The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 125: what you’re looking at

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

THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. “Tam all attention,” said the Marquis. “ Pray proceed, sir.” “You know that the death of the Duke of Stockport has left a vacancy in the Order of the Garter,” continued the Prince: “and I was think- ing that perhaps you would like to have it.” “ My dear Prince,” exclaimed the sexagenarian nobleman, bounding from his seat and snatching hold of the Regent’s hand, “this is indeed kind— most kind on your part! It is the height of my ambition—save and excepting the dukedom which you have promised me whenever our views relative to her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales shall have been carried out. But in the meantime the Garter—yes, the Garter is the very thing!” ejacu- lated the old nobleman, as pleased at the prospect of possessing the trumpery bauble as a child on being promised a new toy. “ Well, my dear Leveson,” said the Prince, in- wardly chuckling at the triumphant success of his stratagem to propitiate the Marquis beforehand, “you shall have the Garter—that is a bargain. I will speak to Ministers about it to-morrow. You have always voted with them—you have been a staunch friend to their policy—and no voice has been raised louder or oftener than your’s in the Upper House, in favour of Church and State. They cannot therefore quarrel with the choice I have made for the vacant Garter. If they do, I'll find a pretext to dismiss them all at once—damn them, I will!” ejaculated the Prince Regent, with the emphasis which he was wont to bestow upon an oath. ? * Again do I thank you most sincerely, sir,” re- joined the Marquis of Leveson: then, resuming his seat, he said, “ And now what about our charim- ing Venetia? Itis your day for commencing the siege—and I suppose your Royal Highness has been with the mysterious angel?” “I had not quite finished my observations rela- tive to the affair of the Garter—or I should say, relative to something connected therewith,” con- tinued the Prince, dexterously evading an imme- diate reply to Lord Leveson’s query respecting Venetia. “I was about to remark that inasmuch as the Garter is a boon which, when bestowed upon you, will excite the envy and jealousy of all other claimants, I shall have to encounter no small degree of odium with those persons. I therefore think that, in doing all this for you, Leveson, I have a right to solicit a favourin return. In fact, you can do me a service—a great service—if you will.” “ Then most assuredly I shall have infinite plea- sure in doing it,’ was the prompt reply of the Marquis of Leveson. “ Name it, sir—name it——” “But will you faithfully promise?” demanded the Prince. “ Faithfully—solemnly,” returned the nobleman, perfectly convinced in his own mind that his royal friend was about to stipulate for a sum of money in recompense for the bestowal of the vacant Garter. . “Well—we will tallk more on the subject pre- sently,” said the Prince Regent. ‘Let us now speak of Miss Trelawney.” “ Aye—let us speak as soon as you like, sir, of Miss Trelawney,’ cried the Marquis, rubbing his hands with a sort of nervous glee: for he enter- tained no doubt but that the Prince had succeeded in making a conquest in that quarter—a conquest by which he himself hoped to profit, according to agreement, ‘“T have just come from Acacia Cottage,” re- sumed the Prince, “where I passed an hour. Ve- netia is certainly very beautiful—very beautiful, Her charms have not been exaggerated. In fact, it would be impossible to exaggerate them ——” “Ahem!” said the Marquis, beginning to sit somewhat uneasily on his chair, “ Your Royal Highness appears to have been a trifle smitten 2” “No man can gaze upon Venetia Trelawney with utter impunity, Leveson,” returned the Ke- gent. “ We had a long conversation together, of course: and I must candidly confess that I suc- ceeded, after some trouble, in inducing her to listen to my proposals. The cunning puss! she has her little ambition ——” “ Aye—and you pandered to it, sir?” exclaimed the Marquis, nervously and anxiously. “She could not have had a better tactician to deal with. But pray tell me all !” “J will—honourably and faithfully, according to promise,” said the Prince. “1 knew you would, sir—I knew you would!” exclaimed the nobleman, rubbing his hands with a revival of cheering hope as he beheld this appa- rently straightforward dispesition on the part of the Prince to realize his portion of the compact. “Well,” said his Royal Highness, “ after a great deal of conversation we came to an understanding —and Venetia asseuted to my overtures. In plain terms, she agreed to become my mistress.” “ Capital !—excellent!” cried Leveson, bounding upon his chair, and grinning like an ancient goat. “ Well, sir, what next? Iam on the tenter-hooks of expectation. Have you made some appoint. ment with her?” “T have. To-morrow evening, at nine o’clock,” continued the Prince, “I am to send a plain car- riage to Hyde Park corner, where she will be muf- tied up in veil and cloak ——” “ And then you will order your coachman to bring her to my house—eh, sir?” cried the Mar- quis. “Is that your plan—that your object?” he demanded, with all the petulance of acute suspense. “To be sure, if you wish it,’ returned the Prince: then, ina hurried manner, he observed, “But by the bye, I forgot to name the little favour I require at your hands, in reward for the vacant Garter, the investiture of which shall take place early next week.” “Oh! name the service you require, sir,” ex- claimed the Marquis: “I am all anxiety to con- tinue the discourse relative to my charming Vene- tia—the angel who shall and must be mine after all ——” “Ttis precisely with reference to Venetia that I propose to ask you a favour,” said the Regent, taking a pinch of his own artistically confectioned mixture from a gold snufl-box set with brilliants. “Your Royal Highness surely does not mean to fly from your bargain?” exclaimed Leveson, con- templating the Regent with all the agonies of a tor- turing suspense. * Have I conducted myself like a man who in- tends basely and dishonourably to violate his en- gagement?” demanded the Prince. “Ihave de- scribed to you with exactitude all that took place between Miss Venetia Trelawney and, myself—I conn ” QO }(O)O SSS st -_