The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 91: what you’re looking at

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

68 THE COURT OF LONDON so reproachfully upon me! I will see our son — I will assure myself that he is happy. Ah! now thou seemest to smile, Hannah; thou art pleased by that promise. Well, then, I will propitiate thy shade; thou shalt sleep tranquilly in thy tomb. Yes, I will see our son; and if he be poor, I will enrich him, if he be ambitious, I will ennoble him, if he be in sorrow, I will sympathize with him. But thou dost not require that I shall tell him who he really is? Thou dost not demand that I shall confess to him the secret of his birth? Oh, now thy looks become sombre again! Well, then, I will reveal to him even that; yes, thy shade shall be appeased, Hannah, only do not haunt me thus.” And then the image of the long dead Quakeress appeared to grow fainter and fainter, dying away in a gossamer trans- parency, until it seemed to mingle with the ambient air. Then the monarch, considerably tranquillized, but having resolved to lose no time in adopting measures to search for his unacknowledged son, quitted his chamber and joined the royal family at the dinner-table. When the repast was concluded, — it being now about eight o’clock in the evening, — the king retired again to his own apartment, whither he summoned a confidential page. ‘“‘ Listen attentively to what I am about to say to you,” began the monarch, in a calm and deliberate voice. ‘‘ You have doubtless heard of a certain Sir Richard Stamford, who possessed near Aylesbury a mansion which, as I have been told, he disposed of some months since to Lord Des- borough? ” ‘“T have not only heard of that same Sir Richard Stam- ford, Sire,’ answered the page; “ but I know him well by sight. Indeed, I saw him this morning — ”’ “This morning!’”’ ejaculated the king; “ this morning, eh? Where did you see him, sir, where did you see him? ”’ ‘““ May it please your Majesty, Sir Richard Stamford dwells in the immediate vicinity of Windsor,” returned the page; ‘“and he frequently walks in the park. His extraordinary resemblance to your most gracious Majesty’s son, the Prince of Wales, is the theme of conversation in Windsor.” ‘“ Do you know exactly where he lives? ”’ demanded the monarch, after a few minutes’ reflection. ‘‘T do, Sire,” was the response. “Then lead me thither, young gentleman,” said the king. CORNIELNOOLKS (E(©)