The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 313: what you’re looking at

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

a ne 298 THE MYSTERIES. , a couple of hours agreeably enough in his estima- tion. He then muffled himself in his cloak—quitted Carlton House by the private stairease leading from his own bed-chamber—and passed hastily into St. James’s Square. ‘The doorof that department of the milliner’s establishment was speedily opened; and in a few minutes he was seated with Mrs. Brace in the little parlour to which allusion has been so frequently made in former chapters of our narra- tive. To this lady the Prince speedily communicated the satisfactory intelligence that her advice had been adopted in respect to the means of propitiating Mr. Clarendon when he should come to know his daughter’s shame; and the milliner was well pleased by the intelligence thus conveyed. She then spoke of the issue of the adventure at the ball, the failure of the Prince’s attempt upon Lady Desborough having been already made known by him in a note which he had written to Mrs. Brace on the énsuing morning. His Royal Highness did not however at present seem in a humour to discuss that subject; but, hastily shifting the discourse, he demanded whether she had any good news for him respecting Miss Camilla Morton. | i ac “TY will tell you very candidly,” answered Mrs. Brace, “that I am at a loss to comprehend this young girl. It was Sunday evening, you remember, that you supped with me, Camilla being present, All Monday I saw little of her, as I was much 6ecupied during the day—and on the night I was at Carlton House, as you are aware, But yesterday I observed that there was some alteration in her manner, She either beheld me with an unwonted degree of timi- dity, or with suspicion—I know not which. I spoke kindly to her—she answered me in a tone that struck me as being cold and with an air that seemed reserved. Throughout yesterday she was thus peculiar in her manner; and to-day if has been the same,” added the milliner: for it was on the Wednesday evening gether. “Think you, my dear Fanny,’ inquired his Royal Highness, “that she suspects who I am?” “ Decidedly not,” responded Mrs. Braee. “If she did, she would not hesitate to tell me so—for, with all ber natural timidity, she is a girl of a frank, art- less, and ingenuous disposition.” “It was thus that I also read her character, on Sunday night,” said the Prince. “ Well, if she do not suspect who I am, what the devil misgiving can she entertain ?” “I know not. Perhaps she has overheard somé Jucautious whisper on the part of the senior girls,” added Mrs, Brace, ina musing tone. “ There is one | —Rachel Forrester — who will soon become a | Mother: and yet her position is not apparent—nor as she likely to commit any indiscretion in the pre- _ sence of Camilla. In fact, J am quite bewildered what to make of the girl,” exclaimed the milliner petulandy. “Then you have not been able to arrange any plan ——” * Nothing at all,” interrupted Mrs. Brace, laconi- cally. “ The truth is, my dear Prince,” she observed, after a brief pause and lowering her tone, “ Camilla is a orphan and totally friendless— and consequently there is not the same necessity to act in a slow, cautious, careful manner as when a young girl who _ stances—— has parents to fly to is concerned. Now, do you un- derstand me?” “J should be a perfect idiot if I did not,” an- swered the heir-apparent. “You mean, my dear Fanny, that you leave Camilla Morton entirely to my management——” “Yes: to your tender merciés,” said the milliner, darting upon him a look full of significancy. The Prince of Wales regarded his watch. It was close upon eleven o’clock. ‘The young ladies had all retired to rest: but it was too early to think of put- ting his diabolical scheme into exécution. He ac- cordingly resolved to wait until near midnight; and Mrs, Brace covered the table with all the wines, spitits, and liqueurs that were likely to tempt the palate of lis Royal Highnéss. That, by the aid of curaoga punch and some delectable conversation with the handsome milliner, the Prince whiled away the time until midnight. “Now, my dear Fanny, I shall retire—i hope to paradise,” said the heir-apparent, smiling at his own awful blasphemy. “ But should any accident disap- point me—any unexpected event constrain me to beat a retreat—I shall find my way to your chamber, Fauny,”’ he added, caressing her plump cheek with his hand. Gea “Indeed, my good friend,’ exclaimed Mrs. Brace, blushing and looking confused, “ I must beg and im- plore you to leave me unmolested under any circum- ”? “ Well, well,” interrupted the Prince, smiling sig- nificantly ; “let us hope that my success with Ca- milla will be such as to render it unnecessary for me to seek a bed elsewhere. But I understand you, my cunning friend—you have a little intrigue of your own in progress to-night—eh? There, now—you need not blush nor cast down your eyes: I ain well aware that you aré not immaculate—and indeed I have no right to question you as to your proceedings. So give me a taper and conduct me to the door of _Camilla’s room.” that the Prince and herself were thus conversing to- | hue still upon her clieeks, she rose—lighted a wax -eandle—and led the way noiselessly along the pas- Mrs. Brace said fot a word : but, with the crimson sage into that division of her premises which looked upon St. James’s Square: for the sleeping-rooms of the young ladies were all, for obvious reasons, in this latter compartment of the spacious establishment. Having ascended two flights of stairs, Mrs. Brace gave the Prince the candle—whispered the number of a certain room -and then rapidly withdrew. His Royal Highness advanced along a passage which was so thickly carpetted that even if he had trodden as heavily as a cart-horse the sounds of his steps would have been deadened by the rich fabric. in a few moments he reached the room which had been described to him; and the door yielded to his hand. But on entering a small ante-chamber, he carefully closed it again behind him. 4 This ante-chamber was only a few feet square— just large enough to contain a bath. Facing the en- trance by which the Prince had made his way hither, was a second door; and from beneath it as well as through the key-hole glimmered a feeble light. It was evident, therefore, that a candle burnt in Camilla Morton’s room; and the Prince accord- ingly extinguished the wax light which he carried in his hand. He now stooped down and peeped through the key-hole. (C(O) (@ 6)(0)() ‘S.CcoO