The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 165: what you’re looking at

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154 THE MYSTERIES. “ He is a fine fellow—vwill do a good action—sings he took the hand which the Prince of Wales held cut to him. The lady returned his salutation with cold courtesy, and resumed her seat. The Prince threw himself upon a sofa, and invited Meagies to take a chair, inquiring at the same time whether he had breakfasted. “ 'Yes— hours ago,” was the answer: “and since then I have been gathering all the intelligence I eould scrape tuyether respecting——” He stopped, and gianced towards the lady. “You may continue, sir,” said Mrs. Fitzherbert. “His Royal Highness has no secrets with me,” she added in a dignified manner. “Tt is all true—just as I told you,” proceeded | gee Meagles, addressing himself to the Prince. “The King has cou:municated to the Ministers his desire that your Royal Highness should espouse the Princess Caroline of Brunswick: the Cabinet as- sembled yesterday afternoon and discuec:d the question ;—and it was agreed to retain the affair a secret for a short time longer. But somehow or wwother the rumour got afloat in the evenizng—and now it is known to be correct.” “ Upon my honour,” exclaimed the Prince, in- | ance ?” dignantly, ‘‘ my august father has a magnificent notion of the way to cater for his son's happiness ; —aud Mr. Pitt and his friends in the Cabinet dis- pose of the destinies of the heir-apparent to the throne with as much coolness as a magistrate dis- plays when he commits a vagrant to the House of Correction.” “It will be your fault if you submit tamely to ‘these indignities,” said Me. Fitzsherbert, empha- tically. “The contemplated alliance becomes the talk of the town even before the faintest hint has been dropped to-s ourself.” ‘ “It is too bad,” retarned the Prince. “But. what more have you heard, Meagles ? Tell ns eversthing, and without reserve: Mrs. ‘Fitazherbert will be all the better pleased with you.” “There is a report that your Royal Highness. private affairs were also discussed yesterday at the Cabinet Council,” said Tim: “and I know that the rumonur is correct.” “ What was mooted?—and how are you aware that the story is true?” demanded the Prinov, with feverish impatience, and with a hasty glance at Mrs. Fitzherbert. “In the first place,” answered Meagics, ‘it is paid that Mr. Pitt proposed to his colleagues a scheme for the settlement of the debts contracted by your Royal Highness, and which projec: will be submitted to Parliament when it meets next month. Secondly, 1 am sure that sach was the case, because the editor of the Government evening paper is an intimate friend of mine; and 1 have been with him this morning. There'll appear an article, in the shape of what may be termed a ‘feeler,’ in to-night’s edition.” “ Even the very scrubs of the press receive such important intelligence earlier than I,” exelaimed the Prince, in a tone which proved how deeply he was mortified. “It is the most underhand thing I ever knew in all my life.” “Ican assure you that my friend Percy Booth, the editor, is no scrub,” said Meagles, somewhat @nnoyed at the suy-ercilious manner in which his Royal Highness spoke ¥f the gentlemen of the press Collectively, and consequently of him individua!!y. en a a capital song—and is a famous hand with the gioves.” “No insult was intended to your friend, sir,” ob- serve! Airs. Fitzherbert, whose sensitiveness was shocked at the idea of a man’s amiable qualities being summed up in the singing of bacchanalian airs and in pugilistio skilfalness. | “So much the better, madam,” said Meagies, who saw that Mrs. Fitsherbert could barely tole- rate his presence: and, by way of retaliation, he remarked, “By the bye, your Royal Highness will be delighted with a certain French nobleman who longs to be preasmted to you. Heisa rei:- “Ah! indeed,” exoisined the heir-apparent fancying that Meagles was adopting this indirect mode of letting him know that he had disoovsred another rich emigrant, who, like the Marguis of St. Croix, would be giad & entrust his to the princely keeping. -“ I ahalll ‘be pleased to ahow suitable attention to any Beanch nobleman whs has auffered throngh devation to his Sovereign. What is the name of your mew fercign acquaint “ The Marquis.of Beliaig” Meagiea;— and he threw a furtive glance touards Mrs. &ins- herbeet-to notice the effeat which the mention af this name would have upon ‘her. She turneil ashy pale, and foran instant appearell to see] upon her chair, as if asiged with a eadiden vertigo: but resovering hereelf the next moment, ahe darted a rupid look at Meagles, to asscrtais whether he had any sinister meaning in thus tnte- ducing the name of that nobleman. - Their eyes met, and were-inatantaneously averted’; —and while the lady affected to ‘he arranging hor brooch, Mfcagles glanced towncils the Prince. His Royal Highness had nat abeerved the . confusion on the part of Airs. Fitsherbert, nor the rapid looks that followed it: for he had fallen into a profound reverie, the matrimonial project de- vised by his father having sorely troubled him. “ Yes,” continued Meagies, who was determined to convince Mrs. Fitaherbert that she must not hope to domineer over him.or treat him with con. tempt in futare,—* this Marquis of Bellois is a very nice man, and must have been uncommonly hand- some a few years ago. But I am afraid he is rather dissipated—indeed, that he is given to gambling. If so, he will find plenty of English sharks ready to prey upon him.” “ We were discussing more important matters, I think, Mr. Meagles,” said Mrs. Fitzherbert, who had now recovered her eelf-possession: for a few mo- ments’ reflection had led her to believe—or rather to flatter herself—that the Marquis ef Belloits was too high-minded and generous a man to have betrayed her secret to Mr. Timothy Meagles. “We will return to the former topic, madam, since such is your pleasure," obeerved this indi- vidual. “But, by the bye, the Marquis informed me that he had the honour of becoming acquainted with you, during your residence at Plombiers, and after- wards in Paris, several years ago.” An ice-bolt seemed to shoot through the heart of Mra. Fitzherbert, as Tim Meagies uttered these words in & measured tone, and with his gaze fixed intently upon her countenance. She felt that she was once snore turning deaJly pale—that her lips quivered— wee Oe ee ee _—_ GORMGOOOKXS co