The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 43: what you’re looking at

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

$2 THM mYsBTRHIAS OF THB CuUEL. fainted with joy—and she vowed that she could be with the old Jad y 1e could be with the old lady —and should hav should have lost the French happier with you on fifty guineas a week, than with his Grace of Marchmont on two hundred.” “Why this is as good asaromance |” excisimed the delighted and credulous Augustus. “ Quite as good,” answered Madame Angelique: and she no doubt thought precisely what she said. “ Only conceive, my dear Softly, the honour, the fame, and the glory of running off with a Duke’s mistress! Why, it is better than running off with his wife: because a man of the world is always more sensitive in respect to his mistress than he is to his wife. How you will be spoken about! — what a noise you will make!—what a sensation ! -———and all the ladies will smilingly call you the naughty man !” “*Pon my soul, it will be quite delicious!” ex- claimed Lieutenant Softly. “ But is she beautiful P’’ “ Beautiful, elegant, and accomplished,” rejoined Madame Angelique. “She is the daughter of an old French Marquis; and Marchmont took her, by my aid, from a convent between two and three months ago. She never really liked the Duke: her only object was to escape from s seclusion which she abhorred; and as for her virtue, apart from this one jittle failing, Tam ready to guarantee it in a bond of a hundred thousand pounds, or on an affadavit sworn before the Lord Mayor of Lon- don.” Of course such guarantees clinched the argu- ment—et least in the mind of the credulous, con- oeited, and frivolous Augustus Softly; and already as elate as he could be with his presumed conquest, he gave vent to his delight in the most extravagant expressions—all of which Madame Angelique care- fully echoed, while laughing ia her sleeve. Feeling confident,” she resumed, “that you would grant the dear girl an interview, I sent to request that she would pay me a visit this after- noon. But would you believe it? she is so frenzied with delight, that she orders her maid to pack up, _ bag and baggage—and away she comes, leaving the splendid apartments the Duke hed provided for her—and upon her tailette-table a rose-tinted perfumed billet, with a few laconic lines to the effect that she separates from his Grace for ever! I told her that her conduct was madness, as she could not possibly be sure that you would take her under your own protection———though it is true that old Lord Wenham, who was here just now, and saw her alight at my door, offered me two hundred and fifty guineas if I would use my in- fluence———” “By Jove, I wi just make it double!” eja- culated Softly, “I hope you will not teel offended ———”” “I really do not know,” said Madame Ange- lique, with a very serious countenance, “ whether I ought to receive anything in a transaction which is really so delicate, and which I merely undertook to manage from motives of pity for the sweet creature and out of regard for you. But if you must write a cheque for five hundred guineas, I | cannot think of wounding your feelings by refusing to accept it.” “ How lucky I got that loan through Armytage this morning !” thought the young lieutenant to himself, as, putting aside all his fashionable lan- guor, he flew to the desk to pon the cheque: “or else I should have cut but a devilish sorry figure @ beauty.” “ Dear me, what creatures you young Guards. men are!” ssid Madame Angelique, as if musing to herself, but taking very good care that the Hon. Augustus Softly should catch the words which she uttered. “I never saw such killing men—their very looks are sufficient to couquer female hearts in a moment!” “ Where is the beauty P” asked Softly, drinking in all this pleasant flattery. “TI will go and fetch her,” said Madame Ange. lique: and she issued from the boudoir. Mademoiselle Armantine had passed the pre- ceding night in the arms of an attaché to a Foreign Embassy:—not a German one, for Ma- dame Angelique knowing very well that the Ger- man representatives of their native princes, were a eet of scurvy paupers, never allowed them to set foot in her establishment. The French girl was io an elegant evening toilet; and she looked ravishingly beautiful. Madame "Angelique com- plimented her upon her bewitching appearance ; and then addressed her in the amaeing man- ner :— “You are already aware, my dear Armantine, that I am about to give up my business, and that I have already provided in the handsomest man- ner fur those dear girls Egiantine and Linda. Your turn is now come; and between you and me, my dear, you are the best off. What think you of a young, handsome, and elegant officer of the Guards—exceedingly intelligent and accom- plished—witty and clover—not yet of age, but able to raise as much money as he thinks fit ?” Armantine’s countenance expressed her satisfae- tion with the proposed arrangement. “I am glad that you are pleased,” continued Madame Angelique; “and it is all the more de- lightful to me, inasmuch as the trouble I am taking is purely diaiuterested. But there are ono or two little things that I must tell you, my dear young friend.” She then explained the sastlosien of the tale which she had told the Hon. Augustus Softly,— adding, “ You can safely give him the same as- surances: for I will take care that Marchmont shall not contradict I can do anything I like with the Duke; and as for that part of the history which flattered the young officer with the idea of the violent passion you have conceived for hin———” “Trust to me to play my part properly,” inter- jected Armantine. ‘Of all men as a protector, I could best fancy an officer in the Guards !” “He will allow you fifty guineas a week,” re- joined Madame Aogelique; “and if within e twelvemonth you do not ruin him completely, it will be your own fault. My dear girl, the repu- tation of a young lady is never established until she has ruined three or four of her lovers. Look at your celebrated actresees--——But no matter! Softly must be dying of impatience; and you must accompany me forthwith. Memember, my dear, bashful tenderness and modest joy—that is your eue ! | Pad The infamous woman thereupon conducted the pliant and willing French girl to the boudoir, and so well did Armantino play her part that the Hon. Augustus Softly was completely ravished by his DOO <S ee i emetil co