The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 343: what you’re looking at

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

sab eB MYSTERIES. EE O_O Eu a joyful curprise it would be for you, when that lewd | Royal Highness, laconically: “but let us not tall scene burst upon my eyes., Oh! fie, Georgo—TI am | of i.” sorry to have seceived such evidence—unmistsks- “ Bo it a8 you will, my dear son," observed his ble evidence — of the vicious courses which you : and, wringing the pursue.” © Are we to return, sire, to unpleasant subjects timation———" “Ah! Tem glad that this affair has not been | The valet handed his master a card. fF exclaimed the Prince. “ Miss Clarendon f” exclaimed the heir- apparent, “ Neglected—no I" cried his Majesty. “I passed | glancing at the name which it bore: then, after a my word to your friend Mr. Meagies—Meagies— Meagies,” reiterated the King, dwelling with a | that I will be with her in ten minutes.” species of childish pleasure upon the name. “Let me seo—to-day ’s Wednesday— Wednesday. Well — —mext Saturday—bat not before, mind—you may CHAPTEE canse it to be intimated to Mr. Clarendon that XCIv. the offer of a peerage and a pension which he "RE VICTIM OF THE ROYAL LOVER. will receive on that same morning is a considera- tion ——” Tux Prince of Wales repaired to his own private “I understand you, my dear father—and I thank | apartment, where he at once adopted the most ap- you,” interrupted his Royal Highness. “Shall 1 | proved measures to restore himself to a state of now onder luncheon to be arr ee Oe na wELE i by way of putting an end toa conversation which was growing especially tedious to him. * No—I mast take my departure,” responded the King, rising from his seat. “And now, my dear | that son,” he added, his voice suddenly assuming & solemn tone,—“ let me beseech you to be circum- spect in your conduct. You are about to enter the | a wet towel round his head, and then entered the matrimonial sphere—end the eyes of the nation | warm bath. Jesuing thence considerably refreshed, are upon you. Lord Malmesbury is about to set | he summoned Germain, and by the aid of this. off for Germany in order to escort the Princess | skilfal dependant, soon completed his toilette. Caroline to Engiand. Thé portrait of her Serene] His countenance was slightly Soshed—but it will be sent to you in a few days———.” seemed rather the animation of mental excitement “ My dear father, I beg of you to abandon this | than the eftects of wine ; and though his brain still topic—at least for the present,” interrupted the | felt somewhat heated, he did not regret this cir- Prince of Wales, with aa emphasis that was marked | cumstance, inasmuch as it inspired him with a and resolute even to sternness. “ Were the Princess | bastard courage to encounter the lovely girl whom Caroline of Brunswick as beautiful as an angel, I} he had undone. could not look upon myself in any other light than | Taking a last look at himself in the fall length as a man sacrificed to the most deplorable exigen- | mirror, and feeling well satisfied with his appear- cics, My debts—the oruel necessity of a Prince | ance, the Prince of Wales repaired slowly to the of the Blood espousing a foreiga Princess, instead | drawing-room to which Octavia had been shown. of a British subject—and the circumstance that this | Yes—slowly did he proceed thither : for, in spite of alliance is a merely conventional one in which the | the feverish bardihood that animated him, he ex- hands and not the hearts are joined,—all these cir- | perienced a certain dread, as if his soul quailed and stances afflict me cruelly. Indeed, I cannot bear | his heart quaked at the idea of ina few moments to think of the marriage which has been planned | finding himself face to face with the confiding for me—and there are times when I recoil from | young woman whom he had made the victim of so the idea as if it were a hideous spectre haunting my | black a treachery. I consent to the sacrifice,” added his But at length he reached the door: for a fav conicbooks,.€@© ©)