The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 75: what you’re looking at

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

CHAPTER VII THE FRIENDSHIP OF ROYALTY To dash forward, hurl aside the Prince of Wales, and catch Rose Foster in his arms, — all this was the work of a single instant with Meagles; and when his Royal Highness, uttering a terrible imprecation, was about to spring upon his friend Tim and deal him a savage blow, Melmoth seized upon the heir apparent without hesitation, pinioning him fast, despite of the desperate struggles he made to extricate himself, But scarcely was all this accomplished, and Rose had be- gun to murmur a few words of heartfelt thanks to her brave deliverer, when three men, armed with staves, entered the room, followed by Mrs. Brace’s two footmen, the milliner herself, and Harriet, the lady’s-maid. The fact was that Meagles and Melmoth the working man, having been out together the whole morning instituting inquiries concerning Rose, were standing in St. James’s Square deliberating what course they should pursue now, five days of research having already proved vain and fruit- less, when they observed an arrow lying upon the pavement near the enclosure; and curiosity prompting them to pick it up, to their indescribable amazement they found the note which at once cleared up everything in respect to Miss Foster’s hitherto unaccountable disappearance. But as Tim Meagles was well aware that Mrs. Brace’s establishment was secretly patronized and protected by the Prince of Wales, and, moreover, as the law gave him no power to force his way into it without the countenance of some legal pro- ceedings or the presence of some legal functionaries, he hastened to procure the assistance of three constables. These officers went with him and Melmoth to the house, 57 ”) (C(O)