The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 283: what you’re looking at

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

Sa a ee I aT TE TT ETD 266 THE MYSTERIES. EE circulate. The absence of both of us at the same | “ Yes—every syllable,” answered Mrs. Fitzherbert, time cannot fail to engender certain suspicions ;—and | darting furious glances on the heir-apparent, who I leave you to judge whether they will be more pre- | folded his arms, leant against the mantel, and en- judicial to you or to me. Now, beauteous Eleanor, | deavoured to assume an air of indifference. do you begin to see the position in which you are| “You will therefore agree with me, madam,” con- placed t” tinued the Countess, “that I have been subjected to “ And despair nerves me with courage!” suddenly | an outrage as vile as the spirit which suggested it ejaculated the lovely woman, who did indeed appear | must be cowardly and despicable ?” lovelier still in her indignation. “You may keepme| % We will not use hard words, if your ladyship a prisoner here, Prince of Wales,” she cried, darting | pleases,” said Mrs, Fitzherbert, bending a severe look looks of defiance at the heir-apparent: “ bat I take | upon Eleanor; “ for, according to one portion of the God to witness that, be the consequences what they | dialogue which ere now took place between youreelf may, the first use I shall make of my liberty will | and his Royal Highness, it would appear that he has be to hasten into the presence of a i or a| received some considerable amount of judge and demand whether there be no ment on the part of your ladyship. Nay—it would even your Royal Highness.” even seem,” she added, with a caustic emphasis, ° i “that on one particular occasion his Royal Highness should have beoome the partner of your ladyship's bed, had not some unforeseen incident prevented eo agreeable a result.” “ Madam,” said the Countess of Desborough, re- covering all her dignity, and fixing her magnificent eyes with grand effect upon Mrs. Fitzherbert,—“if you yourself be immaculate, then wherefore is it that you are not styled her Royal Highness the Prinoess of Wales ?—but if, on the other hand, you ture upon a reprimand to a have no claim to that distinction, how dare you un- “But if you detain me force—against | dertake the pert of moralist with me? Tell me that my will,” exclaimed Eleanor, “the scandal—the | you are the wife of his Royal Highness, and you shame—the infamy that will result——° will then bring a blush to my cheek, and I fall upon my knees and implore your pardon for ever having wronged you in thought, though never well considered the subject. | in deed: but if you be only Mrs. Fitzherbert—the “For how etands the matter? Mrs. Brace will step | mistress of the heir-apparent ——” forward and declare that she managed the whole m-| “Silence, madam!” cried the lady whom Eleanor trigne—that the Countess of Desborough of her own | thus boldly addressed in such words of sarcasm: accord proceeded to a certain bed-chamber where | then, stamping her foot imperiously, Mrs. Fitsherbert che met the Prince of Wales—and that it is a mere | drew herself up to her full height—and, in a tone maudlin sentiment of compunction, or else a feeling | and manner of the loftiest dignity, she exclaimed, of jealousy, which makes her tarn round upon her | “ It is time that your ladyship should learn whom royal paramour to denounce him. There, Eleanor—~ have insulted and outraged—for I am indeed the story is cat and dried—all in readiness ;~-and you her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales {” sce that everything oan be accounted for as naturally “My God! what have you said ’—what madness as possible. have you perpetrated f” exclaimed the heir-apparent, “Yes—I indeed that you are capable of | suddenly becoming fearfully excited: and, seizing any villany,” exol the Countess, darting a look | Mra. Fitsherbert—for so we had better continue to of deadly hatred upon the Prince of Wales. “I al- | call her, inasmuch as she was never known by any ready knew you to bo profligate—extravagant—sel- | higher name to the world,—seizing her by the wrist, fish—ungrateful—and heartless: but it was reserved | we say, the Prince muttered in 2 low, hoarse, and for the incident of this night to teach me that you are | thick tone, “I am aware that my conduct has been @ villain.” " bad this evening towards you: but your vengeance “The sooner I close that abusive mouth with | is terrible in the extreme! ‘or by proclaiming kieses the better!” oried the Prince, with a voice | yourself to be my wife, you have endangered my and look of vindictive triumph ;—and, extending his | very heritage of the British crown!” arms, he rushed towards the Countess. A deadly pallor came over the countenance of “Hold!” ejaculated a full-toned female voice ;— | Mrs. Fitzherbert, as she was thus painfully reminded and from behind the curtains of the bed stepped forth | of the tremendous indiscretion of which she had a lady whose flashing eyes, crimson countenance, and | been guilty: but almost instantly recovering her quivering lips proclaimed a rage not easy to be ap- | presence of mind, she took the Countess of Des- borough’s hands in both her own, saying, “ Let us It was Mra. Fitsherbert ! pardon each other for the harsh words which we have A cry of joy and triumph burst from the lips of | exchanged—and let us henceforth be friends.” the Countess of Desborough: but a terrible oath—| “Oh! cheerfully—cheerfully!” cried the generous- an imprecation so fearful that we dare not attempt to | hearted Eleanor, in a tone of fervent sincerity. * Your record it—fell from the tongue of the Prince of | Royal Highness ——” Wales. “ Hush!” exclaimed the other: “ you must never “Madam, you have doubtless heard all that has | fail to call me Mfrs. Fiézherbert / I will not ask you passed between his Royal——I mean, between this|to swear to keep this socret—because I know that man,” exclaimed Eleanor, pointing disdainfully and | your ladyship is a woman of honour, and it would loathingly at the Prince,—“ and myself?” be an insult to exact a vow to that effect: but I will PI Eig eee. COMNIGDOOKSHGEOh