The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 372: what you’re looking at

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

346 THE COURT OF LONDON “« Speak, prince,” said Mrs. Arbuthnot, “‘ and you will see that I am prepared to deal as candidly as possible with your Royal Highness.’’ ‘‘ You have not yet told me,’’ answered the prince, ‘‘ from whom you received all these particulars relative to that frightful affair, and from whom you procured that docu- ment? ”’ ‘‘ From Mrs. Bredalbane, one of her Majesty’s bedchamber women,” was Mrs. Arbuthnot’s reply. “ Ah! I know her well, a regular old female courtier,”’ said the prince, his countenance brightening up. ‘“ There is no harm to be anticipated at her hands. Besides,’ he muttered to himself, ‘“ when once that document ’’ — alluding to Sellis’s fragmentary letter —‘“‘ is burned, the main evidence is gone and the tale shrinks into a mere piece of gossiping tittle-tattle. Well, then,” he said, again speak- ing aloud, “I think that we have nothing more to say. But mind, it is understood that when I introduce her in- tended husband to Miss Penelope, and place in his hands the document conferring the baronetcy, that letter ’’ — and he pointed to the one which Mrs. Arbuthnot held tight between her fingers —“ shall be at once given over into my possession? ”’ “Such is the arrangement for which I myself should have stipulated,” said Mrs. Arbuthnot. ‘“ But there is one thing of which no mention has been made,’ observed Penelope, and the flush of shame ap- peared upon her countenance as she spoke. “Ah! I know what my daughter means,” exclaimed her mother. ‘ Has your Royal Highness frankly and candidly stated to the gentleman, whom as yet you have not named to us, Penelope’s exact position? ”’ ‘‘ He knows everything,”’ answered the prince, ‘“‘ and such is his devotion to me that he will cheerfully bestow his name upon Miss Penelope. I think that every preliminary is now settled, and that nothing remains to be done save and except to introduce the individual in question.” Thus speaking, the prince rose from his seat and ad- vanced toward a door at the extremity of the apartment. Penelope and her mother also rose, the former becoming greatly agitated, and the latter whispering hurried words of encouragement in her ears. Penelope accordingly sum- EOMMGIOO CO ee ee le ea Oe