The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 360: what you’re looking at

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

334 THE COURT OF LONDON sixteen or seventeen, who looks as if she had just left off pinafores and escaped from the nursery. You see, my dear prince, that a fine-looking man like me —and this I may say without vanity —must have a wife to correspond. In short, Mrs. Tash should be a commanding woman, thirty years of age, or thereabouts, and if I can meet with such a one, I think that I could guarantee becoming a very excellent husband.”’ “Do you mean me to help you to this acquisition? ” asked the prince, “‘ because I can assure you that it is not at all in my way. Unless, indeed,” he added, laughing, “ it were some cast-off mistress that I wanted to get rid of and provide for.”’ | ‘Upon my soul, a man may do worse things,” answered. Captain Tash, “ than take a prince’s cast-off mistress. How- ever, as you, sir, have nothing of that sort handy at the moment, we needn’t say another word. But to return to what we were talking of, namely, the testimonial of your Royal Highness’s approval of my conduct —”’ ‘“ Ah! that’s it,” said the prince. ‘‘ Well, leave it to me, Tash. You are a good fellow, and I shall provide for you. Come to me again in a few days and we will talk the matter over.” The gallant officer made due acknowledgments for this kind promise, and then took his departure. As soon as he was gone, the prince seated himself at a side table where there were writing materials, and penned a letter to his sister the Princess Sophia, informing her that her son was at length fully provided for, having sailed for the Colonies. Scarcely had he sealed and despatched this letter to St. James’s Palace, where her Royal Highness dwelt, when a domestic entered to state that Mrs. Arbuthnot solicited an immediate audience of the prince regent. ‘““ Ah! I can guess what this is about,’’ he said to himself, with a start of impatience; but deeming it more prudent to see her, he desired that she might be admitted. comicloooks CO