The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 145: what you’re looking at

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

| | | Eee a THE MYSTERIES. —_—_ hw SSSSSFSSsmsaesesesesessSSSSSSSSSSmMsssees 130 poured slowly and without intermission down his throat. “ Well—that’s better than the bingo at the Beggar’s Staff,” he observed, as he placed the glass upon the table: then, surveying the milliner in silence for a few moments, he added, “ By goles! you’re hand- somer than you was sixteen years ago. You've filled out wonderfully, and seem as plump as a par- tridge. I'll just have one kiss in remembrance of old times—and then I'll be off.” “ No—no!” shrieked Mrs. Brace, whose anguish had become intolerably excruciating while the ruffian was thus complimenting her. ‘ Leave me—for God’s sake! leave me——you promised you would ——” “One kiss, I say!” exclaimed the Magsman, ad- vancing towards her with extended arms, his club being for the moment laid on the table. “{T will die sooner!’ was the lady’s emphatic answer: and, losing all prudential control over her- self, she darted an agonising glance towards the cur- tain. “ By the living jingo! I begin to suspect some- thing now,” cried the Magsman, who had not failed to notice that rapid but affrighted look. “ A lover, I’ll be bound !” And he strode towards the window. “Stop !—you dare not do it!—you know not what you are doing!” screamed Mrs. Brace, darting for- ward and grasping him by the arm. “Lord bless ye! I ain’t jealous — but I must have a look at him, for curiosity’s sake,’ said the Mags- man, pushing her back into her seat; and, at the same moment that a stifled shriek came from the lips of the wretched woman, the curtain was drawn violently aside by the ruffian’s remorseless hand. The Prince of Wales, whose countenance was slowing with indignation; thus becanie revealed to the Magsman ; and the fellow was strack dumb and motionless with mingled awe and astonishment—for he instantly reeognised the heir-appareit to the throne. Ilis Royal Highness perceived in a moment that the rufian knéw who he was; and, stepping forward, he pointed imperiously fowards thé @dor, exclaiming in a stern voice, “Begone, sir—or it will be the worse for you !” “ No—I’m damned if I’m to be bullied in this way,’ retorted the Magsman, instantly recovering his self-possession and cool insolence. “ The world says your Royal Highness is no better than you should be—and now I’ve had a proof of it.” lor a few moments the Prince was staggered by this unexpected display of defiance: but speedily becoming alive again to the embarrassing nature of his present position, he said, “ The coarseness of your allusion is only equalled by its falsity. This lady I respect—and you shall not insult her in my presence. Now, depart quietly—or you will be handed over to the keeping of a constable for endeavouring to extort money from her.” “That's a capital joke, !’’ exclaimed the Magsman, with a chuckling laugh. “Why—everything she’s got, by right belongs to me——” Silence!’ screamed Mrs. Brace, almost frantic, ‘“‘ And what’s more,” added the ruffian, heedless of this interruption; “ I'll bring an action against your Royal Highness for crim. con. with my wife!” The milliner shrieked—and fell senseless upon the carpet, “ Miscreant !” ejaculated the Prince, unable to ——__- —_ — -_— — — es —————— a — restrain his rage at the last threat levelled against himself: “ I'll have you hanged before you’re many weeks older.” “No, you won’t,” responded the man, with a tone aud air of insolent defiance: “ but you'll send me five hundred guineas to-morrow along with the same sum that my wife has promised me—and on that condition I shall say no more of this business.” Having thus dictated his terms to the heir-appa- rent, the Magsman grasped his club and strode out of the room, banging the door violently behind him, The noise aroused Mrs. Brace from her swoon— and his Royal Highness raised her in his arms: then, placing her on a chair, he filled a tumbler with water and made her swallow some of the refreshing beverage. Not that the Prince cared very much for her: his pride had been terribly wounded by the idea that he had ever intrigued with the wife of such a ruffian as the one who had just quitted the apart- ment ;—but the milliner was too useful to him in many ways and was acquainted with too many of his secrets to permit him to treat her with coolness or indifference—much less with disgust. “Oh! is pot all this a horrible dreamt?” mur- mured the wretched woman, as she slowly came to herself: but as the full tide of memory swept back to her excited brain, she raised her eyes in an im- ploring manner towards the Prince, saying, * What must your Royal Highness think of me new ?” * Just the same as I did before,” was the prompt but insincere answer. “ You cannot help the degra- dation into which that vile man is evidently plunged —and I pay a better compliment to your taste than to suppose that when you married him years ago he was anything like what he is at present.” “Oh! I thank you—sincerely thank you for these assurances,” said Mrs. Brace, considerably relieved ; —and she pressed his hand to her heaving bosom. “To-morrow you must send him a thousand euineas—mind, a thousand guineas, Fanny,” ob- served the heir-apparent: “that is to say, five hundred for yourse)f—and five hunded forme. He will then leave you tranquil, no doubt. If not, we must devise some energetic measure to send him out of the country altogether.” “ Did he, then, dare to make stipulations with you?” inguired Mrs. Brace, who, it will be remem- bered, was in a senseless state when the Magsman ordered the Prince to send him the money that was to purchase his secrecy and forbearance. “He did. But we will not dwell upon the sub- ject,” hastily observed his Royal Highness, who ex- perienced the keenest sense of mortification at the insult which he had found himself compelled to put | up with. “Iwill send you over a cheque for five | hundred guineas in the morning—and_you must | not fail to remit the thousand to that man before | night.” The milliner was about to make some remark, when Harriet entered the room to announce that Miss Clarendon had just arrived, and was waiting for Mr. Harley in the apartment to which the lady’s- maid had conducted her. | ny see COLMA (ElOOO|KS,COMN