The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 360: what you’re looking at

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

THE CAPTAIN’S VISIT 300 to ask what you could do for me as a token of approval in respect to my conduct? ”’ ‘Well, name your wishes,” said the prince. ‘ But pray be reasonable,’’ he added, laughing, “ for uf it’s money you want, I have devilish little of that commodity to spare. If you would like some little situation — ”’ “The very thing! ’’ exclaimed the captain. ‘ The truth is, prince, I want to settle down in a comfortable and re- spectable way, and my man Robin also wishes it, and Robin’s opinion has great weight with me. I am well-nigh tired of frequenting taverns and gaming-houses, and getting into scrapes with constables and watchmen for night-rows and so on, while Robin is equally tired of standing behind lamp- posts or sneaking up into corners and doorways. Besides,”’ added the captain, lowering his voice to a mysterious kind of whisper, ‘I have been seriously thinking of matrimony.” ‘““ Matrimony! What, you?” ejaculated the prince, and he burst out laughing. “ Well, I am glad your Royal Highness can laugh so heart- ily at last,’’? observed Tash, ‘‘ for you looked as glum and mopish as a mute at a dead man’s door when I came in. But, *pon my soul, I am in earnest. Indeed, I never was more in “earnest in my life,’’ and as if to ratify his words, the captain refilled his tumbler and tossed off the contents at a draught. ‘“‘ But are you in love? ” inquired the prince. “Not I. I never was in love in my life, that is to say, in real sentimental, poetizing, moonlight, spoony kind of love. I never wrote sonnets to a lady’s beauty, but conveyed my admiration by the far more practical method of giving her a hearty kiss at once.”’ “Then I presume,” continued the prince, still laughing, “that if you are not in love, but mean to marry, you are -on the lookout for a lady with a fortune? ”’ “That is just about the mark,’’ responded Captain Tash. “A lady with some four or five hundred a year would suit my purpose uncommonly.” “ But that is no great fortune, after all,’’ observed the prince. ‘“‘ Must she be beautiful, into the bargain? ”’ “ Well, I cannot say that I am prepared to throw myself away upon an old harridan as shrivelled as a mummy, and at the same time I do not want a silly young creature of CORNICLOOOKS (C(O)