The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 29: what you’re looking at

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

| | | 6 was necensary ¢o my plan that I showild seed you into 3 deep slumber—eni I beeame your bed- fellow in order to obtain as opportunity of p-actising thet exjolery whieh would induce you to drink from the glass that I had dragged beforehand.” “Bat this was the foniest treachery—the most damnable perfidy that woman ever practised ” ex- claimed the Prince, casting looks of demoniac hatred upon the Amazon. * Not worse than the treachery and the perfidy which your Royal Highness practised towards the man who had been so good a friend to you,” re- turned the huntresa, her coral lips thas shooting forth the sharpest errows. “Bat now shall you learn the perpose which I bad in view last night; and this explanation will affurd the key to that mystery which places you in my power. ina word, then, Prince of Wales, I have myself of His Royal Highness stagge dealy strock with the sharp blow of a hammer: for ell the fearfal truth broke upoa him in an in- stant—and he saw that he was indeed ia the power of a woman who was not likely to surreader up the surreptitiously-eoguired talisman of her influence aati! all her ebjects were fully accemplished. “Listen again,” she resamed, after a short pause, —“and I will tell how I disoovered that it was you through whose ageacy poor Meagies was sent out of the country. The other morniog his landlady received a letter stating in concise terms that he had been detected in treasonabie designs against the Sovereign, bat that through the leniency of the paternal Government he was permitted to repair without delay to Nerth America, on condition that he never again retaraed to his native land. This letter was shown to me ; aud I instantly saw therein the evidences of some iafernal treachery. Bat my suspicions did not at once fail upen your Royal Highness : on the coutrary, I rather fancied that it was some device of your despotic father the King, to rob you of the services of a man who was so faithful and so devoted. But when I learnt that on the very same day when Meagtes disappeared, your valet Germain had been to his lodgings—had re- mained there fora short time—anad had then taken his departure, with some frivolous exouse,—it struck me like an inspiration that thero was something wrong. My suspicions were thus directed inte the right channel; and on examining Meagies’ writing- desk, I saw enough to eouvince me that some one had been there already. It was not then very dificult to put two and two together; and I re- solved to take up my friend's cause with even a raore sealous championship than if it were my own. The campaige has been opened—it commenced last night—end the advantage remains to me. By | & little stratagem, a great object was achieved. | ‘Fhepapere—thoee valuable, those important papers —are in my possession; and I am now here to dictate my own terms to you—the discomfitted, the defeated, the humiliated enemy.” “ Meagles deserved all that has happened to him,” | @aid the Prince, in a thick hoarse voice and with a dogged manner : “ for he stole the papers from me ' fn the fivat instameo—and it was by their aid that ” responded - “Suffice it for my purpose and for yeu lo know that the papers as ob ase now in mg heeds. Yes—the Lightfoct cartificats proving with Mre. Firzherbert,” continued the Amaszon, heedleas of the interruption,—* a marriage which, if proclaimed to the public, would lose you the crown that vou hope to weas——” “ Ah! do you dare menace me — cried the Prince, clenching his fists and grinding his teeth. “Thea the which shows that thie eame Mrs. Fitzherbert—-your own wife,” procesded the remorseless Amazon,—* became the paramour of the Marquis of Bellois—the mother of a child, too-——” “ Fiend!—devil !—demeness!” ejaculated the heir- apparent, stamping his feet with fury and extending his arms menacingly towards the huntress. “ Rage oa—rage on—I defy you |” she exclaimed; and her musical laugh rang through the chamber. “The papers—you have them about yeur person —yes the plunder is concealed beneath your gar- ments!” cried the Prince, in a hoarse thick voice and in broken sentences, “ Bat, by the eternal God! I will tear them from you—J will rend your garments to shreds—I will marder you, sooner than let you escape me!” And with a species of savage yell, such as a hyena sends forth when into fury, he sprang towards the huntress. Bat, nimble and agile as the young fawn in the forest, the lady darted aside; and at the same mo- most a bright dagger which she drew from the besem of her frock-coat gleamed across the eyes of the Prince. “Touch me—and I strike!” she exclaimed, her handsome countenance suddenly expressing an im- placable sternness. Fer nearly a minute his Royal Highness stood gasing upon her, uncertain how to act. His white and quivering lips deaoted the fell passions of the malignant coward; for he could have found it ia hie heart to murder her then and there, had he not dseaded to encounter the sharp poaiard which the Axmaaon displayed so suddenly. “ 1¢ is useless for us to quarrel thus, Letitia.” he said at length: “let us come to terms.” “'Yes—but I must dictate them,” was the re- sponse. “Put up your weapon, and we will look the mat- ter calmly in the face,” cried the Prinoe. “Oh! I am not afraid to give you even the chance of falling upon me unawares,” exclaimed the Amazon, as she returned the dagger to its sheathe in the bosom of ber garment. “ Do you take me for an assassin f° demanded lis wore Highness, flinging upon her a ferocious “Simos you ask me the question,” replied the huntress coolly, “I will candidly confess that there are no crimes of which I deem you to be incapable.’ The Prince bit his lip till the blood stained his teeth. Oh! if he could only have rung the beii and given that woman into custody,—if he could only have sent her after Meagles across the seas! Buc no—he dared not: for the papers which she pos- seased contained secrets involving his honour aad (COU Rn nnn nee nner eee ee en eee SS LT a ea cae Rat (C DOO (CO