The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 21: what you’re looking at

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

—eend <a were © Gees 8 TRB or even allow her hand to linger there for a moment that her lover might press it to his lips: and she dared not murmur a syllable —m0, not even in the faintest whisper. The lid was raised and closed again, quick as the eye winks,—and a féarful load was removed from the lady’s mind now that the silken ladder was in the keaping of her paramour, who, she felt assured, would understand wherefore it was thus consigned to his care, Having no farther excuse nor wish for delay, ehe took her husband’s arm and accompanied him down to the carriage, which immediately whirled them away at a rapid pace. But how terminated the adventure of the bath-room ?—who was the distinguished indi- vidual beloved by that lady of transcendent boauty ?—and was her frailty to remain con- cealed from her husband and pass unpunished ? These questions will be answered in the course of the following narrative. me CHAPTER f THE PARTY OF SIX, Ir was in the middle of September, 1814, that his Royal Highness the Prinve of Wales, now Regent of the kingdom, aecepted an invitation to dine with one of his oldest and most faithful friends, the Marquis of Leveson. But it was an express understanding that the party was to be altogether a private one—consist- ing of gentlemen only—and tkat the number pre- sent was to be limited to six, including the Prince himself. For his Royal Highness had his whims and caprices in this respect; and, glad to escape at times from ceremonial banquets and formal en- tertainments, he enjoyed nothing so much as a convivial little festival at which he could throw off all reserve and abandon himself to the fall license of the occasion. In plain terms, the Prince was seldom more happy than when in the company of a few male friends, with whom he could indulge in the ribald jest, the obscene song, and the glass, withoyt constraint and without fear of being talked abouf next day. The party of six accordingly met at the splendid mansion of the Marquis of Leveson in Albemarle Street. The noble host was a widower, and already on the bleak side of sixty. He was a man who had made pleasure the stady of his life, and expended his enormous annual revenues upon the most un- profitable of pursuits. His house was fitted up with oriental luxury and palatial magnificence ; and rumour had whispered that within those walls there was a suite of apartments containing pictures and statues of such a character as to excite mgd- dening desires even in the breast of the sternest anchorite or the coldest virgin. In personal appearance the Marquis wus short, thin, but well made; and what with an admirable wig, a brilliant set of false teeth, dyed whiskers, the use of all the choicest cogmetics, and the artistic skill of a Parisian tailor, his lordship indemnified himself as much as possible against the ravages of Citue. MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. The Prince of Wales was now fifty-two years of age and upwards. He was corpulent in persca— and his cheeks were bloated and puffy: but his well proportioned limbs, his commanding aspect, bis lofty brow, and the florid complexion which im- parted an air of healthfalness to his countenance, mitigated the effect of that general obesity. He wore a wig—and he also cosmetics: but he was not a quarter so much indebted to art as was his friend Lord Leveson. For his Royal Highnese’s teeth were still in excellent preserva- tion; and as he had shaved off his whiskers, there was no necessity to use hair-dye. The four guests who had been invited by the Marquis to meet his Royal Highness the Prince Regent, shall be enumerated in due order. The first was the Earl of Curzon—ae tall, fine, handsome man, of about thirty; with a dark olive complexion, jet black curling hair, a Grecian pro- file, and superb teeth. He had been married three or four years toa lady of rank, beauty, and wealth: but his habits were far from domestic—and he war indeed inveterate in the pursuit of pleasure. The second guest was Colonel Malpas —a gentleman of about the same age as the Earl of Curzon. He was tall, slender, and delicate-look- ing—with light hair, a brown moustache, and care- fully curled whiskers. He spoke in a drawling tone—was languid in his movements and affected in his manners—and was, in fact, the veritable type of a “drawing-room soldier.” Pecuniary matters, or some other causes concerning which there appeared to bea little mystery, had led to his marriage with the daughter of a retired butcher : and although his wife was an heiress, the match proved horribly disgusting and positively shocking to the aristocratic families with which Colonel Malpas claimed relationship. The third guest was Sir Douglas Huntingdon— @ young baronet of about six or seven and twenty, who on attaining his majority had come into the enjoyment of an entailed estate yielding immense revenues, which he lavished in all kinds of fashior able dissipation. He was good-looking, but had a somewhat sickly appearance: indeed, it was no fault on his part if a naturally good conatitution were not speedily undermined by late hours, harr drinking, the excitement of the gaming table, ana excessive sensuality in respect to women. He was unmarried, and seemed likely to remain so. The fourth member of the delectable group was Mr. Horace Sackville. This young gentleman, who had no titular prefix to his name, was known as the nephew—though scandal whispered that he was in plain reality the son—of a certain Miss Bathurst, of whom we shall have to speak more hereafter. For the present suffice it to say tliat this lady was tolerably well off, moved in the first circles, and was believed to have been at one time on very intimate terms with the Prince of Wale-.. At all events, her nephew Horace was a special favourite with his Royal Highness, who frequently made him handsome presents and otherwise treated him with marked kindness. The young gentleman, who was about four-and-twenty and of very hand- some appearance, had the good taste not to pre- sume upon the species of confidence which he thus enjoyed with the Prince: indeed, he was rather reserved and bashfal than otherwise; — but bh: | eould sing an excellent song when “drawn out” Geup @ -q aa ai a as —— GORMGOOOKXS COMM