The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 207: what you’re looking at

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CHAPTER LV. TUE MILLINER AND THE PRINCE. {r was about eight o’clock in the evening of the day which followed the memorable night of Joe Warren's escape from Newgate; and Mrs. Brace was seated alone fin her comfortable parlour, when Harriet entered to announce Mr. Harley. The Prince of Wales advanced into the room, the door of which was immediately closed behind him; and the milliner rose to welcome his Royal Highness with her sweetest smiles. “My dear friend,” he said, kissing her buxom cheeks—for she was looking most invitingly hand- some,—* you must really have fancied that I had forgotten you. I have not seen you since that un- fortunate Sunday evening— nearly three weeks ago —when we both of us experienced so cruel a shock——” “And to speak candidly,” interrupted Mrs. Brace, a blash mantling upon her countenance, “I was fearful that you were too much disgusted on | that occasion ever to cross my threshold again.” ; _“ What! have you no better opinion of my friend- | ship?” exclaimed the Prince, passing his arm cound the milliner’s waist and drawing her towards | him: then, having again kissed her, he made her | Fesume her seat ; and placing himself near her, he observed, “It was an unfortunate affair, for which you were in no way to blame. Will you not be- | lieve me when I assure you it was very far from be- | iog on that account that I have not called fora i fortnight and upwards? The truth is, I am wor- | ried to death with this marriage-scheme which my august father and his Ministers have got up for me, _ and which I dare say you have seen announced in | the papers. Besides, my creditors are pressing me " . on all sides,—they dun—threaten me with exposure —leave insolent messages at Carlton House—write | the most insulting letters to my private secre- tary——” “Ah! my dear Prince, how I wish that I was | wealthy enough to assist you!” exclaimed Mrs. ' Brace. | “I know you possess the most generous heart, . Fanny—and therefore you can feel for me,” said | his Royal Highness. “But as I was telling you, . these sources of vexation have made me ill—and I , have scarcely been oat of doors since I saw you | jast. This explanation will convince you that no | unfriendly motive kept me away. I have often thought of you—especially when I read in the pa- per that the miserable man Joseph Warren was in custody.” “Ah! then you recognised the identity of that prisoner—with—_my——” And the handsome milliner stopped, blashed deeply, and held down her head. “Why should you make allusions that distress you, Fanny?” demanded the Prince. “ Yes—I knew immediately that the Joseph Warren who was thus arrested, must be the same individual who—— Bat no matter: and I suppose that you are aware of the marvellous escape which he achieved last night?” “JT am not only aware of it,” responded the mil- finer : “but I was forced—yes—absolutely forced to A ESSE = =’ - - a 196 THE MYSTERIES. (ge 2S SS SS Ss SGD assist him in the enterprise,” she added, in a low and mournful tone. “You!” ejaculated the Prince, in unfeigned as- tonishment. “Yes, indeed,” she immediately replied. * You: of course understand that Iam completely in his power—and when a woman who is connected with him called upon me and represented how my ser- vices could be rendered available, I was compelied to submit to an imperious necessity. I should not tell you all this—but you are so intimately acquainted with my affairs and my position, that it werc. ridiculous to conceal anything from you.” “TI should be sorry if you did, Fanny,” said the. Prince, assuming his kindest tone—but only be- cause there was a certain matter in which he ro- quired the milliner’s assistance : otherwise the selfishness of his disposition would have rendered him impatient of the turn which the conversation had taken. “ Proceed—tell me all that has oocurred, so far as you were concerned.” “TI shall not detain your attention on that point many minutes,” apswered Mrs. Brace, who, on her side, was merely volunteering these explanations in order to ascertain how far the sympathies of the Prince would extend in her favour—for the lapse of long years had not completely annihilated the “You must know,” she continued, “ that I yesterday paid a visit to that frightful prison of Newgate. The object of this proceeding was to supply the wretched man with the means of escape. Had any of his known friends sought an interview with him, they would have been so closely watched as to render it impossible to slip even a file into his hand—much less a packet of some size : whereas J, being looked upon as a stranger whom curiosity had led to visit the gaol, found that opportunity with comparative ease. In the packet which I was thus enabled to convey to him, there was a plan‘of Newgate, drawn up by some of his confederates outside the walls who were evidently full well acquainted with the interior. This plan showed him how his own cell was situated—how many rooms there were above him—and how he must work through the ceiling of each in order to arrive at the leads. The affection which she had once borne him. newspapers have told you the rest.” “ Yes—and the whole thing was most admirably managed, truly,” observed the Prince. “ The idea of his accomplices getting into the house adjoining the prison—overpowering and binding the inmates —then ascending to the roof, whence they alighted on the top of Newgate in order to cut away the lead,—all this, I say, was excellent and showed a& spirit of combination and enterprise worthy of a better cause. But have you any idea of what has become of the villain ?” * None—and now let us cease to allude to him, said Mrs. Brace. “ Be it so, my dear Fanny,” rejoined the Prince : “for I have many things to talk to you about. In the first place, have you seen Lord Florimel ?—for you have not, I hope, forgotten the little scheme which we settled together the last time I was here, and the object of which was to cure him of his sickly sentimentalism.” “ f saw him very recently,” answered Mrs. Brace, a deep blush again mantling her countenance—bat for a reason far different from that which had pre- viously called it up. COMIC OO© SS ' co