The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 159: what you’re looking at

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

ERNESTINA AND THE PRINCE 141 “ Here it is — read it, George,’’ interrupted the lady, pro- ducing the document from beneath the cushion of a sofa, and displaying it to the view of his Royal Highness. The prince, suffering his curiosity to distract him for a few moments from his dream of voluptuous bliss, took the paper and read it. But when he found that it was in fact an ac- knowledgment on his part of a criminal correspondence with Lady Ernestina Dysart, and a solemn undertaking to grant a free pardon to her husband, whatever sentence a criminal tribunal might pass upon him, a feeling of indignation sprang up in his soul, and, turning his eyes reproachfully upon his fair companion, he said, ‘‘ And you were a party to this precious document? ”’ ‘“‘ Hear me, prince, hear me, dearest George, and do not prejudge me!”’ she exclaimed, redoubling the fond ardour of her caresses, and immediately bringing all the wanton witcheries of seductive artifice to play their artillery upon him again. “ But let us first destroy this paper, my love,” said the prince; ‘‘ that is, if you really have any regard and affection for me.” ‘‘ Destroy it if you will,’’ observed Ernestina, her manner suddenly changing into coldness; ‘“‘ but in that case I shall be ruined, and you will be exposed.” “What mean you? Speak!” cried the prince. “Tf the paper be destroyed, Dysart will proclaim to the world all that occurred at Beechey Manor,’’ responded the lady. ‘‘ Thus my reputation will be wrecked, and yours will sustain no advantage.” ‘“‘ But do you wish me to comply with the guarantee con- tained in this document?’”’ demanded the bewildered prince. ‘‘ Do you wish me to exercise my prerogative as regent and grant a free pardon to your husband? I thought you said just now that you hated, loathed, and abhorred him.” *“‘ And I repeat those expressions now,’’ exclaimed Ernes- tina. ‘“ Yes, I hate, loathe, and abhor him; and it is pre- cisely because I wish to leave him to his doom that I enjoin you not to destroy that paper, but on the contrary help me in deluding and beguiling the wretched man to the very last. By so doing, he will retain our secret, he will not be goaded by rage or despair to proclaim it to the world, and neither your reputation nor my own need suffer.”’ (COMMICLOOO (SO)