The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 74: what you’re looking at

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

San ee | | | | | THE MYSTERIES, 37 eee [OCTAVIA CLARENDON. | because I had resolved to take a bath in the in- terim.” “Treat me jast as if I were one of your own sex,” exclaimed the lady ; “and have your bath, by ali means. Here—I will give you your dressing-gown and slippers,” she continued, throwing the former upon the bed and placing the latter in a convenient position on the carpet by the side of the couch. “And you mean me to rise in your presence ” asked the Prince, laughingly. “Why not?” demanded Letitia. “You do not suppose that I shall go home and tell the baronet that I have had the honour of assisting at the toilette of his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales 7” “ Egad! you are quite capable of telling your husband anything,” exclaimed Meagles, putting on a pair of boxing-gloves and attacking an imaginary antagonist in a most scientific fashion. “You are very brave in buffetting the empty air, 8 Tim,” said Lady Letitia: “but if you really wang some one to spar with you, I don’t mind gratifying you in that way ;’—and, as she thus spoke, the Amazon threw down her riding-whip, and thrust her hands into a pair of pugilistic gloves. “This is excellent!” cried the Prince, leaping from his couch, and putting on the figured silk dressing-gown and the embroidered morocco slip- pers which the lady had placed within his reach. But while he was thus employed, the huntress had turned her back towards him, inasmuch as she had commenced a regular sparring match with Tim Meagles, who very complacently allowed her to buffet him about to her heart’s content—though, had he chosen to exercise his skill in the art of self- defence, she would never have had a chance of even hitting him a single blow. Presently Tim Meagles began to retreat rapidly —then he darted aside with an abrupt movement— then he leapt and capered all about the room, in COMGLOO SS COMM