The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 43: what you’re looking at

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

24 THE COURT OF LONDON other. “ That will do,” she observed, calmly folding it up and securing it in her bosom; ‘ and now your Royal High- ness can take your departure.”’ ‘Take my departure! ” ejaculated the prince, struck with dismay. ‘“‘ You mean that you are about to take your departure.”’ ‘“‘ Indeed, I mean no such thing,”’ said the Gallows’ Widow, ‘coldly but firmly. ‘‘ Come, no more words, but be off! We are here to protect Miss Pauline Clarendon, and not to aid in her ruin.” ‘“‘ But this proceeding on your part,” urged the prince, “ is not calculated to ensure my countenance and support.” ‘ Perhaps not,” returned Lizzy Marks, laconically. ‘‘ But this paper will do so,”’ she added, laying her hand upon her bosom. “Can nothing move you?” demanded the prince, in a tone of the bitterest vexation. ‘“‘ Money, any amount you require, — a hundred guineas — ”’ ‘‘ A hundred fiddlesticks! ”’ ejaculated Carrotty Poll, in an acrid tone of contempt. ‘“‘ For every guinea you can offer us to betray Miss Clarendon, we shall receive two for pro- tecting her. So one word is as good as forty; and if your Royal Highness was to stand there arguing with us for an hour, it would be no use.” ‘“ Not a ha’porth,” added the Kinchin-Grand, by way of clenching the argument. ‘Then I shall not condescend to argue the point any farther,’ said the heir apparent, trembling with a rage to which he dared not give vent. And stalking forth from the chamber where his antici- pated triumph had been so signally changed into the bitterest disappointment, he hastily descended the stairs, put on his hat and cloak in the hall, and quitted the house, smarting under a sense of the most painful humiliation, and cursing his unlucky stars which appeared to be so completely in the ascendant. CORNIELIOOKKS (E(©)