The Mysteries of the Court of London Vol. 4 — page 384: what you’re looking at

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

| —_ a —e ee eee eee — ee Ee ee ese wwe = SS ee ee ee ee eee eee a gpear= ad ae al an Beal —_— a a e TUM MYATE AUER OF THE COURT. fact that you yourself intrigued cunuingly enough to hand her ovér to me, Am I not therefore justi- fied in supposing that, as you pt her into the scrape, 80 you will vet her out of it? Andas I hinte@ to her last night,if she wants a few handred pounds, as a matter of coursathey are entirely at her service. What morecan I do? whut inore do you require ?” ° “T had flattered myself, sir,” auswored Mra. Ar- buthnot, again relapsing into that coaxing, fawning, toad eating manner whichwas habitual t> her, and had been acquired by a long career of gruvelling servility towards all with whom she had lived,—* I had flattered myself that my poor girl would not have beeu thus discatded by your Royal Iivhuess with scarcely even kind wosd-——” . “Then I suppose that she has exolained to you,” interrupted the Prince, “ everythitig which took place between usa last evening at Windsor Castile ? Now, let me be explicit on my #ide® From what yuur daughter said to me it was quite evideat she had entertained the loftiest pretensions. Ido not exactly know of what nature these may have been, orto what height her ambition soared: but certain it is that she expected sone signal reward fur hav- iny honoured me with ber favours. Now, let me tell you, my dear madam,” continued his Royal Highness, ironically, “that young ladies generally conceive they aro hongured by the circumstance of winning my favour; and if Ll were to shower re- wards upou all ¢he sweet creatures who received me ¢o ther arms, I sheuld have quite enough to du. Perhaps your daughter fancitd‘that [ ought to make her» peerces in Rer own right—or give hera pension of a thousand a-year. Gad bless you, ma'am! if a!] my mistresses were similarly am- bitious aud mercenary, the world would be per- jectly astonished at the number of peeresses I should bave to create; and the House of Com. ‘mons, obedient and ductile as it is, would stand aghast at the frightful increase of the Pe:muion List.” Mrs. Arbuthnot remained silent for upwards of a intnute,—not knowing exactly whether to con- tinue arguimy thes point peace ibly, or whether at once to have recofrsa to harshrr and steiner meaus. The Prince, faneying that he had ad- . vanced an arzumeut whieh had put her to coufu =e we ee ee — en a a a a ED Se eee eee —— fd > o “14, 7 oeguanain 4 sion, aud jndevd cuonfyunded her altugether, rose from his scat -bowed stiffly --amd was advancing to pull the beil as an intimation that the interview was over,—when Mrs. Arbuthnot id in a some- whut determined voice, “Then vour Royal High ness is resolved to dv nothing for my daughter ?” “What ean I do?” he ejaculated impatieutly. “ The bare idea that she abandoned herself to me from the mercenary motives which have since transpi:ed, is but too well calculated to fill mo with disgust; and as I never entertained a very high opinion of the mother, Iam surry to say that I am now led to think with equal indifference of the daughter:’—and again he advanced towards the bell. ’ “Stay, sir, one moment!” cried MM ra. Arbuthnot, suiddenly throwing off all Ufc fawning se-vility of the hypocritical toad-enter, and putting on a dogyed air of resoluteness: “uur iuterview is nob quite ended yet !” “Madam,” said the Prince, tyrnmuy upou her a look of the loftiest disdain, “it you were a man I Sa a et ee ee ~~ =— == «< tm. © st acd an ee ee should riag to order my lacqueys to expel you uns ceremoniously : but as you are a womal, | cannot treat you with that iguominy. At the same tine, perinig me ty request that you maniediately luave the roum.” “And were I a man,” cricd Mrs. Arbuthnot, *T should be induced to flog you with a horse- whip for the baseners and heartlessness of your conduct. As it is, T warn you that L have the power of wreakiug a terrible revenge !” “Now will you explain yourself?” said tho Prince, becoming frightened, and scarcely able to couceal that he was so: for he Mmstantane ously saw that Mrs, Arbuthnot would never dare adopt such a deificanour us thia and use such words as those, uuless fully confident df wielding some terri- ble weapon of vénveance, “Tf your Royal Highnees will resume your seat,” suid Mra. Arbuthvot, apeaking with more calin- ness, “I will very speedily explain iny meaning.” The Prinee repurned to ths sofsauad sat duwn without saying a word. * Believe me,” cnntinued the Bedchamber \Wo- man, “it 18 paluful—imoet painfal—to be compelied to adopt sach a tone as lam now using: but nei- ther 1 nor my daughter are worms to be trodden upon with impunity. I am in possession of a secret regarding a member of the Royal Family —a sccret of such fearial import that if made lkoown, i¢ would strike the whule country—aye, and all the world—with terror ard cunsternation— shal J vo on?” “Yes—explain yourself,” answered the Prince, not knowing to what possible circumstance Mrs. Arbuthnot eould alludo; aml unforuuuately for hum, there were so mauy iniportant seeruts con- nected with himself and lus fanuly, that he was at loss to ix upon the one that was known to kis visitress, “Phen I must proceed,” she continued 5 “and it is with pain thatI do so. Sir, the secret to which | allude, intimatel$ concerns the henour—the cha- vacter——and if he were of humbler station, the very (‘feof your royal brother the Duke of Cu.uberiand There is a ducumncut in @xistence-——~" “A document!—but of What kind? what does it refer to?” demanded the Prince, nervously azl- tated. “Sir, it is a letter which the maidercd S:t.- lis ——_—” Murdered!” echoed the Prinee, instantiune- ously catching the aignificaney of Mrs. Arbuth- ovs expression, “ No—he committed suerte. The coroner's inquest proved it——«" “That your Rou; al Lighness firmly believes the story of the unfortunate man’s suicide, | have no doubt,” interrupted Mrs. Arbuthnot: “but there are proofs tu the contrary.” * And those proofs 2” ejaculated the Prince. Listen, aud 1 will fell you everything.” Mrs. Arbuthnot then proceeded to sketch in rapid outline all that she had heard some short time back from Mrs, Bredatbane; and his Jioyal Hichuess, to do him justice, was horrified at the complexion which the frightful story now wore, and wiuch invulved such tremendous chares, pet guly agauat nis brother the Duke ot Cumberlaad, . but Jikeyise his sister the Princess Augustin Te ruse fro.n the sofa and began paca the room in au agitatated manner—civing freqient ven’ to a. eo om eewses ees 46 yw wWPews ws a UE ee ee ane was =n 8 & = a Sd ee ee Ee See ee ee EO Se; ee See ReeO eg, By —_— «ee we = —_ esas qeeee oe a _ o- —e ee ewe ee -— « =— - Co - EEE, ee pen a wen ewer ee eels ee ae ee arene 42 Gees COUN ( O) AOC) < S) CO