The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 201: what you’re looking at

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

A MAGNANIMOUS WOMAN). 175 look not so black upon me. Your brow may lower with storms, but your eyes shoot forth no lightnings that kill. For once you have to deal with a woman who will fight you with any weapons that you choose to name. Shall it be swords or pistols? Oh, no, no, the courage of your Royal Highness cannot be screwed up to such a pitch,” said the Amazon, accenting her words with a cutting bitterness. ‘‘ Shall it be treachery and intrigue? Ah! there you are more proficient and likewise more daring, because snakes creep out of sight, through the long grass, and then insidiously sting their victims.”’ “By the living God! I will not endure this insulting language,” exclaimed the prince, becoming purple in the face. “ Depart, woman, or I will summon my lackeys to thrust you ignominiously forth.”’ ‘“‘ Dare to call a single domestic hither,”’ said the Amazon, in a calm but determined tone, ‘ and I will horsewhip him as soundly as I will presently thrash your Royal Highness if you dare to menace me with such insolence again. For mark me, and tremble,” she exclaimed, with a strong empha- sis. Then, after a few moments’ pause, during which she kept her eyes dauntlessly and defiantly fixed upon the prince, she added, “ You are in my power, completely in my power.” ) The royal voluptuary trembled from head to foot with a rage to which he dared not give vent; for he saw that there was a sternness of purpose on the part of the Amazon which must be well backed by a consciousness of possessing that power which she proclaimed herself to hold in terror over him. ‘‘ Now listen to me with attention,” she said, ‘‘ and see whether I have been putting forth idle vapourings and empty boastings. Last night I visited your chamber with a special object in view, and to gain that object I prostituted myself to your embraces, which were loathsome to me. But it was necessary to my plan that I should send you into a deep slumber, and I became your bedfellow in order to obtain an opportunity of practising that cajolery which would induce you to drink from the glass that I had drugged beforehand.”’ ‘But this was the foulest treachery, the most damnable perfidy that woman ever practised,’”’ exclaimed the prince, casting looks of demoniac hatred upon the Amazon. (GX ®) Anyi } CS \