The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 202: what you’re looking at

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

176 THE COURT OF LONDON ‘‘ Not worse than the treachery and the perfidy which your Royal Highness practised toward the man who had been so good a friend to you,’ returned the huntress, her coral lips thus shooting forth the sharpest arrows. ‘“ But now shall you learn the purpose which I had in view last night, and this explanation will afford the key to that mystery which places you in my power. In a word, then, Prince of Wales, I have possessed myself of your most secret, most valuable papers.”’ His Royal Highness staggered back as if suddenly struck with the sharp blow of a hammer, for all the fearful truth | broke upon him in an instant, and he saw that he was indeed in the power of a woman who was not likely to surrender up the surreptitiously acquired talisman of her influence until all her objects were fully accomplished. ‘“‘ Listen again,’’ she resumed, after a short pause, ‘‘ and I will tell you how I discovered that it was you through whose agency poor Meagles was sent out of the country. The other morning his landlady received a letter stating in concise terms that he had been detected in treasonable designs against the sovereign, but that through the leniency of the paternal government he was permitted to repair without delay to North America, on condition that he never again return to his native land. This letter was shown to me, and I instantly saw therein the evidences of some infernal treachery. But my suspicions did not at once fall upon your Royal Highness. On the contrary, I rather fancied that it was some device of your despotic father, the king, to rob you of the services of a man who was so faithful and so devoted. But when I learned that on the very same day when Meagles disappeared your valet Germain had been to his lodgings, had remained there for a short time, and had then taken his departure, with some frivolous excuse, it struck me like an inspiration that there was some- thing wrong. My suspicions were thus directed into the right channel; and on examining Meagles’s writing desk, I saw enough to convince me that some one had been there already. It was not then very difficult to put two and two together, and I resolved to take up my friend’s cause with a more zealous championship than if it were my own. The campaign has been opened, it commenced last night, and the advantage remains to me. By a little stratagem, a GOMmiiGaoo re) S (CO)