The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 141: what you’re looking at

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180 THE poured slowly and without intermission down his | restrain his rage at the last threat leveled againg . throat. “ Well—that’s better thar. the bingo at the Beggar's Staff,” he observed, as he placed the glass upon the table: then, surveying the milliner in silerce for a few moments, he added, “ By goles! you're hand- somer than you was sixteen years ago. You've filled out wonderfully, and seem as plump as a par- tridgn I'l} just have one kiss in remembrance of old umes -and then Ill be off.” “ No—no!” shrieked Mrs. Brace, whose anguish had become intolerably excruciating while the rufian was thus complimenting her. “ Leave me—for God's sake! leave me——you promised you would ——” “One kiag, I say!” exclaimed the Magsman, ad- Fancing towards her with extended arms, his alub Deing for the moment laid on the table. “TI will die sooner!’ was the lady’s emphatic answer: and, losing all prudential control over her- self, she darted an agonising glance towards the cur- tain. “ By the living jingo! I begin to suspect some- thing now,” cried the Magsman, who had not failed to notice that rapid but affrighted look. “A lover, T’ll be bound !” And he strode towards the window. “Stop !—you dare not do it!—you know not what you are doing!” acreamed Mrz. Brace, darting for- ward and grasping him by the arm. “Lord blese ye! I ain’t jealous —— bat I must have a look at him, for curiosity's eake,” said the Mags- man, pushing her back into her seat; and, at the same moment that a stifled shriek came from the lips of the wretched woman, the curtain was drawn viclently aside by the ruffian’s remorseless hand. The Prince of Wales, whose countenance was glowing with indignation, thus became revealed to the Mageman ; and the fellow was struck dumb and motionless with mingled awe and astonishment—for he inetmotly recognised the heir-apparent to the throne. His Royal Highness perceived in -a moment that the ruffian knew who he was; and, stepping forward, he pointed imperiously towards the dor, exclaiming in a stern voice, “Begone, sir—or it will be the worse for you !” “No—I’m damned if I’m to be bullied in this aay,” retorted the Magsman, instantly recovering his self-possession and cvol insolence. “ The worid eays your Royal Highness is no better than you should be—and new I’ve had a proof of it.” For a few momente the Prince was staggered by this unexpected display of defiance: but speedily becoming alive again to the embarrassing natuce of his present position, he said, “ The coarseness of your allusion is only equalled by its falsity. This lady I respect —and you shail not insult herin my presence. Now, depart quietly—or you will be handed over to the keeping of a constable for endeavouring to extort money from her.” “That's a capital joke,” exclaimed the Magsman, with a chuckling laugh. “Why—everything she’s gol, by nght belongs to me——” “Silence!” screamed Mrs Brace, almost frantic. “ And what’s more, added the ruffian, heedless of this inarraption; “ I'll bring an action againat your Royal Highuess for crim. con. with my wile!’ The milliner shrieked—and fell senseless upon the earpet “ Miscreant ! ejaculated the Princa, unable to himself: “I'll have you hanged before you’re many weeks olda ” “No, you won't,” responded the man, with a tone | and air of insolent defiance: “ bat you'll send me: five hundred guineas to-morrow along with the same! sum that my wife has promised me—and on that condition I shall say no more of this business.” | Having thus dictated his terms to the rent, the Magaman grasped his club and strode out! of the room, banging the door violently behind him. , The noise aroused Mrs. Brace from her swoon— and his Royal Hi,aness raised her in his arms: then, nlacing her on a chair, he filled a tumbler with | water and made her swailow some of the refreshing beverage. | Not that the Prince cared very mach for her: his pride had been terribly wounded by the ides | that he had ever intrigued with the wife of such a | ruffian as the one who had just quitted the apart- ment ;—bnt the milliner was too useful to him in many ways and was acquainted with too many of his secrets to permit him to treat her with coolness or indiflerence—much less with disgust. “Oh: is not all this a horrible dream?” maur- mured the wretched woman, as she slowly came to herself: but as the full tide of memory swept back to her excited brain, she raised her eyes in an im- ploring manner towards the Prince,saying, “ What mast your Royal Highness think of me now ?” “ Just the same as I did before,” was the prom3 but insincere answer. “You cannot help the degra- dation into which that vile man 1s evidently plunged —and I pay a better compliment to your taste than to suppose that when you married him years ago he was anything like what he is at present.” “Oh! I thank you—sincerely thank you for these assurances,’ said Mra. Brace, conaiderably relieved ; —and she pressed his hand to her heaving bosom. “To-morrow you must send him a thousand guiueas—imind, a thousand guineas, Fanny, ob- eerved the heir-apparent: “that is to say, five hundred for yourself—and five hunded for me. He will then leave you tranquil, no doubt. If not, we must devise some energetic measure to send him out of the country altogether.” “Did he, then, dare to make stipulations with you ?”’ inquired Mrs, Brace, who, it wi be remem bered, was in a senseless state when the Magsman ordered the Prince to send nim the money that was to purchase his secrecy and forbearance. “He did. But we will not dwell upon the sub ject,” hastily observed his Royal Highness, who ex- perienced the keenest sense of mortification at the insult which he had found himself compelled to put up with. “I will send you over a cheque for five hundred guineas in the morning—and you must not fail to remit the thousand to that man before night.” . The milliner was about to make some remark, when Harriet entered the room to announce that Mies Clarendon had just arrived, and was waiting for Afr. Harley in the apartment to which thelady’s- maid had conducted her. Oe ee COMIC OOO SS