The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 147: what you’re looking at

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

eR Ne — OBE EEE EE EE ES 130 THE MYSTERIES. poured slowly and without intermission down his throat. “ Well—that’s better than the bingo at the Beggar’s Staff,” he observed, as he placed the glass upon the table: then, surveying the milliner in silepee for a few moments, he added, “ By goles! you're hand- somer than you was sixteen years ago. You've filled out wonderfully, and seem as plump aé & par- tridge. I'll just have one kiss in rememb old times—and then I'll be off.” “No—no!” shrieked Mrs. Brace, whose angulsh restrain his rage at the last threat levelled against himself: “I'll have you hanged before you’re many weeks older.” “No, you won't,” responded the man, with a tone and air of insolent defiance: “ but you'll send me five hundred guineas to-morrow along with the same éum that my wife has promised me—and on that Condition I shall say no more of this business.” Having thus dictated his terms to the heir-apps- rent, the Magaman grasped his elub and strode out of the room, banging the door violently behind had become intolerably excruciating while the rufflan | him. was thus complimenting her. “ Leave me—for God's sake! leave me——~you promised you would ——" “One kiss, I say!” exclaimed the Magsinan, ad- vancing towards with extended arms, his club being for the moment laid on the table. “TI will die sooner!” was the lady's emphatic answer: and, losing all prudential control over her- self, she darted an agonising glance towards the eur- tain. “By the if jingo! I begin to sotne- thing now,” the Magsman, who had not failed to notice that rapld bust affrighted look, “A lover, I'll be bound !” And he strode towards the window. “Stop !—you dare not do iti—you know not what you are doing!” scresmed Mrs. Brace, darting for- ward and grasping him by the arm. “Lord bless ye! I ain't jealous ——— but I must have a look at him, for curiosity’s sake,” sald the Mags- man, pushing her back into her seat; and, at the same moment that a stifled shriek came from the lips of the wretched women, the curtain was drawn violently aside by the rufflan’s remorscless hand. The Prince of Wales, whose counteanes was glowing with indignation, thus became revealed to the Magsman; aud the fellow was struck dumb and motionless with awe and astonishment— for he inetantly the helr-apparent to the throne, His Royal Highness peresived in a moment that the ruffian knew who ke was; aad, stepping forward, he pointed imperiously towards the doof, exclaiming in a stern voice, “Begone, sir—or it Will be the worse for you !” “No—I’m damned if I’m to be bullied in this way,” retorted the Magsman, instantly recovering his self-possession and cool insolence. “ The world says your Royal Highness is no better than you should be—and now I’ve had a proof of it.” For a few moments the Prince was s by this unexpected display of defiance: but speedily becoming alive again to the embarrassing nature of his present position, he said, “ The coarseness of your allusion is only equalled by its falsity. This lady I respect—and you shall not insult her in my presence. Now, depart quictly—or you will be handed over to the keeping of a constable for endeavouring to extort money from her.” “ That's a capital joke, !" exclaimed the Magsman, with a chuckling laugh. “Why—everything she’s got, by right belongs to me———” “ Silence!” screamed Mrs. Brace, almost frantic. “ And what’s more,” added the ruffian, heedless of this interruption ; “ I'll bring an action against your Royal Highness for crim. con. with my wife!” The milliner shrieked—and fell senseless upon the Carpet. “ Miscreant !" ejaculated the Prince, unable to The noise aroused Mra, Brase from her swoon— and his Royal Highness raised ber in his arms: then, placing her on a chair, he filled a tumbler with water and made her swallow som of the refreshing beverage. | Not that the Prince cared very much for her : his pride had been terribly wounded by the idea thet he had ever intrigued with the wife of euch a ruffian af the one who had just quitted the apart- ment ;—-but the milliner was too useful te him in many wayé and wat acquainted with too many of his secrets to permit him to treat her with coolness or indifference-—much less with disgust. “Oh! is pot all thie a horrible dream f” mur- mured the wretohed woman, as she slowly came to herself; but as the full tide of memory swept back to her excited brain, she raised her eyes im an im- ploring manner towards the Prince, saying, “ What inst your Royal Highness think of me sow 2?” “ Just the same as I did before,” was the prompt but insineere answer. “ You esnnot help the degra- dation into which that vile man ts evidently plunged and I pay « better eompliment to your taste than to supposes that when you married him yeats ago he wae anything Iike what he is at present. “Ohi I thank you--sinoerely thank yeu for these aseuranese,’ said Mra. Brace, considerably relieved ; «and she preesed his hand to her heaving bosom. “To-morrow you must send him & thpusand » guineas—mind, a thousand guineas, Fanny,” ob- served the heir-apparent: “that is to say, five hundred for yourself—and five hunded forme. He will then leave you tranquil, no doubt. If not, we must devise some energetic measure to send him out of the country altogether.” “Did he, then, dare to make stipulations with you ?” inquired Mrs. Brace, who, it will be remem- bered, was in a senseless state when the Magsman ordered the Prince to send him the money that was | to purchase his secrecy and forbearance. “He did. But we will not dwell upon the sub- ject,” hastily observed his Royal Highness, who ex- perienced the keenest sense of mortification at the insult which he had found himself compelled to put up with. “I will send you over a cheque for five hundred guineas in the morning—and you must not fail to remit the thousand to that man hefore night.” The milliner was about to make some remark, when Harriet entered the room to anneunce that Mise Clarendon had just arrived, and was waiting for Mr. Harley in the apartment to which the lady’s- maid had couducted her. + Sed — So - COMNGOOOKS COMM