The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 271: what you’re looking at

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264 “My dear Fanny, what, in heaven’s name! is the matter 2” “ Nothing — nothing —a little tempo tion,” she said, endeavouring to smile: attempt was very ineffectual. “It is something more serious than you cliocse to admit,” observed the Prince: then, his eye catching the letter which lay upon the rug, he stooped down and picked it up. | “You must not read it!” exclaimed Mra. Brace, extending her hand to receive the note. “This is silly of you, Fanny,” said the Prince, neither giving her the document nor yet reading it. “IE hold in my hand the undoubted cause your annoyance and vexation—and you are well aware that I should not wish to become acquainted with its contents through any motive of jealousy. Such nonsense has long ceased to exist between youandme. Therefore, when I express an anxiety to read this letter, it is through pure solicitude on your behalf——.” “And an apprehension that it may probably refer to yourself,” added the milliner, with a tart- ness which she very rarely exhibited to any one— much leee to the Prince of Wales. “Well—I do not know but that you had better perase the docu- ment,” she observed immediately afterwards, in a milder tone. | His Royal Highness accordingly cast his eyes over the letter ;—and his coantenanoe fell, “By heaven! this is serious,” he oe flinging himself upon a seat, while Mts. Brace re- sumed her chair opposite to him. %* The plot thickens rapidly,” he said in a musihy totic, as he referred to Florimel’s communication: “by God! it must thicken as much as it likes,” he exclaimed abruptly, “for anything that I van do te prevent it. ‘Pauline ts not idle on behalf of her sister’ This is just what I foresaw—just what I expected dil along. Pauline and Florime! are two maudlin sentimentalists together; and they will wotk a deal of mischief. How the deuce is it, Fanny, that you did not contrive to have Pauline debauched by some gay fellow, or else to prodece a separation between her and Florimel? The thing ts serious: but may I be particularly damned ff I know how to remedy it. ‘Jn less than forty-eight hours she’ —that’s Pauline—‘will have cleared up all doubt respecting the identity af Octavia’s lover’ Forty- eight hours! When was this note written ?” “ It reached me a few ittetants before you entered the room,” answered Mrs. Brave. *To be sure! I ought to have recollected the con- fusion and trouble in which you were plunged at the moment,” said the Prince. “ Well — forty-eight heurs—— that’s plenty ef time to adopt some de- emivé measure in.” . “Oh! you must not take the phrase in its literal sense,” exclaimed the millitier, “It may mean a longer, of It may mean a shorter period: but it is used emphatically to show that the interval will be brief ere your rank is discovered. So far, therefore, from postponing a due and serious consideration of the proper measures to be adopted, we must deliberate at once.” “Ifthere be one thing more than another that I hate,” said the Prince, ing as if he had a nausea in his mouth, “itis the trouble of thinking on dis- agreeable matters.” “Possibly !” observed Mrs. Brace, with petulant vexa- the THE MYSTERIES. dryness. * But your Royal Highness will be pleased to reflect that an exposure in this instaxice may oom- promise the very crown which you have in the pet- spective A young lady of family, seduced by e Prince of Wales under a feigned nameée—led to believe that his intentions were honourable and that he would espouse her,—my God! such a history would create a feeling of indignation from one of the kingdom to the other; and the people would pull down my house about my ears.” “No, my dear Fanny—we'd have a regimest of Guards stationed along Pall Mall to protect you,” responded the Prince, in a jocular mannet. “ Poark God, we always have plenty of General-officers who like nothing better than having to open a murderous cannonade upon the people.” € . “This is not a time nor a subject for jestiug, said Mrs. Brace. “I beseech you to look seriously at the matter — for it troubleé me profoundly. You perceive that even if you wete enabied to silence Octavia by means of the influence yoti ra over her, her sister Pauline would still pro- 99 € oun ae “And this Florimel would ho doubt Kelp her,” added the Prince. “By the bye, he is coming to Carlton House to-morrow night. He voted with the small Whig section in the House of Lords the othet evening—and I was therefore cotnpelled to place his name on my reception-list. I be very civil t& him to-morrow, and thus disarm him of any fancouf with which Pauline may have inspited him : for it is perfectly clear that the identity of Mr. Harley with the Prinoe of iy caberces Octavia in petkene that young lady—whereas Octavia is per * sald full of uncertainty.” “You may conciliate Florimel, . Mra. Btace: * besides, you petceive by his note that he would rather hush the matter up if he could. But depend upon it, from all I have heard, Pauline Cl on is agirl of apitit add will leave you no peace when once she shall have established the fact of your identity. There is only one plan that I cat think of —” “Name it—name it, my deat Fanny,” cried the Prince. “I knew you would end by suggesting something: you art so fertile inexpedients. Besides, women always like to make mattets out as bad as they can, when they mean to wind up by propo ing a remedy. Now then, my dear, what is your lan?” . “ Listen patiently for a few minutes,” said the milliner, smiling at thé compliments whieh the Prince paid her. “ You are well acquainted with Mr. Clarendon’s position. A few weeks ago he hiinself cettain of succeeding to flte Marchmont peerage, the Hon. Arthur Eaton being then at death's oor. But this young gentleman has réecovefed in 8 most miraculous manner; and there is not the dlight- est chance that Mr. Clarendon will ever be Lend Marchmont. To make things still more unpleasant for Mr. Clarendon he accepted a large incothe from the present Lord Marchmont, and went ahd took 4 finé house, at the time when Arthur Eatoti was sup- posed to be dying. He is therefore totally dependant on Lord Marchmont’s bounty; artd at the oki peef’e death, he will be dependant on Arthur, Such a position is doubtless intolerable for Mr. Clarendon ; atid yet it is quite clear that he cetinot well retrect and go back to his cottage in the Edgeware Road and his hundred or two hundred a yest.” S COMGLOO CONN