The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 194: what you’re looking at

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

THE MYSTERING. 181 @e nothing more in the matter than I havo sug- @ested; and therefore it is useless for you to re- main here any loager.” “ But what answer am I to take back to the poor dady ?” demanded the sheriff’s-officer. “Go and tell her that I am so poor I cannet possibly assist her, and so indisposed that I cannot pay her a visit,” replied the Prince ;—and he waved his hand towards the door in a fashion too signifi- eant not tobe comprehended by Mr. Crimp. “ But stay !” suddenly ejaculated his Royal Highness, starting from his seat: “you had better depart by & private staircase which there is at hand—or else amy people in the hall will only be stopping you to ask impertinent questions : for I daresay that some of them would not fail to guess what your calling too grandly imposing to be concealed by the mas culine apparel which nevertheless became her si admirably ;—“ you ain’t wery far wrong in your con jecture——” “What! then, you are an officer?” said Lad; Lade, for she indeed #% was: and, inspired by on of those sudden and incomprehensible sentiment of curiosity which often prompt even the most in. different tn inquire into the affairs of others, sh: raised her finger to her bright red lip, whisperin, in an under-tone, “Hush! speak low—or we ma} be overheard! And now tell me, my good fellow what has brought you hither?” she demanded, a the same time slipping a couple of guineas into th bailiff’a hand. “ust tell me, please, how I’m to address you— is. Come, my good fellow—be off—and here's a ! sir,—or ma'am?” asked Mr. Crimp, who felt re- guinea for you.” Thus speaking, the heir-apparent drew aside a velvet curtain at the extremity of the apartment —unlocked the door which was now revealed —and ‘motioned impatiently for Mr. Crimp to take him- self off by the secret staircase. The bailiff, whose right hand clutched the guinea which had been thrust into it, descended half-a-dozen steps at a time in hia haste to comply with the royal pleasure, which evidently was that he should lose not a mo- ment in vanishing from the perfumed precincts of Carlton House; and with such precipitation did he bundle himself down the staircase, that he had not time to check his pace when the sounds of as- cending footeteps suddenly reached his ears. The consequence was that at the next moment he came in violent collision with the indjvidual who was thus beginning to mount the staircase ;—and be- fore the unfortunate bailiff had time to murmur a single syllable of apology, he received a couple of smart lashes from a riding-whip. “Stupid animal!” cried a voice that was cer- tainly too melodious and flute-like for that of a man—and yet it came from the lips of one wearing @ masculine apparel. “Could you not see whither you were going?” The staircase was only dimly lighted by means of a small fan-window over the private door at the bottom: but Mr. Crimp was nevertheless enabled, by a second gianoe at the personage whom he had thus encountered, to perceive that it was a splendid woman in the attire of a man;—for the magni- ficent black hair showered in a thousand ringlets over the broad but sloping shoulders, and the tight- fitting frock-coat developed the luxuriant contours of the superb bust. “Beg pardon, sir—ma’am—but your whip cuts sharp,” said Mr. Nathan Crimp. “I didn’t mean no offence by running agin you-——” “Well, then, my good fellow, we will say no more upon the subject,” exclaimed the disguised lady, her merry smile revealing the brilliant teeth which appeared hke the whitest and purest ivory set between the reddest and moistest coral. “ But what on earth are you doing here ?—and who are you? For if you will pardon my rudeness,” added the Amazon, still laughing, “you seem to me more like a bailiff or writ-server than a Prinoe’s lac- quey.” “Well, mvam—asir, I mean—that is to say, maam,” stammered Crimp, utterly bewildered as to the proper terms in which he ought to address the superb creature whose feminine charms were aT a STL SE SSCS marxably anxious to be enlightened on tha “Tam Lady Lade,” was the response delivered with a good humoured, amile ; “and now you know to which sex I really do belong.” ; “ Ah! ma’am, there wasn’t no difficulty in telling that much, when once Id leisure to take one good look at your ladyship,” said Mr. Crimp, his mouth watering as he fixed his eyes cagerly upon the superb bosom which seemed ready to burst through the coat that imprisoned it. “ But in the fust place I certainly did think you was a genelman—for that whip of your’n hit precious hard ——” ‘* And I have given you the salve for the wound, my man,” said the huntress, with a smile, 4s she glanced down at the gold which Mr. Nathan Crimp still held in his hand. “ Just so,” he observed, now consigning the coin to his pocket: “and I wouldn’t mind receiving as many lashes as your ladyship likes, at the same price. But you was a-asking me what ['m doing here ;—and I don’t care if I tell your ladyship the truth. Perhaps your ladyship knows Mrs. Fits- herbert ?” “By name and by sight, as a matter of course,” responded the Amazon: “but not to speak to. What of her?” “ She’s in a little trouble—or rather a great deal of trouble,” continued Mr. Nathan Crimp; “and she sent me with a letter to ask the Prince to assist her. But he says he’s too poor to advance any money, and too ill to go and see her.” “ Where is she, then® inquired Lady Letitia. * At my lock-up in Chancery Lane,” was the answer, “But she must go to the Fleet to-morrow unless she pays to-day, as Rigden the lawyer will rule the Sheriff to make a return.” “I know nothing of all those forms and cere- monies,” said the Amazon: “ but this I do know— that it is scandalous beyond all conception and in- famous beyond all description for the Prince to treat the unfortunate lady in such a manner. How much does she owe ?” ‘Somethink more than a couple of thousand guineas would put her all to rights, may it please your ladyship,” replied Crimp. “But I'm sure if such a nice, humane, good-hearted creatur’ as your ladyship evidently is, would on’y come and call upon poor Mrs. Fitzherbert, she would feel herself so much obleeged——” “Yes—I will accompany you to Chancery Lane at once,” exclaimed the Amazon, aftcr a few mo- ments’ profound meditation. “The business thas ECORAIC Oe (CO