The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 21: what you’re looking at

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compelled t> play the hypocrite with him! Bat he imbibed the narestic.in the large dram of brandy which I gave him—aad be will not awake for hours to come!” Then a.emile of :trinmph played on the moist as she ences mere. his arma: “it was to obtain intelligence, if pos- sible, concerning my: abeent. friend——" coval lips of the Amazon: and she drew from be- And you have understood by what I have neath the Prince's pillow the golden chain to which already said, my dearest Letitia,” amewered the -waseuspended the hey of curious workmanship. Prince, ‘that I am as ignorant and unesey rele- Thesewith opening the desk of his Royal Highness, tive to Meagias as you are yourself.” she proceeded to ransack its contents; and in the course of a few minutes she founfl the paper for which she was searching. "Tis as I thought!” she said to herself, again speaking low and murmuringly with her liquid, masicel voice. “‘ The traitor—the false friend! But you shall beavenged, Meagles—you shall be avenged —even if I do not anocsed in procuring yeur re- storation to this country I” | Then, locking the desk and replacing the chain with the key underneath the pillow of the Prince, Lady Lade secared the papers abeut her person and took her departure as noiselessly.as possible by the secret staircase. When his Royal Highness awoke at a late hour in the morning, the first conviction that broke upon his mind was that he had a most distressing head- ache—and then the incidents of the night began to present themselves in dus order tohis memory. He recollected the bideous dream which had made him endure such exquisite tortures: and those psiofal reminiscences were followed by that of the visit of Lady Lade. Yeo—ehe had beea with hin :—butfor how long? He knew not! The last incident that dwelt in his mind was a laughing’ ‘which she made him that each should drink « dram of ‘brandy—end he recollected that be had.ss good-humoasredly as- sented te the proposition and taken bis share first, she heveelf pouring it outaad handing it to him. Then he must have fallen into a daep sleep—for he comembered nothing mere. But she was gone—the besutifal huntress had d s~and @ vague ef something up in the mind of the Prince, “ Yes——I feared as much by the observation you made just now,” eaid the Amazon. “Qh! let us hope that i is only some frelic-on our friend’s part,” exclaimed the Prines,——“ and that he will shertly reappear. Perhaps, my be- witohing husteess, he is at this moment proving unfaithful to you-——" ‘s Well—even that idea would be a eonsolation,” Amason, appearing to take the suggestion quite serioudy. * Bat if it should prove as your Royal Highness imagines, I can promise Master that he will be rated soundly by me. Here I have been undergoing all the imaginable and unimaginable tortures of the crag)lest suspense——"" ‘}Oh! let me kiss those lips which you pout so prettily |" exclaimed the heir-apparent, snatching her to his arms a third time. “And now my charming huntress, let me implore you to lay aside this moping mood and converse gaily with me. “It is impossible to resiet you,” seid the Amason; and all in a moment her countenance became radiant, as it was wont tobe. “ You ssy that you havo had an evil devant gether queer, Letitia. And thus I am really glad u have come to chat with me awhile.” “And I also, since such is the state ‘of the case,” responded the Amazon. “But this dream of your's——Ah! you start! Well, if the sub- ject be an unpleasant one, I wit not again allude to it.” “ Excellent Letitia!” murmured the Prince, pillowing his head upon her shoulder. visit—that conversation about the Amazon; and with the haad of the arm that himn the moment after Bo Ot ee) awebe—he was thrown round his weck, she pressed down anh ire eich he now vlenoed, and which struck him as being the result of a At the eame instant, with the other hand, the powerful narcotic,—all these circumstances &p- Amaxon email phial from the pooket of peared to link themselves together and form a paar “a chain of evidence to support the misgivings which and poured a coloured contents into the gambler whence the he felt. stated. “Abt it de eweet to repose thus,” sarmarel the Prines. “ Sleep * replied the Amazon. ‘ But——— Ah! now you are all wide awake again |—and these kiases-—— Ok, you are so handsome, dearest Letitia !”” “You say so! But——" “ Boe itis true!” and he clasped her in hisarms. | theoowchto. : ° ° : : ° then pesesiving that the evyal eyes ware wide open ecomilcooolks (COLUM