The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 296: what you’re looking at

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

po ? THE MYSTERIES. 285 will not be needed in respect to the poiuts which your lordshipe are now about to discuss,” The ex-bagman accordingly took his departure ; —and this time, on issuing forth from the lodgings of the Marquis de Saint Croix, he bent his way di- rect to Cariton House. CHAPTER CXCIV. THE HEIR-APPARENT AND HI8 AGENT.~-SHICKSTER GAL. Ir was now eight o’clock in the evening; ard the Prince of Wales had just quitted the dinner-table —for he was aware that Mr. Page was to call upon him atthathour. The ex-bagman was accordingly at once shown into the presence of his Royal High- ness, whom he saluted with a bow that was as pro- foundly reverential and as servilely low as an eastern salaam. “ Well, Page—what news ?” demanded the Prince, pointing to a chair near the sofa on which he him- self was seated in a reclining posture. “TI have two pieces of excellent tidings for your Royal Highness,” answered the busy, bustling, ob- sequious individual who bad managed to thrust himself into the service of the Prince. “But first, may I be permitted moat humbly to inquire whether your Boyal Highness is at liberty this evening for @ few hours?” “Your letter of this morning contained a pro- mise which induced me to put aside every appoint- ment,” returned the Prince. “Tell me, then, in a word—will Pauline be mine to-night ?” “ Beyond all question, may it please your Royal Highness,” was the immediate response. “ Egad ! it does please me infinitely, I can assure you, friend Page,” observed the heir-apparent. “ And now, what of the refugees 2?” “They have fallen completely into the views which I have studied to develop to them, your Royal Highness,” answered Page. “It is not proper for aman to sing his own praises: but I flatter my- self that I may take credit for having managed this business with no ordinary degree of tact and judgment. The Marquis de Saint Croix firmly be- eves that it was by mere accident I addressed my- self to him in the first instance——” “And the Marquis de Bellois?” exclaimed the “His lordship lies under a similar impressiou,” rejoined Page: “that is to say, he gupposes that it was withont any sinister design that I fixed upon him as one of the most proper and fitting refagees to be sounded relative to the proposed incursion into France.” “ And when I saw you the day before yesterday,” observed the Prince, “ you told me that those no- blemen had taken a third into their confidence— the Duke of Villebelle. Is he also without sus- picion ?”° “Entirely, great Prince !* exclaimed the ex-bag- man. “And of this he will afford your Royal Highness a sterling proof to-morrow evening, by depositing forty or fifty thousand pounds in your “ The devil he will!” ejaculated the Prince, lite- cally bounding upon the sofa with joy. “But how nas this been brought about ?” ge a Mr. Page now explained all that had just taken place at the lodgings of the Marquis de Saint Croix —not omitting to state how he had abeented him- self for half-an-hour on pretence of obtaining the consent of his Royal Highness to become the de- positary of the Duke's treasure. “You have managed the business in a masterly style!” exclaimed the heir-apparent, rubbing his hands gleefully : then, after a few moments’ pause, he said, “But how did you arrive at the conviction that I would agree to become the treasurer of these refugees ?” “Tf I have done wrong,” answered Page, with a smile of sly significancy, “I implore the pardon of your Royal Highness.” “No, no, my good feliow,” cried the Prince, laughing; “you have not done wrong—very far from it. But you are a man of keen penetration.” * Somewhat so, illustrious patron!” returned Page. “ Your Royal Highness condescended to in- form me that you were anxious to be avenged upon the Marquis de Saint Croix for persecuting you on account of that paltry sum which he placed in your royal hands: and that the same vindictive sentiment was extended towards the Marquis de Bellois, tor a reason which your Royal Highness did nvé explain, and which I of course do not at- tempt to penetrate. Well, when I found that these noblemen had fallen so admirably into the snare laid for them, and that they had so innocently drawn the Duke of Villebelle into the meshes spread out to catch themselves, I thought within myself that if some one must profit in the long run by being the depositary of the Duke's wealth, your Royal Highness shouid be that fortunxte in- dividual. Therefore, I took the liberty of declaring that your Royal Highness would accept the trust.” “JI again repeat that you area man of great penetration,” said the Prince; “and I may add that you will do honour to the Order of Knight- hood.” The ex-bagman rose from his seat and made three distinct bows, each more profound than the former. “And now tell me about Pauline,” exclaimed the Prince. “For the first time since the removal of Octavia a month ago and upwards,” replied Mr. Page, “Pauline has begun to exhibit a neighbourly feel. ing ;—and my excellent wife has persuaded upon her to take tea with her this evening. The poor thing has doubtless begun to experience an in- tolerable loneliness ; and she looks upon Mrs, Page as a kind-hearted, well-meaning creature, who can sympathise with her.” “Then she does not entertain the least suspicion that you were instrumental in procuring the con- finement of her sister in a private mad-house?” said the Prince, interrogatively. “She could not possibly have formed the re- motest conjecture on the subject,” returned Page. “It was all done so cleverly. A few guincas ob- tained the necessary certificates from a couple of drunken, profligate doctors, named Wigton and Smanks, who happen to be acquaintances of mine; —and they will not let the cat out of the bag for their own sakes. Then there is Dr. Burton, the keeper of the lunatic-asylum, who is still more directly interested in maintaining a profound secrecy relative to the transaction: for he would ElOOO® SS