The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 74: what you’re looking at

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

But when about a quarter of an boar had elapsed, Wim Mesgles suddenly raised bis eyes, looked around bim and then listened. All was still; and then the next instant the Amazon @clear merry, Mmosical laugh ringing from tbe bath-room, met Mesples ears A cloud swept over bis counte- pance: for Tim Meagles, although he bad long been on termes of the most tender intimacy with her was for a monrent annoyed at himeelf for having purposely brought ber to Carlton House on the present occasion with the view of throwing her irto the ams of the Prince. Bur thie feehig of jealousy was ‘as evanescent | as, under the ciroumetances, it was absurd; and it oa — /o- Wa: instantaneously succeeded by s lively satis-~ faction, as he thought te himeelf, “‘ She has played her cards admirabiy—and she will succeed in en- giuesing the Princes attention during the balf- hoor that | enjoined her to be sure and keep him eyaged |” Thua rejoicing in the success of a pre-arranged stratuzem, Tim Meagles advanced to the rvyal couch. and teok from beneath the pillow a long, thin gold chain te which a key of very peculiar woikmanship was attached. He then approached the writing-desk to which we have already alluded; and having carefully opened it, be proceeded to examine several small packets of papers, which were tied round with pink Yiband, and bore endorsements indicative of the Various matters to which they respectively referred. But while thus occupied, he more than once cast an avxivus look towarda the door of the bath- yoom :—his apprehensions were not bowever veri- fied by any sudden interruption on the part of the Prince. His search in the two compartments of the desk lasied for upwarda of ten minute. there being numerous packets of papers, which be examined one after the other until nearly the whole were thus disposed of— and atill he bad not lighted on the particular parcel which he sought. He now begun to fear that it might not be in the desk at al]:—and yet he knew fail well that the Prince kept every document of an important or private nature there. But, as it frequently happens in such cases, the very Jast packet which Tim Meagles drew from the desk bore the: endorsement that he bad hitherto eo vainly sought; and having secured thie lterle parcel about his person, he re-arranged all che ovherse-—lecked the desk-and restored the key to its place of concealment under the piliow of che evuch. Fur a few moments a sunile of triumph played wpon the lips of Tim Meagles: but it almost im- medéetely: yizided to that cam, free-and-eary, and indupewdert, expreselon which was the natural charectusistic of his. features Drawing a Jerge arm-ebair close to: the fire, he deposited himeelf indolkauy in the lammrlous seat, and lighted a cigur:. la m=.few minutes the door of the bath-room oprued, and Lady Letitia came-forth, followed by ' the Rrince, Nut a-blush appeared upon ‘her cheek . not the slightest embarrassment marked her meuper, aa she emerged from the bathing-room : but Meaglee turned an arch look upon the Prince, ' exclaiming, “ Well, are you displeased with me for baving. brought our Amazonian friend this morpving ?” “ Hold yout tongue, Tim,” oried the lady, laugh- 53 ing. “Ab! I thought J smelt the delightful davour of the weed. cigar, while the Prince dresses himself — and then for breakfast. I already feel as hungry as a hunter.” leg Or a huntress — which?” observed Mea- gies. “ Both,” replied Lady Letitia, throwing bereelf upon a chair opposite to ber humorous friend: then, taking an elegant ivory case from the pocket of her frock-cvat, she drew forth a little Spamsh cigarette, which she lighted by the aid of Meagles’ full-flavoured Havannah. “And so you smoke, Letitia—do you?” asked the Prince. “Your Royal Highness sees thac I can manage a cigarette,” responded the huntzess,—“' but barely a cigar. And ae for tobacco -[ mean as it is amked in a pipe——pah !—the idea makea me feel—— ‘Not sick,” interjected Meagies; “but only as: if you would spoil your besutiful teeth It's all vanity on your pst, my beauty !|—and if it wasn't for the teeth you'd be emoking the strongest Cavendish. | know |” The buntrees laugbed, and then gave Tim a tsp on the cheek, which compliment he returned by means of a somewhat hard smack upon the ladys back; whereupon she dealt him so ecund a box on the ears that all the blood in his body seemed in a moment to rise into his checke and steynate there But the next instant he burst out Jaughing, and the Prince as well as the Amazon. herself shared in the merriment. A quarter of an hour was thus whiled away by means of smoking. jesting. and chattering; and in the interval the Prince of Wales bad made such improvemente in bis toilette that he now appeared in an elegant deskabiliée. Germain shortly after- wards entered the room, bearing a large silver tray containing the breakfast-things ; — and al- though he observed Lady Letitia and instantly recognised her, he nevertheless affected to take no more notice of her presence than if she were a phantom visible only to the Prince and Mea- gles. For Germain was avery discreet French- man: otherwise be would not have long held the pret of valet intime, or rather “ confiden- tial gentleman,” about the person of the Princes of Wales. An elegant breakfast was now served up. and to which both Lady Letitia and Tim Meagles did ample justice; but George bad indulged over- night too liberally in cura¢oa-punch to be able to eat with any degrees of appetite in thé morn- in g. “You don’t seem to be peckish, my dear Prince,” obeerved Meagles as he committed @ second and. very despetate assault npom a cold partridgs pie. “ You made the punch too. strong last night, Tim,” answered. his Royal Highness, “Not a bit of it!” cried Meagien ‘By the bye, my dear Prince,” he continued, turning to- wards his Royal Highness, “1 missed you from @ quarter to six to nearly half-past ten last evening * And you are very likely to miss me for the same period thie evening, Mr. Moagles," inter- rupted the Prince, suddenly assuming 8 tone that had just sufficient haughtiness in i to serve as 9 a a eee at a el CONNEC OOO ‘SS I will keep you company with a. CO