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CÉCILE;

OR,

THE PERVERT.

CHAPTER I.

BEING THE INTRODUCTION.

OUR first scene opens at Lord Tewkesbury's house, Cavendish Square, London, and in that room commonly called the study, in virtue, no doubt, of a figure of rhetoric which is styled, we believe, the antiphrasis; for the small apartment, though sufficiently gloomy to have been the den of Grotius himself, had seen little enough of studiousness for many a generation.

The dull, sultry October morning was already very far spent indeed, but the breakfast service

B

was not yet removed; and though one of the places at the narrow table had now been for some time untenanted, the other had been but very lately occupied, we lament to say, by no other than Lord St. Edmunds, the hopeful heir of the family. The slight repast was, however, soon despatched, with the cordial co-operation of a magnificent Newfoundland dog. The young Viscount having then lighted, what is technically called, his "weed," took up the newspaper, and removed to a huge leather fauteuil by the fireplace, where he assumed that peculiarly graceful and dignified attitude very much patronized by the lately risen generation, his back resting against one of the arms, and his legs depending over the other.

The cigar was drawing to a close, when a well-powdered footman entered, and announced that Mr. Longman had returned.

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That's the time of day !" exclaimed our hero. "Show him in, John, by all means," and Mr. Longman, the Earl's steward, was accordingly introduced.

"Come into court, Longman, and shut the door," resumed the young Viscount, in a tone which fully corresponded with the nonchalance

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