The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 289: what you’re looking at

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

aq “ Well, then, from all this I am to anderstand that your Royal Highness will marry the Prin- cess Caroline of Brunswick ?” said Meagies, in- terrogatively. “ Yes, provided I can in any way induce or compel Mrs. Fitzherbert to consent thereto,” re- plied the Prince. “ By fair means I should think that yon will never succeed,” observed Meagles, drily. “That is precisely the apprehension which I entertain,” exclaimed the heir-apparent : then, after a brief pause, and in an embarrassed tone, he added, “ And as to foul means, I know not what kind to adopt.” “But you would adopt them, if any were to be suggested ?” said Meagles, in a quiet way. ‘‘ My position is so awkward—so emberrassing —-s0 intolerable, Tim,” answered the heir-appa- rent, in a subdued voice and with a significant look, “that I wonld do anything—yes, anything,” he with marked emphasis, “ to amelio- rate it In a word, if Mrs. Fitzherbert will not consent to this marriage which the King and Ministers have chalked out for me, I am a tho- roughly lost, ruined, and degraded man.” .“ You would therefore bestow an immense re- ward upan any one who shoald,—either by fair means or by foul,—induce or compel Mrs. Fitz- herbert to yield that consent and agree to any rational arrangement which you may be enabled to make with regard to herself? I should ob- serve,” added Meagles, ‘that you would under- take to grant such reward on your accession to the throne ?” “ By heaven, I should only be too happy!” ex- claimed the Prince. “ But is it possible, Tim, that you have any plan in your head—any scheme———” “Well, I can't exactly say at present,” inter- rapted Meagles. “I may however think of a project——” “Ah! I knew you would give me some hope in this respect!” cried the Prince, ehuckling at the idea of getting rid of Mrs. Fitzherbert: for remorse or compunction seldom if ever stayed the progress of this bad man’s execrable selfishness. “What is your plan, Tim?” he demanded, im- patiently: “ what do you suggest ?” ‘Leave me a little time to consider,” respond- ed Meagles, who did not choose to avow at once that he possessed the means of coercing Mrs. Fitzherbert at will. “ Have you any other matters to communicate to me?—because you may just as well make a clean breast of all your difficulties and embarrassments while you are about it, and then I may be enabled to judge of the best measures to put you clear, right, and straight again.” “Well, I have something else to communi- cate,” said the Prince. “The truth is, I have seduced a young lady——” ‘The seduction of a young lady is the head- ing which must appear to many a chapter -in your life, my dear Prince,” interrupted Meagles. “But go on. You have seduced a young lady, and you are afraid of a row?” - ‘Precisely so,” answered the heir-apparent. “The fair one fe a certain Miss Clarenden— Octavia Clarendon——" “ Daughter of a gentleman who is in some way connected with Lord Marchmont ?” said Meagies, inguiringty. “The same, his Highness. "Do you kao hin - “Only by name,” was the response. “Bat is the affair difficult to manage ?” “You percetve, Tim, that baat hte lady be- tongy to « highly reepec able y——" aristocratic family,” interrepted Meagiee ; “and, therefore, unless she be very proud of having been seduced by you—and un- lees her father and relations are aleo very proud that she should have become a Prince's mistress —this affair presents to car view a phase of no ordinary colour. For I am very certain that out of every hundred aristocratic families, ninety- nine would be charmed and delighted to see a wife, a sister, or a daughter pablicly Pointed out as the mistress of your Royal “Such is no doubt the fect,” observed George : “for the aristocracy, s0 haughty and overbearing to the middle and lower classes, is nausentingly servile and cringing to Reyalty. However, we will not waste time in discussing this point. Suffice it for our parpose that Mr. Cle- rendon is a man who must be appeased for the dishonour of his daughter.” “Ts he acquainted with the litile circum- stance?” inquired Tim. “Not yet—at least I hope not. Bat there is no tinte to lose, my dear friend———” “ What do you wish to have done?” demanded Meagies. “ A peerage must be obtained for Mr. Claren- don ” was the emphatic response. “The devil!" ejaculated Tim : “ peerages are not picked up in the street; and I don’t think that you could very weil humbie yourself so far to Pitt as to ask him for one.” “No, I would see the Prime Minister dead and damned first,” answered the Prince. “It is of my father that the peerage must be demanded ; atid it is you who will undertake the mission on my behalf.” “ Would you have me go to Windsor to wait upon his Majesty on such a business 7” demanded Meagles, surveying the Prince with the most an- feigned astonishment. ‘‘To be sure I would!” ejaculated his Royal rales “Surely you have the courage, “TY have the courage to face the very devil himself,” responded Meagles ; “ and that is more than enough to enable me to look the King in the countenance. But are you serious ?” “Never more so. You know that half of the Lightfoot certificate which I have in my posses- sion “To be sure I do,” said Meagies, throwing off with an effort a sensation of uncasiness which suddenly to creep over him sat the men+ tion of that fragment of the document : for the reader will remember that for some weeks past it had been in the possession of Tim himself, who found it amongst the roll of papers which he purioined from the desk on that morning when the hreir-apparent amused himself with the Ama- zon in the bath. “ Well, Tim,” continued the Prince of Wales ECOMICOOOKS CO