The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 345: what you’re looking at

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

ER AT LC 330 . THE MYSTERIES. rulated as unrestrainedly as the wine. The Prince ' pressed his lips, hot with the breath of lust, to the rich red mouths that were moistened with the - generous juice of the grape; and on his fevered brow and burning cheeks those courtezans of the ' Opera imprinted their harlot kisses. i Presently the musician, obedient to a signal -which he gave her, returned to the piano: and ‘while the glorious instrument was made to desecrate itself by pouring forth its rieh strains in a libidinous Measure, the dancing-girls united their voices in | nasal the obscene air to which it belonged. " The orgie was thus at its height—and the Prince of Wales was joining in the ribald song,—when the door was suddenly thrown open, and a page an- i nounced—* The King ° Heavens! what a scene of confusion instanta- ‘neously fullowed—and what a spectacle was this to ' greet the eyes of a monarch and a father! The musician sprang with a shriek from the _ piano—the two girls started with responsive screams from the knees of the Prince—the rest fluttered round the table, not knowing how to act and wish- ing the floor would open and swallow them up: here a champagne-glass was dropped and broken— there a bottle was overturned with a clattering din -—-and a fruit-dish, being upset in the hucry and bewilderment of the scene, scattered its contents upon the door. King George III stood aghast! The consterna- tion of mingled horror and amazement was exe | pressed upon his naturally stolid countenance— his hands were spread out fan-like from his wrists —his eye-balls glared wildly—and his whole atti- tude was so absurd in its indignation, that, were be not the British Sovereign, he would have been sa- luted with peals of laughter instead of received with looks of dismay. The Prince of Wales was for g few moments 80 astounded by this sudden apparition of his august father that he remained transfixed to his seat, staring vacantly upon him : but suddenly recover- ing some portion of his presence of mind, he started up and waved his hand imperiously ¢o the ballet- girls to withdraw. This tacit but unmistakable command recalled them also from thelr hevwilder- ment and confusion: and, as if seized with a panic terror, they rushed towards the door communicat- ing with an inner room,—their gauze drapery flat- tering airily—their supple aod exquisitely formed limbs moving glanciagly, and the nymph-like light- ness of their forms acquiring a soaring appearance, as they fled—or rather flew—like a bevy of af. frighted fairies from the preseace of some uneouth mortal who had intruded upon their sacred retreat. The apartment was thus cleared of the courtezans of the Opera—aad the Prince of Wales found him- self alone with the King: for the page who escorted his Majesty thither, had prudently retired the mo- ment he caught a glimpee of the aspect of affhira. Covered with shame—half tipsy with the generous juice of Epernay which be had imbibed—and not knowing whether to assume an air of contrition or defiance, the Prinec of Wales stood balancing him- self by holding on to the back of the chair whence he had risen, and gazing vacantly on the countenance 1 the King who was looking fully as stupidly at im. “ Dreadful—horrible—dreadfal!” at length ejacu- —ae —— > ee ee ee i oe ee George—I couldn’t have believed it. Knew you were wild—bnit didn’t think you were so bad as this; no—didn’t think it for a moment. Wouldn't have believed it if any one had told meso. But I can't stop in this room—no, not in this room. It smells of wine and orgies—and drunken dissipation—and all that kind of thing. Come, sir—lead me else- where, that I may speak a few words without having my nose offended — nage offended,” reiterated his Majesty, applying hie forefinger and thumb to hs premontory and holding the tip with an ex- pression of deep di * He pleased to walk agit ll id the Prince of Walesa, endeavouring with all ht to steady both his legs and his idega; but fepling that he was scarcely able to keep upen the fermer and that the latter were whirling in chaotie eonfusion, he mut- tered to himself, as he threw apes the door by which the King had originally enteyed the room, “It's no use—I'm es drank as nation !” “Eh !—what? what?” eaoulated his Majesty, mp eSs o Sr turning sharply and suddenly round just es he was crossing the threshold: “ what was that you said, air—eh ?”’ “J ventured to observe, sire,” anawered the Prince, endeavouring to look as sober as he eould,—* that, our little revel deserves seme extegquation.” “Ah!—ah!—yes—I caught the atfon,” eied the King, looking his son very hard in the face; “bat! thought that it formed part of some other word Well—and what egouse have you—e/— whst excuse——” “ Simply, nogt revered sire,” returned tp Prince, assuming all the vacant gravity ef seni-hatepiestion, —“‘simply thet theme young ladies had gqme to sing * God save the King!’ which we wore indeed practising at the mement when your y broke in upon us: and the warda of the anthen— hic—had filled ua a0 full of loyalty, that we were obliged to drink your Majesty’s health in bus | + | pers. “ Hem! well—it may be so—it may be 00,” wil | the King, surveying the Prince suspiciously: “and I hope it is for your sake. But when I think of tt, how was it that twe ef the girls were seated ou your knees, sir—seated on your knees—eh ?” “Oh! may it please your Majesty, that was © show me how to beat time accurately,” replied the Prince of Wales. “ Beat fiddlestick !” exclaimed the King: but oct choosing to prolong this portion of the discourse, be hurried from the apartment where the orgic had taken place and accompanied his scape-grace ea © another room in the splendid mansion. Gazing around-him as he took the seat which th Prince officiously placed for bis acoommodation, the King’s eye was speedily offended by certain pictures and statues which ornamented the apertment, ond which, without being absolutely indelicate, might certainly have been more decent. | ' | 4 | ‘ t “ Hey-dey® exclaimed his Majesty: “at rm Carlton House—or in a luxurious brothel f "Pon | my word, George, your taste is very vicious—very vicious indeed. What means that naked woman there in the great picture between the at Come—speak !* “It is Venus rising from the ocean, my det father,” answered the Prince of Wales; “and it 18 considered a perfect master-pieoe.” ee Say ee COMNGOOOKS I lated the monarch. “{ couldn't have believed it,| “ Master-piece, indeed !--master Addiestick !" - COMM