The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 292: what you’re looking at

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

| | =; Per | -_ | his pistol at the head of the heir-apparent; “or I will shoot you like a dog.” The Prince, recoiling in horror and affright, threw upon the Earl a glance of deep meaning— as if to ask whether he, an English peer, would countenance such treasonable conduct towards the heir-apparent. But in the cold stern look of Lord Desborough he perceived too plainly that he had nothing to hope : and, feeling that he was completely in the power of the remorseless Meagles and the outraged husband, he resumed his seat at the table on which the document lay. “Read it aloud,” said Tim, in an authoritative voice, as he pointed to the paper with one hand and levelled the pistol at the Prince with the other. And the heir-apparent, profoundly humillated,— but not possessing courage sufficient to resist the treatment to which he was so deservedly subjected —that coward, arrogant, unprincipled, and base- 88 | if id }) ™ ii | ui | iy i) a F i nite hearted Prince, we say, was compelled to yield a grovelling obedience to the dictates of the man whom he so cordially hated. In a hurried and tremulous tone, and with his cheeks flushing and growing pale by turns, did he read the document which stamped alike his treachery, his cowardice, and his humiliation. “Now sign it,” said Meagles, in a short and abrupt tone of command; “and beware how you venture to indulge in any observations at all in- jurious to either the Earl of Desborough or my- self.” The Prince attached his signature to the docu- ment, which the nobleman unhesitatingly attested in the usual style: and Meagles secured the paper about his person. While he was doing this, the Prince of Wales, plucking up a little courage—to which, by the bye, he was only incited by the goadings of his malig- nant vindictiveness—seized the opportunity te eee rs ene Oat Coli (C OO (CO