The Mysteries of the Court of London Vol. 4 — page 20: what you’re looking at

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

- gave vegt to an ejaculation o Eee Gh GE eso. as oe 2 es BE ee Oe) e - el ER AD the Princess Charlotte, turping abruptly round, ingled amazement im starch fizure of Qe oun and alarm on behelding the the Queen. This was the ejaculation thatfeached the ears of the Hon. Mrs. Bredalbane and Lady Prescott; and springing from:their seats by the cheerful fire that was blafing in the inner room, they rushed to the dourway—flung aside the curtain—and, to their indescribable wonderment, beheld the Prin- cess Charlotte on one side of the ante-chamber and her Majesty the Sueen ou the other. Iustan- taneously struck with the conviction that thoir conversation had been overheard by one or the other of the royal ladies, if not by both, Mra. Bredalbane and Lady Prescott exchanged jooks of ‘uneasiness and vexation. “What are you doing here, at this time of night?” demanded the Queen., bending a harsh and gevere look upon the yupr? Priucess. J __T—came—that is,” stexamered the youthful Charlotte, utterly at a loss what response to give or what excuse to mak@;, “I came to—to-——” “Methinks, to say the least of it,” said ‘the Queen, bridling up, “it is particularly ind:screet for a young Princess—the daughter of England’s Regent—the grand-daughter of England's crowned Sovereigns —to be thus absent girom her own apartment at midnight.” . “ Madam,” exclaimed the yeung Princess, the haughty blaod flushiag her checks and turning the marble of her brow into glowing crimson; “ be pleased to recollect the motto upon the royal arms and apply it to yourself: £vuil be to him (or her) wie evil thinks.” . * Granu-daug ger, this is an impertinence on your part,” said the Queen, darting the’savage glance of a tiger-cat upon the Princess; then in a colder tone she observed, but still with sneering accents, * I must however admit the justice of hearing your defence before I condemn. Therefore, perhaps you will have the kindness to explain wherefore you are here, listening so attentively as you were, like any eaves- dropper, at the mome’,t [ entered the chamber.” * Ah! madam, yod are determined to humiliate me!” exclaimed the Princess, bursting into tears: for this was the first time she had ever been so barshly and cruelly treated by the Queen. As for Mrs. Bredalbane and Lady Prescott—tfiey instantaneously comprehended ‘fram her Majesty's words that the young Princess had been listeving to their discourse; and well knowing that if she were to repeat to the Queen all that Had been said, they would receive a prompt command to qint the Castle, bag and baggage, they threw earnestly imploring lookgupon her Royal Highness. The Princess, at once catching the meaning ‘of those glances and penetrating the ladies'éears, suddenly wiped her eyes _ and flung a look of reassurance upou-them. Then, putting on an air of dignified composur®, ehe said, J must confess I did listen at this doorway for a oments ; but it was only to ascertain whe was Within—-inasmuch as the phantasy had seized me to eome and pass haif-an-hour with Mrs. Bredalbane, intelligence having reached me that she was sume- what indispored.” ; “Permit me, then, t® observe? said the Queen, with a prim starch aspect and a considerable acer- bily of tone, that it is altogether contrary to Conrt etiquette, as well as being a breach of ° THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. i tt ti Eh A SSR ee ee PP SE Sse pL alee Ee, 7 a ergo no ae ers em mailjen propriety, to wander from one room to another between eleven and twelve o'’cluok at night. But come, grand-daughter: I «img to speak to you.” . ° “ Good night, ladies,” said the Princess, casting upon the two Bed-chamber Women a look to as- sure them that the secret of their conversation on so ticklish a topic wag safe with her: and she then followed the Queen away frd%n the apartment. “I have been seeking you in your own chamber, Charlotte,” said her Majesty, “ because I wished to have some.sconversation with you. Indeed, I was informed tifar you had dismissed your Jadies for the nizht at an earlier hour than veual, but that ou had not retired to rest: and this intelligence, | added to Your akered looks damnng the day, deter- mived me to demand an explanation at your hands.” Thus spoke the Queen, as she led the way along the passage towards her royal grand-daughter's room. But just as they reached the threshold and the Princess caught a glimpse of the writing- materials on the tavle, the recullection instantane- ously flashed to her that she had left the letter te her mother lying upon the table! *[he Queen, | thenphad perhaps read it? Yes—there was little doybt that such was the case; and hence that bitterness of tone and manner Wifcn her Majesty had shown towards her for the first time ! “Not finging you ere now,” said the Queerf as she advanced iuto the room, while the Princess followed, closivg the door belind her,—*“I tools the liberty of ascertaining what had been the ua- ture of youl most recent studies; and if I were “therein zuilty of an undue amount of curiosity, at all ewvengy it was not morg réprehensible than that which you have just now shown in listening to the conversation of my Bed-chambcr Women.” The vein of sarcasm whigh began to penetrate throuh this speech from its commencement, in- creased in bittevhess as her Majesty went on speaking; aud as she gave utterance to the con- cluding words, her eyes sctiled upon the letter that lay on the table. ¢! understand your Majesty,” said the young Princesa, her indignation suddenly aroused to a devree that arined her with a more than feminine ovurage: “you have been reading the letter which y I inadvertently left here ?” “ Yes—I] hive read every word of it,” responded the Queen, in a cold tone of defiance. “I have read how ‘you dare accuse your own father, your uncles, myself, and several of the proudest nobles and most virtuous lidies in the couutry, of being engared in a couspiracy-—” “It is true, madam, it is true!’ exclaimed the youn Princess, looking grandly handsome at that moment im the flush and thé glow of her great indignation. “Even while compelled tq admit hat thie eaves-dropping of to-night fs not the first instance pf the kind of which I have been guilty, I at «nce and unhesitatingly proclaim to your face that from your own lips have J heard the atowal of a conspiracy’s existence !” ‘You dare?” ejaculated the Queen, tarning very pale, and with a strange quivering of the lips—ror she knew not what to think. “Yes, I dare, madam!” exclaimed the Princess, “T dare accuse you thus boldly: and I dare also aver.hat 1 listened and’ orerleard every syllable ao Cel aes - wee eS ee a nwt ee eee ee ee eee ge ==. a= —_— 12) LOO inn ( cS) CO