The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 76: what you’re looking at

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

MYSTERI&S. 59 in their forms—or rather their busts, which appeared above the level of the bath; and so enochantingly beautiful did Lady Letitia appear, with her blaek hair streaming over her shoulders of dazzling , whiteness, that Tim Meagies, although he had long been on terms of the most tender intimacy with lmer, was for a moment snnoyed at himself for hav- ing purposely brought her to Carleton House oa the present cocasion with the view of throwing her roto the arms of the Prince. | But this feeling of jealousy was as evancecont as, ander the circumstances, it was abeurd; and it was _tnstantaneously succeeded by a livety satisfaction, as he thought to himself, “She has played her cards admirably —and she will succeed in engross- ing the Prince's attention during the half-hour that | { enjoined her to be sure and keep him engaged [” | Thus rejoiemg in the suecess of a pre-arranged stratagem, Tim Meagles stole noiselesaly away from the door of the bath-room; and ‘te | the royal couch, he took from beneath the pillow a tong, thin gold chain to which a key of very pe- cakar workmanship was attached. | He then approached the writing-desk to which we have already alladed; and having carefally opened it, he proceeded to examine several small | packets of papers, which were tied round with pink | tiband, and bore endorsements indicative of the various matters to which they respectively referred. But while thus occupied, he more than once cast an anxious look towards the door of the bath- room :—his ions were not however veri- Ged by any sudden interruption on the part of the His search in the two compartments of the desk tasted for upwards of ten minutes, there being numerous packets of papers, which he examined one after the other until nearly the whole were thas disposed of—and still he had not lighted on the particular parcel which he sought. He now began to fear that it might not be in the desi at afi:—and yet he knew full well that the Prince kept every document of aa important or private nature there. But, as it frequently happens in sach cases, the very last packet which Tim Meagtes drew from the desk bore the endorsement that he had hitherto so vainly sought ; and having secured ' this little parcel about his person, he re-arranged 'all the others—locked the desk—and restered the ‘key to its place of concealment under the pillow of the couch. | For a few moments a smile of triumph played , apon the lips of Tim Meagies: but it almost im- mediately yielded to that calm, free-and-easy, and independent expression which was the nataral characteristic of his features. Drawing a large arm-chair close to the fire, he deposited himself as she emerged frem the vol Ss | indolently in the luxurious seat, and lighted a cigar. In a few minntes the door of the bath-room opened, and Lady Letitia came forth, followed by the Prince. The former had resumed her male attire; but her hair, the natural gloes of which was enhanced by an artificial brilliancy in consequence of ite immersion in the water, would have betrayed the fact that she had entered the bath, ever if Tim Measles ware not already acquainted with is. Not a biash appeared apon the lady’s chesk—not the slightest embarrassment marked hor manner, bathing-room : bat Meagies turned an areh look upen the Priuce, exclaiming, “ Well, are you displeased with me for “ Hold your tongue, Tim,” eried the lady, langh- ing. “ Ah! I thought I smelt the delightful flavour of the weed. I will keep you company with a cigar, while the Prince dresses himself—-and then for breakéast. I already feel ag hungry as a hunter.” “Or a huntress—which?”’ observed Meagies. “Both,” reptied Lady Letitia, throwing herself wpon a chair opposite to her humourous friend: then, taking an elegant ivory case from the pocket of her frock-coat, she deew forth a litéle Spanish cigarette, which she lighted by the aid of Meagies’ fall-flavoured Havaunah. A quarter of an hour was thus whiled away by means of smoking and chattering ; and in the inter- vai the Prince of Wales bad made such improve- ments in his tellette that he now appeared in an elegant deshabiliée. Germaia shortly afterwards entered the room, bearing a large silver tray con. taining the brealfast-things;—and although he observed Lady Letitia and instantly recognised her, he nevertheless affected to take no more notice of her presence than if she were a phantom visible only to the Prince and Meagles. For Germain was a very discreet Frenchman: otherwise he would not have long held the post of valet intime, or rather * confidential gentleman,” about the person of the Prince of Wales. An elegant breakfast was meow served up, and to which both Lady Letitia and Tim Meagiles did ample justice: but George had indniged over-night too liberally in curacoa-punch to,be able to eat with any degree of appetite in the morning. “ You don’t seem to be peckish, my dear Prince,” obeerved Meagles, as he committed a second and very desperate assault upon a cold partridge pie. \ “You made the punch too strong last night, Tim,” answered his Royal Highness. “Egad! I should have thought that the bath would have put you all to rights,” exclaimed Mea- gies, with a sly look first at the Prince aud then at the Amazon. “J shall owe you a grudge, Tim, if you indalge im any impudent allusions,” said Lady Letitia, smil- ing, aad making a jest of her profiigacy. “Twill be apon my good bebaviour, my dear,” observed Tim. “By the bye, my dear Prince,” he continued, turning towards his Royal Highness, “ [ missed you from a quarter to six to nearly half-past ten last evening———” “ And you are very likely to miss me for preolsely the same period this evening, Mr. Moagies,” inter. rupted the Prince, suddenly assuming a tone that had just sufficient haughtiness in it to serve as a —_——— ee 6 eee ee, eee eee eee ee —— ee eee ee eee eee we um COMGLOO S COMM