of underhand work toward you. I never was guilty of a
mean trick in my life, to my recollection, and I do not think I ever shall
be."
"Pardon me, Mr. Carlyle. If you knew half the tricks and /ruses/ played
upon me, you would not wonder at my suspecting all the world.
Proceed with your business."
"I heard that East Lynne was for private sale; your agent dropped half a
word to me in confidence. If so, I should wish to be the purchaser."
"For whom?" inquired the earl.
"Myself."
"You!" laughed the earl. "Egad! Lawyering can't be such bad work,
Carlyle."
"Nor is it," rejoined Mr. Carlyle, "with an extensive, first-class
connection, such as ours. But you must remember that a good fortune
was left me by my uncle, and a large one by my father."
"I know. The proceeds of lawyering also."
"Not altogether. My mother brought a fortune on her marriage, and it
enabled my father to speculate successfully. I have been looking out for
an eligible property to invest my money upon, and East Lynne will suit
me well, provided I can have the refusal of it, and we can agree about
the terms."
Lord Mount Severn mused for a few moments before he spoke. "Mr.

Carlyle," he began, "my affairs are very bad, and ready money I must
find somewhere. Now East Lynne is not entailed, neither is it
mortgaged to anything like its value, though the latter fact, as you may
imagine, is not patent to the world. When I bought it at a bargain,
eighteen years ago, you were the lawyer on the other side, I remember."
"My father," smiled Mr. Carlyle. "I was