The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 199: what you’re looking at

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

174 THE COURT OF LONDON Royal Highness the Princess Sophia was here a few days ago and likewise again yesterday. Amongst other things the princess said to me, was that if ever you should feel inclined to visit the State Apartments at St. James’s Palace — ”’ ‘“ Oh, indeed I should be delighted,” exclaimed Florence, ‘for inasmuch as you have an objection to attending the levees which the Prince of Wales sometimes holds there, and as you do not wish me to be presented at court, I shall have no opportunity of seeing those superb apartments unless privately, as you propose.” ‘“ And do you wish to be presented at court? ”’ asked Lady Florimel, gazing earnestly and not without some little feeling of uneasiness upon her lovely niece. “Oh, no,” exclaimed the artless girl, her silver voice as expressive of sincerity as were her innocent looks. ‘ You have taught me to regard all regal splendour and princely show as being not only valueless but also inconsistent with the true spirit of the age, and I can assure you, my dear aunt, that I am not faithless to your admirable teachings.” “Then you are my own dear girl,”’ said Pauline, infinitely relieved by this answer. ‘‘ But to return to what we were ere now saying, I propose to take you at once to St. James’s Palace, to pass an hour with the princess and visit the State Apartments. Hasten and achieve your toilet. The carriage is ordered for half-past twelve.” ‘“ And do not you mean to accompany us, my dear uncle? ”’ asked Florence, approaching Lord Florimel, who was seated on the sofa reading the newspaper. “No, dear Florence,” he replied, with a smile. “‘ The princess has invited you ladies in so cordial and friendly a manner that the presence of one of the sterner sex would be a constraint upon the interesting coterie. And therefore I am excluded.”’ Florence, satisfied with this answer, hastened away to her own apartment to prepare for the visit, and the moment she had quitted the drawing-room, Pauline said to her husband, ‘ Do you not think, Gabriel, that you had better accompany us, after all? ” ‘Tf you wish it, my dear Pauline,’ was the reply, as the nobleman gazed affectionately upon his handsome wile. ‘“ But I think that I have already convinced you it would Gomicbooks (E(0)