The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 237: what you’re looking at

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

) ‘ } ‘ ' | | | | | ee we me mee forbidden regions?” asked the royal voluptuary, now seized with ah ardent longing to witness the effect of the gallery’s contents upon EHrnestina, whose passions he hoped to see flame up to a - maddening pitch. “To speals candidly,” she replied, “I have wished to penetrate into the secrets of those apartments : but I have never found an opportunity. ‘The door ‘has always been locked——” “Ah! you little vixen,” exclaimed the Prince, ‘patting her cheek: “you have tried the door, then?” “Do you not know that woman’s curiosity is as great as her capacity for love?” said Ernestina, laughing. “But have you ever visited those apartments—you, who are so intimate with my titicle ?” “j{ have, dearest Ernestina”’ responded the Prince: “and I can assure you that they contain the clioicest specimens of statuary and painting. Ah! how I should rejoice to become your guide there!” “Tt is impossible,” said Ernestina, rising from the sofaand trying the door. ‘You perceive it is locked—and I dare not ask Brockman for the keys, even if my uncle had left them in his pos- session,” she added, returning to her seat. “Are you not aware that there is a secret en- trance from the dressing-room of the Marquis ?” inquired the Prince: then, without waiting for an answer, he exclaimed, “ But of course you are not —otherwise you would long ago have obtained access to the apartments by that means of commu. nication.” * No doubt,” exclaimed Ernestina, laughing, and displaying the rows of pearl which embellished her mouth. “I will not affect a virtue which I do not -possess:. and now that you have raised my cu- riosity, you sha!l indeed become my guide and companion in a visit to those rooms. But wait an instant, while I assure myself that the coast is clear.” Thus speaking, the lady again started from her seat by the Prince’s side, and went to look forth upon the landing. No ohe was there—and she beckoned his Royal Highness to follow hastily. ‘He at once obeyed—and they passed together _ into her uncle’s bed-chainber. This they traversed and entered the dressing-room: but Ernestina ‘Sai no trace of a door in the wall which separated that dressing-room from the private suite of apartments. ‘You are more puzzled than if you were wil- dered in the maze at Hampton Court,” cried the Prince, laughing: then, having pressed his lips upon her fair shoulder as he threw his arm for a wothent round her waist, he said, * Look here.” Thus speaking, he pressed his thumb upon a particular spot on the paper—and a door imme- _ diately flew open. Bounding past the Prince, Ernestina sped into the room thus revealed to her: but a cry of mingled amazement and alarm burst from her lips, 4s her eyes encountered the never-to-be-forgotten face of Daniel Coffin the Hangman. em ee te ee ee mm eee ee YMG WYSTERIES OF TIE COURT, a a | ee eee ee ee eee 22 —— ee CHAPTER LXIl. THE PRISONER IN THE CHAIR. Ar that ejaculation of terror, the Prince sprang forward from the dressing-room, just in time to | catch Lady Ernestina Dysart in his arms as she | was recoiling from the hideous spectacle of that man whom she never saw nor thought of without associating nim with the ghastly horrors of death and the grave: for the incidents of the night at the Blackheath villa were impressed on her brain as indelibly as if seared there with a red-hot iron. * Who the devil is this fellow?” exclaimed the Prince, the moment his looks lighted upon the Hangman: but the next instant he burst out into such an uncontrollable fit of laughter that all Ernestina’s terror vanished, and she glanced again towards the object of her aversion in order to discover the cause of her royal compaunion’s sudden jocularity. . And now she saw what she had not at first per- ceived—namely, the ignominious as well as lu- dicrous manner in which Daniel Coffin was held captive in the chair: and a smile wavered upon her beauteous lips, despite the abhorrence and loathing which she entertained for that man. The whole truth flashed to her comprehension in a mo- ment: for she was not so innocent nor so inex- perienced as to remain long in doubt as to the real uses which that treacherous chair was intended to serve :—and it likewise struck her that the Hang- man, instead of leaving the house on the pre- ceding evening, had stolen up into this suite of apartments and had fallen into a trap which her precious uncle was wont to. set for a fairer and lovelier prey than that which it had now caught, Qn his side, the Hangman had instantaneously recognised the Prince Regent, whose person was no stranger to him: and, momentarily aghast with dismay, the wretch sate glaring wildly on his Royal Highness. But speedily recovering’ his wonted presence of mind—especially when he saw that the Prince treated the affair as such a capital joke—he growled forth, “ Well, can’t you release a poor devil? I have been fast here ever siuce ten ocloelr iast night!” : “Oh! the fellow will kill me—positively kili me with laughing !” cried the Prinee, actuaily writhing with paroxysms of mirth as he leant against the wall for support, while the tears streamed down his cheeks now purple from the same cause. “ Oh! this is too good—too rich! Evrnestiua, why don’t you enjoy it as I do?” “Enjoy it, by goles!” growled the Hangman, savagely. “I don’t think your Royal Highness would enjoy it very much either! It’s nojoke to pass a night locked up in an infernal chair taat is worse than the stocks, barring the pelting of the rotten eggs.” ; * Well, LT never laughed se much in all my lifef” exclaimed the Prince, the humorous fit now gra- dually subsiding: then, as he closed the door open- ing from the dressing-reom, he said, “ Ernestina, do you know our captive friend here? I can't congratulate him upon the pleasantness of bis aspect—and if men’s countenances were to be taken as bail, I am very sure his would never & accepted,” SSS SSS Ss sss esses ess eee ee ee ee ee om mm—t EO HAA HKELEXOONES