The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 305: what you’re looking at

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

288 THE MYSTERIES. The page handed his Majesty a card, whereon appeared the name of Mr. MBaGLes. “ve heard of him—lI’ve heard of him!” ejacu- lated the monarch, flinging the card petulantly upon the writing-table, and speaking with more than his usual volubility. “Pitt, who knows e everything—says he’a a sad dog—sad dog. And he’s very intimate with George, too—very intimate: a drinking companion, I’ll be bound—I’ll be bound. I will not see him at all,” added the King, tarning abruptly towards the page and speaking as savagely as if it were the page himself who was giving offence or annoyance. The youth bowed and was retreating towards the door, when the Princess Amelia, who had taken up the card and looked at it, made a rapid sign for him to remain: then, rising from her seat, and approach- ing her father, she said, “ You know, sire, that this gentleman—Mr. Meagles, I believe,” she added, glancing at the card to assure herself that she had pronounced the name oorrectly,— “is a very intimate friend of my brother; and it can be no ordinary matter which hasled Mr. Meagles to solicit a private audience of your Majesty.” “Do you think so, ’Melia?—do you think so?” exclaimed the King, who had a nervous habit of reiterating the half broken and jerking kind of sen- tences of which his conversation was composed. “J do indeed think, my dear father, that you ought to see this Mr. Meagles,” said the Princess, in a firm tone but with a sweetly coaxing and irresistibly win- ning manner. “Well, well—I will see him—Meagles, eh !— Meagles—Meagles,”’ exclaimed his Majesty, as if practising his tongue to pronounce the name cor- ‘“ Queer appellation, that—very queer! narch, in a musing style. “The page is awaiting your Majesty's commands,” said the Princess. —. . “Oh! commands—eh? Meaglee—eh?” cried the King, still harping with a species of childishness or imbecility upon the name. “ Meagles—Mea- gics! Well—let Mr. Meagles be introduced into our presence—and Mra, Meagles, too: for I suppose it must be Mra. Meagles who is with him. Meagles — Meagles !” And his Majesty kept on repeating the name for at least a dozen times, but in a sinking tone—so that at last the iteration ended in an inaudible whis- per. The page, understanding that he was to bring the visitors into the royal presence, bowed and withdrew; and the Princess Amelia likewise retired. King George the Third then began to pace the room iN a Dervous manner and with uneven renewing his muttered iterations of the name of Meagles. At length the door was thrown open—and the page announced “ Mr. and Mrs. Meagles” in a load voice. Another moment—and Tim and the Amason stood in the presence of the King ! Now George the Third was a great stickler for Court etiquette; and when his eyes encountered the gentleman in a riding-dresa and the lady in her male attire, each too with whip in hand, a frown of dis- pleasure gathered rapidly upon that countenance which was usually so stolid, vacant, and inane in its expression. Meagles instantaneously saw that the King was displeased — and the huntress also observed that sinister cloud spreading upon the royal features: and the truth struck them both at the same instant, Bat for this little incident they were not altogether unprepared ; and Meagles hastened to offer those ex- cuses which he deemed suitable. “Your Majesty is surprised—and doubtless of- fended,” he said, in a very respectful tone, “that Mrs. Meagles should have ventured to appear in such an attire before your Majesty—or that I should have been bold enough to come bither otherwise than in the costume befitting a Court. But we are plain, honest, every-day kind of people; and we hope your Majesty will give us credit for acting on the im- pulses of a moment when the object is to serve a friend. In plain terms, the business which has brought us to Windsor Castle is of so pressing a na- ture that we really had not time to make any change in our costume.” “And your name is Meagles—Meagles—eh !” d the King, eyeing him with great easpicion. “Such is my name, at your Majesty’s service,” was the reply. “ Your Majesty's son, the Prince ef Wales, usually calls me ‘ Zim’—and sometimes ‘ My dear Tim. As for my creditora—they call me ‘honest Mr. Meagles’” “ Well—well,” exclaimed hia Majesty, not know- ing exactly what to make of the geatleman, and uncertain whether to give him credit for matchless impudence or genuine John Bull bluntness: “ we shall know more of you preseutly, I dare say—I dare say. And this is Mrs. Meagles—eh ?* “ That is Mrs. Meagles, mag it please your Ma- jesty,” answered Tim. “ Fine woman—monatrous fine woman,” muttered the King to himself, as he surveyed the Amazon from head to foot: and, while his eyes were thus wandering leisurely and scrutinizingly over her splendid forin, as she stood in a graceful attitade of dignified self-possession befure him, a glimmer- ing of satisfaction appeared upon his countenance. “Ah! fine woman, Mrs, Meagles,” he repeated in a louder tone: “very fine woman—Mrs. Meagles — monstrous fine woman! Dress not so unbecoming after all—not near so unbecoming : rather suitable, on the contrary—rather suitable.” And then, tarning slowly away, he seated him- self in an arm-chair near the writing-table. “You've quite charmed his wicked old eye, my beauty,” said Meagles in a low tone to the Amazon. “Eh! what—what ?” ejaculated the King, start- ing up again. “ What's that you said, Mr. Mea- gies—whats that? Something about an eye?” “J ventured to observe, sire,” was the cool but respectful response, “that 1 flattered myself that my wife had found favour in your Majesty’s royal eye.” “Oh! ah! Well—there’s no harm in saying that— noharm atall, Mr. Meagles,” exclaimed King George the Third, quietly resuming his seat. “Come, now—what is the motive of your presence here ?— why have you besought an audienoe of your Sove- reign? From the observations you have already madt, Meagles, I do not suppose that the Prince has wronged this lady—your wife, I mean—Mrs. Meagles.” “Very far from it, may it please your Majesty,” answered Tim. “The truth is, my wife is so deeply imbued with a sense of his Royal Highness’s inva- COMNIGDOOKSEEON