The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 72: what you’re looking at

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

yee sen ftDege——— THE MYSTERIES. 55 — ee aaa a enn TSE a STs “Then light the fire,” continued the Prince. This command was immediately obeyed; and in a few moments the flames went rushing up the wide- mouthed chimney with a cheerful sound. = Tell me, Germain,” said George, after a pause,— “was I very particularly drunk last night? Speak candidly now—and without any nonsense.” “Your Royal Highness was certainly not sober,” responded the valet, in a submissive tone. “Damn the sobriety!” ejaculated the Prince, im- patiently. “I know perfectly well that I was far from sober—but I wish to be informed whether I was help- less OT = 99 “JT had the honour of supporting your Royal Highness Inther,” said Germain. “And of putting me into bed—eh ? cried the Prince. * F experienced that honour likewise,” answered the valet. “Then I must have been damnation drunk—and there is no longer any doubt upon the point,” said George. “ But this soda-water lies disagreeably cold upon my stomach: give me a little drop of brandy, German.” This order was obeyed—and the Prince swallowed the dram with a relish. “ Now unlock the door leading to the private stair- case,” coatinted the Prince: “I am expecting Mr. Meagies—and he will breakfast with me.” “Your Royal Highness will take breakfast in bed ?” observed the valet, interrogatively. “No—I shall rise and have a bath first,’ was the reply. “ But you will not serve up breakfast until eleven—and in the meantime I shall not want you.” Germain untocked the door communicating with the secret stairs, and then withdrew. In two or three minutes the sounds of voices, mingled with subdued laughter, reached the ears of the Prince, who started up in his bed, muttering to himself in a tone of vexation, “That damned fool Meagies is up to some of his tricks again—and yet I enjoined him to come alone !” Scarcely had he thus given vent to his annoyance, whet the door which Germain had so recently un- leted, was opened—the velvet curtain covering it, was thrust aside—and a gentleman made his appear- awee. But mstead of immediately advancing to pay his respects to the Prince, he held the drapery back fromt Gre door until the person by whom he was ac- companie@ had likewise emerged from the secret staircase amd had entered the chamber. Bot ere we allow these new-comers to proceed a step farther, wensast tell the reader something about ther. First and foremost, then, we introduce to public notice Mr. Timothy Meagles, or, as his friends called hini, plain Tim Meagies. He was an individual of about thirty years of age—short in stature, of slight and dapper build, but endowed with great physical strength. His face was marked with the smail-pox: but he ad expressive blue eyes, a fine set of teeth, and an enormous pair of well-curled auburn whiskers —e that he could not be pronounced positively ugly. It is true that his hair was of a fiery red, and that there was something coarse, if not actually vitigar, in the expression of his countenance: never- theless, he was not without his admirers amongst the fair sex—atid when he rode his splendid iron grey in the Park, he received a gracious bow from more | than one lady of quality. Amongst the noblemen a and gentlemen of fashion he was a special favourite, —not merely because he was known to enjoy the friendship of the Prince, but likewise because he was avery good fellow in many ways. For if any one required a second in a duel, to whom could he better apply than Tim Meagles ?—if an umpire were wanted at a prize-fight or a pigeon-match, who was more competent than Tim Meagles? Behold him on the race-course—or out with the hounds—and it would do your heart good to contemplate the spirit with which the sport was entered into by Tim Meagles. Again, who could sing a better song or make a more fluent speech after dinner, than this gentleman of gach numerous qualifications ?—who could drink his three bottles of wine and make more sure of going home soberthan Tim Meagles? His taste was as excellent in the choice of wines as his judgment was unquestionable with regard to horse-flesh. He could drive a four-in-hand or a tandem with equal proficiency: at steeple-chases he performed such wonderful feats that it appeared as if himself and his horse were possessed of a hundred lives apiece; —and in swimming, leaping, running, boxing, fencing, wrestling, and all kinds of gymnastics as well as manly sports, Tim Meagles was unapproachable by any of his friends or acquaintances. He was moreover reckoned a crack shot with either gun or pistol; and in respect to the “Jaws of honour” he Was a peripatetic code. But these qualifications, numerous though they be, do not make up half the sum of those possessed by Mr. Timothy Meagles. He was a most con- venient and useful personage to the Prince of Wales, who in many instances would not have known what to do without him. Did his Royal Highness get into & scrape with the friends of some lady whom he had seduced, Tim Meagles was employed to hush the matter up :—did the illustrious spendthrift require money, Tim Meagles was indefatigable in his search after some capitalist to advance a loan:—and on more occasions than one had this same universal and ubiquitous agent conveyed the Prince’s plate or Mrs, Fitzherbert’s jewellery to a certain celebrated pawn- broker in the Strand. In fact, Tim Meagles’ ser- vices were as varied and numerous as his qualifica- tions or his resources. He was never at a loss for the means of carrying out anything which he under- took : his ingenuity in concocting plans was only equalled by his perseverance in pursuing an object until its final attainment. Nothing could daunt his courage or damp his spirits; and the greater the ob- stacles he had to encounter, the more energetic be- came his mode of action. It was all the same to him whether he had to console a forlorn and deserted fair one, or to thrash a bailiff; and his tact in hush- ing up a love affair was as admirable as his skill io appeasing a clamorous creditor. The Prince not only retained him as an able in- strument, but liked him as a good fellow and a plea- sant companion; and it was sufficient that he thus patronised Tim Meagles, to induce all the friends and acquaintances of his Royal Highness to treat that useful individual as an equal. It was true that Tim loved a lark above all things, and did not much mind on whom he played off his practical jokes: but | ho one dared to frown on one who basked in the smiles of royalty ;—and thus Mr. Meagles was not only tolerated in fashionable life, but actually courted. At the time when we introduce him to our readers, he had been about three years on this footing of in- COMNGLROO S COMM