The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 82: what you’re looking at

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

60 THE COURT OF LONDON Majesty need to be reminded that your son by the unfor- tunate Hannah Lightfoot still lives,— yes, lives in the person of that Sir Richard Stamford who has himself been so unfortunate? Ah! no wonder that he bears such a re- markable resemblance to the royal family of England — ” ‘“ Enough, enough,” exclaimed the king, now starting nervously from his seat. Then, after passing to and fro in a state of dreadful agitation for several minutes, he suddenly stopped short, clutched Meagles violently by the arm, and said in a hollow voice, ‘‘ I must have those papers. What is your price? ” : “It is high, your Majesty,’”’ observed Meagles. ‘“ Name it — name it,’ said the king, impatiently. “A dukedom,” was the startling response. George ITI was rooted to the spot with the consternation that seized upon him at this demand; and for upwards of a minute he stood with his eyes fixed in vacant wonderment on Meagles, his brows lifted, his mouth half-open, and his whole aspect that of stolid amazement. “A dukedom!”’ at length he gasped forth; and, turning abruptly away, he renewed his agitated, fidgety walk to and fro in the Royal Closet. “Don’t be beaten down, Tim,” whispered the Amazon, encouragingly, “‘ even though he should offer you a mar- quisate.”’ “Yes, my: beauty,’’ responded Meagles; ‘‘I will take a marquisate, with ten thousand a year, but nothing less.”’ ‘Well, nothing less than a marquisate, then,”’ rejoined Lady Lade, in a tone of decision. ‘“‘ Mr. Meagles,” said the king, once more stopping short and addressing Tim in that same hollow voice which in- dicated feelings profoundly stirred, “‘ your price is too high. I could invent no possible excuse for conferring such a dignity upon you. But were your views less exalted — an earldom for instance — ” tp) ‘“‘T will not be too hard upon your Majesty,” interrupted Tim; ‘ and therefore I am willing to put up with a mar- quisate. And surely your Majesty cannot be very fastidious upon the subject, when it is remembered that there are several dukes in the peerage who have no better nor loftier claim to the distinction than the infamous character of their Gomichdoo <S