The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 240: what you’re looking at

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

226 THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT, Highness, Mr. Dysart will have to figure at Tuck- up Fair next Monday week, if so be your Royal Highness doesn’t mean to let him off. And some- how or another a little bird whispers in my ears that you won't let him off——” “Ah!” cried the Prince—and the ejaculation was echoed, but in alower tone, by Lady Ernestina Dysart. “What makes you assume that, fellow?” he demanded sternly. “Oh! simply because I see your Royal Highness and her ladyship on such very comfortable terms together,” replied the Hangman,—“ coming into this pleasant range of apartments, for instance— very likely to take a peep into yonder gallery— and at all events whispering together, exchanging sly glances, and seeming on such capital terms that a husband is better out of the way in such a case.” As Coffin thus spoke, Ernestina turned aside her countenance that was crimsoning with mingled indignation and shame: but it did not strike her that it was her own fault if the ruffian thus were enabled to allude with coarse flippancy to her amour with the Prince. As for her royal para- mour himself, he was for a moment inclined to give way to his anger at the fellow’s remarks: but perceiving that any display of wrath would be alike useless and ridiculous, he bit his lip and held his peace. “So you observe,” continued the Hangman, “that I’m rather a far-seeing covey after my own fashion: and to return to what I was saying, I’m now in hope that, if so be Mr. Dysart should be tucked up next Monday week, I may have the opportunity of getting a free pardon and going home all comfortable again to my crib in Fleet Lane, where I shall be happy to shave your Royal Highness any day for nothing.” “ And such is your hope,” said the Prince, in a musing tone: “and you expect it will be gratified on Monday week. Now, can you keep a secret ?— and do you want to earn a couple of hundred guineas 2” “Yes, to both questions,” replied the Hangman, joyfully. “ Ernestina,”’ said the Prince, “retire into that room, and close the door. I would rather speak to this man alone. It must only be painful to your feelings,” he added, in a whisper, as he con- ducted the lady into the luxuriously furnished apartment which has already been described as forming the first of the suite. Ernestina accordingly remained in this room while the Prince concluded his discourse with Daniel Coffin. What farther passed between them, we need not now relate: suffice it to say that having been closetted alone with the Hangman for upwards of ten minutes, his Royal Highness re- turned to the lady in the apartment to which he had conducted her. “Well, my angel, it is all right,” he said, ina low mysterious tone, as he closed the door behind him. “'The fellow has entered into my views—- and I am glad that the thought struck me.” “But where is he?—have you released him from the chair?—is he gone?” demanded Ernestina, trembling with the excitement into which the pro- longed train of incidents had thrown her. “The rascal could not very well leave the house in broad day-light,” said the Prince,— ‘to be stopped by your servants as a prowling robber, or to be snapped up by some constable or informer in the streets. No—he must remain here until dusk. I have liberated him from the chair—and he is busy in devouring a quantity of biscuits with which his pocket is crammed. But you look pale | —fl|——” “ I shall be better presently, my dearest George,” answered Ernestina, with a fond look. “But let us leave these apartments and return to the Drawing-room. We have already been too long away——and if any of the servants should have entered during our absence, what must they haye thought ?” * That I know how to appreciate the beauties of an angel!” replied the Prince, caressing her. “We will return to the Drawing-room since you desire it: but we must retrace our way through your uncle’s chambers - * By what means did that dreadful man obtain access to these rooms, I wonder?” said Ernestina, the thought now striking her for the first time. “By aid of a skeleton-key, he tells me,” answered the Prince: “and I have no doubt his intention was to rob the house. But we will not trouble ourselves any more about him: he will be useful to us—and that is sufficient. Come—let us retrace our way to the Drawing-room.” The Prince accordingly led Ernestina back into the adjoining apartment, where the Hangman was now walking to and fro to stretch his limbs, which were horribly cramped by his long prisonage ia the treacherous chair. Opening the secret door by pressing his hand on one of the roses that formed the pattern of the paper, his Royal High- ness and Ernestina once more gained the dressing- room. The secret door was carefully closed again; and from the dressing-room they passed into the bed-chamber. But, to tell the truth, they paused there awhile: and nearly another half-hour elapsed ere they re- turned into the Crimson Drawing-room. Then the lady’s cheeks were flushed and her eyes swam ina softly sensuous languor—while the countenance of the Prince was radiant with satisfaction and triumph. Alas! Venetia was still forgotten by the | royal voluptuary! “Farewell for the present, my charmer,” he said, straining Ernestina to his breast. “ Weshall soon meet azain—the sooner the better!” “ That depends entirely on yourself, my dear — — OL SSS —— George,” whispered the lady, in her soft musical | tones and with a look that was in itself a whole world of blandishments. The Prince now took his departure—and Ermes- tina, having ordered the carriage, ascended to her own chamber to dress for going out. CHAPTER LXIII. NEWGATE, Ir was about three o'clock in the afternoon, as a beautiful girl, seventeen years of age and neatly though plainly dressed, reached the visitors’ gate at Newgate. Her countenance was pale as marble— her eyes were somewhat red with weeping—and the nervous quivering of her lips showed how strong —— and painful were the eflorts which she made to erush lia 9 mOTNIEOOKXS: (€()