The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 392: what you’re looking at

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

358 THE COURT OF LONDON ‘‘ And therefore your Royal Highness will not molest the poor Flower Girl, who seems to be unhappy enough al- ready? ’’ said Germain, fancying that he had really fallen into the right track of the prince’s thoughts upon the subject. “You are mad, my good fellow,’ exclaimed the royal voluptuary. ‘‘So far from abandoning my designs with regard to that fair creature, I am more than ever resolved to push the adventure to a triumphant issue. If her lover in the blue domino be neglected and faithless, I will console her; and if he be insensible to the graces of her person, I will teach her the road to a terrestrial paradise. Besides, there will be the charm of novelty in this conquest.” “ Your Royal Highness does not observe that the Blue Domino and the Circassian Slave are evidently talking together in an enamoured strain,” said Germain; “ and that the Flower Girl is watching them with a mingled intentness and agitation which menace a scene and an exposure.” ‘No, she is too well bred to create a disturbance, Ger- main,’’ replied the prince. ‘I will stake my existence that such exquisite graces, such ineffable charms, such ravishing attitudes, full of modesty and elegance, do not belong to one who will go into hysterics, set up a screaming, call her treacherous lover by harsh names aloud, or tear her rival’s eyes out. No, all will pass off quietly enough.”’ ‘Your Royal Highness is correct,’’ exclaimed Germain, in a hurried whisper; “‘ for behold, the Blue Domino and the Circassian Slave are hastening away together, and —’”’ ‘Ah! my God, the poor Flower Girl is supporting herself against the wall,’”’ cried the prince. ‘‘ What an opportunity to form her acquaintance! ” And he was already darting toward her, to catch her in his arms and save her from falling, when a female masque, clad as a Gipsy, glided suddenly past him and hurried up to the Flower Girl. The prince stopped short, muttered an oath of impatience, and then fell back a few paces to rejoin Germain. “Your Royal Highness was anticipated in your good intentions by that Gipsy with the pretty figure and the picturesque attire,’ said the valet. ‘“ Yes, perdition upon the Gipsy!’ exclaimed the prince. ‘ But the manner in which she accosted the Flower Girl seems to bespeak another phase in her adventures of this COMIC OOO — ——— beet ct Mt a tt ee. _