The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 215: what you’re looking at

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198 THE MYSTERIES. vou so often render me: but I know that you have heavy expenses to meet in various ways—and per- haps that amount will sharpen your wits im my be- half on the present occasion.” “ Well—I suppose that J must see what I can do in the matter,” said Mrs. Brace. “ Leave me to devise some project. to smooth your path to the en- vied bower of the fair lady. After all, she # not ice—but flesh and hlood—aye, and the blood is warm, too, that flows in her veias. But have you forgotten your Octavia ?—does she no longer er- gage your thoughts, even for a single moment?” “T love and adore her with a lastiag passion,” exclaimed the Prince : “and I shall write to her in a day or two to request her to meet me here. She believes that I am out of tawn for the present. Bat my affection for that beauteous girl B quite of a ditferent uature from that which inspires me with regard to the Countess of Desborough You say that you will see her ladyship the day after to. morrow in the forenoon? Welk—in the ovening I sball do myself the pleasure of visiting you again. Meantime farewell, dear Fanny.” And having embraced the handsome milliper, his Royal Highness took his departure. Cine CHAPTER LVI. TWO SPECIMENS OF THE “EW EIGHT," AT the same time that the preeeding dialogue was taking place ia Pall Mall, a scene of searcely a less interesting character was in progress at Mr. Meagles’ lodgings ia Jermyn Street. Shortly after eight o'clock on this particular evening, Lady Letitia, Lede, kabited im her Ama- zonian garb, arrived, a& her friend's abode, and was immediately condusted by the agile Wasp to the parlour where his master was discussing a clysrand a bottle of Madeixa. “ My dearest Letitia,” exclaimed Meagies, bound ing from his chair to receive and welcome the huntress; “I aw so delighted you arecome. There is such a, treaé in store for you !” “The canting parson, I'll be bound,” said the Amazon, laying aside her hat and arranging her glossy hair, as it showered in a thousand luxuriant ringlets oyer her well-formed shoulders. “Exactly so,” cried Meagles. “But sit down-— take a glass of Madeira—light your cigarette—and I shall just have time to tell you all about it before he comes.” The beantifal woman, complied with the various invitations to. which Meagles gave such repid ut- terance; and, lolling back in the chair while she stretched out her symmetrical legs towards the fender, she gave him a look to intimate that she was ail attention. “By the bye,” said Meagles, “vou baye heard of Joe Wagrren’s marvellous escape ?” “The whole town is ringing with it,” reeponded the Amazon. “He is a perfect rival of Jack Sheppard. Bunt let us hear about the New Light,” she added, Jaughing. “So you shall,” returned Meagles, “This morn- ing, at about ten o’clock, I wanted to go into the City to pay some money to a person of whom I bought a horse yesterday, and my gig was at the door, when as | was going down stairs, I overtook Poor of thie tabernacle |” my sanctimonious neigkbour, Mr. Nathaniel Saeaks- by. ‘A fine mg, reverend sir, | observed.— ‘Yes ; under the divine blessing, he observed; and then he turned round and stared at me very hard indeed, ‘J presume,’ be coutinyed, after a long si- lenee and an equally protracted survey, ‘ shat you are the fleth-pot of Egypt who dwelleth on the frst —I acknowledged with- out hesitation that I was the flesh-pot allwded to; and although I had a great mind to knock him down for his impudence, I restrained myself be- eause such a proceeding on my part would only anua npeat the Sirs tant you and I had determined te have with him.—‘ Alas / alas !* he mormured, groaning heavily at the same time, aed rolling his eyes in 4n awful fashion: ‘is tt posstble that such a comely gentleman as you are can be a prey to a8 the sinful busts of the fesh ?'—‘ Really, sr,’ said I, ‘ Fam ata loss to understand your meaning ;’ anil I waa gethmg very savage.—‘ Whose chariot of the Philisknes is that at the door ” be demanded sad- denly, and without taking any notiee of my obeser- vation.—‘ iéie my gig,’ I said; ‘ but as for ite being a chariot or belonging to the Phitistines, that & quite another part of the business.’—‘ Which vecy is the man of wrath gong * inquired Mr. Seeaksby.— ‘ Tf you mean me, 3 am going mio the City,’ was my answer.—‘ J will accompany the ungodly one,’ said the reverend gentleman : ‘he shali put me down at the gates of Salem, that the portals thereof may da- ght his eyes, and invite him some day to enter. And@ without any more ado, Mr. Nathaniel Sgenks- by clambered up into the gig, covered his legs with wy spare cloak, and made himself as comfortable as possible. Se away we dreve ; and all along the Serand and Fleet Street the reverend gentleman regaled mo with a discourse oa the vanity of possible thing in this world that he could think of At last, whea we reached the commeneemeat of Cheapside, he desired me to take him a litth way up St. Martin’s le Grand; and, in conplance with his wishes, I stopped at the door of 2 large chape, on the front of which the word ‘Sacem’ was aut in large letters. ‘Fwo sleck-looking men, dressed m black, and who were standing at the entrames with faces as demure as #f they were maubes, came forward and assisted the holy mam to alight; and Mr. Sneaksby, withoni uttesing a word of thanks for the ride he had enjoyed asked me if I would not ‘ darry and: hear the soul-refreshing diserurse’ he was about to deliver. E expressed the regret I fek at my inability to accept his kind invitation; bat I said that if he would honour me with his eompaay for an hour in the evening, ia my own apartments, I should be charmed, to listen to his edifying and instructive conversation. He tools % quite seriously —seemed to have formed a much better opinion of me than at firstp—and promised te look in at half- past eight o’clock. It is that now,” added Tim, consulting his watch. Scarcely had these last words fallen from te lips of Meagles, when slow and measured steps were heard descending the stairs, as if a funeral procession were coming down. “'Phia is the parson,” whispered Meagies, chuck- liag in anticipation of glorious fon. “But he is bringing somebody with him,” ob- served the Amazon, in a similarly subdoed tone. “ The more the merrier, if they’re all like. himself,” reaponded Meagles. “Hush |” Yee ee SS SS SS, GCORNGRDOOKS com