The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 73: what you’re looking at

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56 THE MYSTERIES. timacy with the Prince, who had picked him up at some race-course. What he was previously, we are at present unable to state: but this much we can aver in his favour—that however poor hig origin might have been, he never boasted of either birth or wealth ; —indeed, he possessed no ostensible source of income, beyond the remuneration which he received from the Prince and the money he picked up by betting, gambling, and similar pursuits, At the same time, no one could utter a word against his character ; al- though prodent fathers and mothers who possessed marriageable daughters, did not look very well pleased if the young ladies happened to flirt with Mr. Timothy Meagles. Such was the gentleman whom the Prince was ex- pecting to breakfast on the morning of which we are writing. But who was the companion of Mr Meagles on this occason? We will enlighten our readers on that point, and then pursue the continuous thread of our narrative. CHAPTER XVII AN AMAZON, Axsour thirty-five years previously to the date mentioned at the opening of this tale, a certain Letitia Fluke was born in a miserable attic in Lukner's Lane, St. Gilee’s. As she grew up, she became remarkable for the beauty of her person, the masculine energy of her character, and the profligacy of her morals. Seduced by Rann, the celebrated highwayman who bore the sobriquet of “ Sixteen-String Jack,” she lived with him as his mistress for some time; and being endowed with extraordinary intelligence, she taught herself not only the rudiments of a good education, but like- wise acquired the facility of expressing herself with grammatical accuracy and conversational elegance. After passing through various gradations, she married Sir John Lade, a wealthy and amorous baronet who was old enough to be her grandfather ; and, on becoming Lady Letitia Lade, she soon wheedied herself into that sort of society at the West End which may be described as “not over particular.” Her great personal beauty, splendid figure, easy virtue, and proficiency in all the sports of the field rendered her a special favourite with the dashing noblemen and gentlemen about town; and her reputation as a huntress was second only to that of her friend Tim Meagles as a hunter. She rode exquisitely—was always one of the fore- most in at the death—and oould leap a five-barred gate or practise any of the most daring feats cha- racteristic of steeple-chasing. This lady was it whom Mcagles had brought with him to the Prinoe’s room on the present occasion. She was however dressed in male attire, which be- came her admirably; and had it not been for the extreme fulness of her bosom, which was so firm and plump that no art of compression and no tailor’s skill in respect to the frock-coat could ocon- ceal its voluptuous exuberance, she would have been taken by a stranger for a man of rather effe- minate appearance. As it was, she looked like a modern Diana the Huntress: for she had spurs upon her boots and carried a riding-whip in her hand—and her form, though robust and vigorous, Sa ec gna ltnnenpeensrseeseney es resrnarmasesdnsennsneaptinagmag einen was admirably symmetrical, while all her movements were characterised by a graceful ease. Nothing could exceed the elegance of her costume. The hat, with its broad brim, set off her handsome countenance to the greatest advantage; and when she removed it on entering the chamber, her mag- nificent black hair showered in a myriad glossy ring- lets over her broad and sloping shoulders. The blue frock-coat, braided most elaborately in front, fitted close to her form, developing the contours of her swelling hips, and giving a wasp-like appear- ance to the waist; while the grey small-clothes and the polished hessian-boots, with their tassels and spurs, completed an attire at once tasteful and becoming. Being tall in stature, Lady Letitia had @ masculine air, and enacted” the part of “the man” to perfection—the robust proportions and straightaess of her limbe, with the solid firmness of the flesh, giving a fulness of shape to her entire person and rendering ample justice to the excellent “fit” of her garments. Having admitted his disguised companion into the royal bed-chamber, Tim Meagles closed and locked the door by which they had thus entered ; and bursting into a hearty laugh as he approached the couch, he exclaimed, “ My dear Prince, you seem to stare at my friend here, as if you had never seen him before in all your life.” “And who the devil is it?” demanded his Royal Highness, sitting ap in bed, while his countenance wore an expression which showed that he was half inclined to be angry. “Why! by heavens—’tis a woman,” he exclaimed, as Letitia advanced towards him: then, his features expanding into a smile, he said, “Ah! my beanatiful huntreas—I recognise you now! Well, I suppose Meagles has brought you to breakfast with me—and this is an unexpec pleasure.” “Your Royal Highness is very kind thus to re- ceive me,” returned Letitia, her smile revealing a set of large but brilliant teeth. “It was not my fault— Meagles would insist upon bringing me—and your Royal Hiyhness knows what a harum-scarum fellow he is.” “Egad! I was quite sure that you would be wel- come,” exclaimed Meagles, taking up a foil from the table and making a sham thrust at her ladyship. “Only conceive,” he added, turning towards the Prince, who was surveying with gloating eyes the fine form of the huntress ;—*“ I met our fair friend hereas she wascoming from her morning’s ride——” “I was just about to put up my horse in the stables in King Street,” interrupted Lady Letitia: “for I went out alone for a good scamper at day- break—and when I came back, there was not a groom nor even a boy in attendance to take the animal from me.” “ Well—and I offered to unsaddle him for you,” said Meagles. “But I did it for myself while you were thinking about it,” responded the lady, as she gave her friend a real lash with her riding-whip in acknowledgment of the sham thrust he had made at her. “Don’t spare him!” cried the Prince, laughing heartily as Tim Meagles vainly cuta caper to avoid the blow. “But had I anticipated the pleasure of your company, my dear Letizia, I would have risen to receive you. Indeed, I ordered Germain not to make his appearance with breakfast until eleven, though I knew that Meagles would be here at ten— COMIGLOO S COMM