The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 287: what you’re looking at

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

276 borough would have been added as anothet gem to the coronet of his conquests. But that inveterate sensuality which had prompted him to make his happiness as complete as possible, by removing her to the adjoining chamber, suddenly struck her as something from which her mind revolted: she saw that he was treating her as the mere object of his lust, without a single particle of refinement or de- licacy in the passion that was animating him ;—and all that minute preparation, even to the conveyance of the candles into the sleeping apartment, inspired her with a sudden feeling of unconquerable aver- sion and disgust. Nerved all in a moment to the energy of an out- raged woman, the Countess of Desborough tore herself from the arms of the Prince ;—and, step- ping back a few paces, she turned upon him her indignant countenance and her flashing eyes, ex- claiming, “ No—I prefer a war to the death: and the betrayal of your sister’s secret shall avenge any outrage which you may think of offering to me !” “By heavens! you shall succumb, be the con- sequences what they may!” cried the Prince, dart- ing forward and winding bis arms around her waist. A scream burst from her lips: at the same in- stant the outer door of the parleur was flung open —and Tim Meagles, followed by the Earl of Des- borough, appeared to the rescue of the Countess. CHAPTER CXCIL HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS AND TIM MEAGLES. At this unexpected occurrence, the Prince gave vent toan exclamation of rage, his hold upon Elea- nor relaxing at the same moment,—so that with a comparatively small effort she burst away from him and flew into the arms of her husband. “ Bear her ladyship away, my lord,” said Meagles hastily; “and leave me to settle matters with this royal debauchee.” “ You settle matters with me°” cried the heir- apparent, ina tone of mingled indignation and con- tempt: then, as he endeavoured to push past Tim Meagles, he said with a malignant look, “ Beware how you incur my vindictive displeasure a second time !” “ Your displeasure !” echoed Meagles, in a scornful tone : “I despise it! Now, my lord——” ; But on glancing round he saw that the Earl was already crossing the threshold of the parlour, sup- porting the Countess on his arm: and, making way therefore to permit the heir-apparent to issue from the bed-chamber, Meagies followed him with one of the candles in his hand. The Prince was about to hasten away from the scene of his discomfiture : but the Earl of Desborough banged the outer door in his face—and Meagles, springing forward, locked that door and put the key in his pocket. “ What does this mean, sir?” demanded the Prince, surveying Meagles with a haughty air, which searcely concealed the sudden tremor that shot with the pang of an ice-shaft transfixing his form. “ Ah!” he ejaculated, springing back in dismay, as a pistol which Meagles drew from his breast flashed across bis eyes: “ would you murder me ?” cr “Not unless you compel me to wreak summary vengeance upon you,” was the calm but resolute reply. “Put up your weapon, sir!” exclaimed the Prince, assuming the eir and tone ofa bully rather than the demeanour and voice of conscious authority. “JI would much rather keep it in my hand,” said Meagies, coolly: “and I warn your Royal High- ness that it is loaded almost to the very muzzle. Whether I am a good shot, or otherwise, your Royal Highness has often had opportunities of judging doth in the field and the shooting-gal- lery.” “In one word, Mr. Meagics,” exclaimed the Prince, affecting a half-smile, “ what am I to un- derstand by this jesting? Do you wish to win me over by a joke to our ancient friendship? If so, I shal not hesitate to pardon you for the past, and reinstate you in that favour, which you always received at my hands so long as you were worthy of it ” “ Upon my soul, I never was farther off in all my life from the contemplation of a jest,” replied Meagles : “but on the other hand I never was se close to the temptation of blowing a man’s brains out, as I am at the present moment.” “You dare not use this to me!” ex- claimed his Royal Highness, the flash which his recently maddened desires had left upon his coun- tenance, having by this time paled down imto ghastliness. “J dare address and treat you precisely as you deserve,” responded Meagles: “and if you force me to adopt harsh words, a harsher deed will per- haps follow. Now, look you, Prince of Wales,” continued Meagles, throwing himself in a leisurely manner upon the sofa, but keeping the pistol in such a direction that the life of his Royal High- ness was held as it were in his grasp,—“I have suffered much at your hands, and the day of reckoning iscome. You talk of a renewal of your ancient friendship? It is absurd—preposterous ! You hate me—and I[ mistrust you. You will never forgive me for baffling your aims with regard to poor Rose Foster and for being the means of de- feating your purpose here to-night: and I shall never forgive you for sending me out of the coun- try. You would pledge your oath now to renew yoar former friencship towards me: but when once you were outside these doors, you would enact your past treachery all over again. You perceiv, there- fore, that I know your character too well to place any reliance upon your honour as a gentleman, your credit as aman, or your word as a prince. Indeed, I shall not feel easy in my mind, nor dis. encumber my heart of the load which your perfidy has heaped upon it, until I have expressed my real opinion of you: which is, that you are about as precious a rascal as ever disgraced the human species.” The Prince gave a sudden and convulsive start: but the pistol was instantaneously made to take a deliberate aim at his head, and there was now some - thing so darkly resolute and moodily determined in the manner of Meaglies, that the coward nature of the heir-apparent shraok appalled from the ghastly danger which appeared to menace him. “ What do you require of me, Meagies ?” he de- manded, in a low and hollow tone. “ You are aware that I did not act towards you without deep pro- ite nn, EEE GOH GOO SS