The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 97: what you’re looking at

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

80 THE COURT OF LONDON ‘Are you drunk or mad? ”’ exclaimed the prince, survey- ing Tash in amazement. ‘“ Neither,’’ was the prompt reply, ‘‘ and if any one but your Royal Highness had asked me such a question, in another moment I would have knocked his head off his shoulders. But come, will you avail yourself of this oppor- tunity? It is a golden one. Daggers and wounds! don’t hesitate, sir. I conjure you.”’ ‘But is it all true? ’’ exclaimed the prince, now start- ing from his seat, and being somewhat inflamed with the punch which he had been drinking, his imagination in- stantaneously depicted to itself the pleasures of a new conquest. “ Will your Royal Highness be guided by me? ’’ demanded Tash, impatiently. ‘‘ Come, and if in a few minutes you are not clasped in the arms of that very fair one whom you coveted ere now, then may I be denounced as a liar, and may a stigma settle for ever on the name of Rolando Tash.’ Not another moment did the prince hesitate. His imagina- tion, already revelling in the sensuous joys which his prurient fancy conjured up, urged him on and stifled all scruples. As for what Venetia might say, — or whether she would ever discover the proceeding at all,— he paused not to reflect; his passions, now strongly aroused, were dominant for the time being. Issuing forth from the apartment, the prince regent and Captain Tash proceeded along the passage together; and on reaching the chamber to which Mrs. Malpas had been intro- duced, the gallant officer stooped down and drew forth the key from beneath the velvet mat. This proceeding some- what surprised the prince, for it naturally struck him as strange that the key should be there. But the captain placed his finger upon his lip, and his Royal Highness said not a word. The next moment the key was introduced into the lock by the hand of the gallant officer, the door was opened, and the prince regent without another instant’s hesitation stepped in. Captain Tash then closed the door, locked it, put the key into his pocket, and once more concealed himself in the room opposite; for he felt convinced that the key had been placed beneath the mat by Venetia to aid the intrigue which was CORNICE NOOO KS (E(0) im