The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 243: what you’re looking at

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

230 descriptions and a choice dessert: a cheerful fire blazed in the grate;—the heavy hangings were drawn over the windows—and the atmosphere was warm and perfumed. A lustre suspended to the ceiling diffused a rich and mellow light through the room; and the general aspect of luxurious oomfort was enhanced by the velvet drapery which covered the doors—ea if not even the faintest thrill of a wintry air should be allowed to penetrate thither ! We said that the Prince was yielding bimself up to the pleasures of imaginations, as a meet and pro- yocative prelude to the more real joys that were to come. For he had no doubt as to Venotia’s keep- ing her appointment, inasmuch as she had written him a note in the morning reiterating in her own beautiful calligraphy the hurried promise she had THE MiSTLUILS made on the evening of the banquet at Colonel Malpas’s house. As he thus reclined upon the sofa, confident in the sincerity of his expected charmer, the Prince insensibly found himself entering into g comparison between her beauty and that of every other lovely female who had sybmitted to his embraces. Their number was legion, it was true; but still in a rapid survey did he glance at them ali—not forgetting Octavia Clarendon, Mra. Fitzherbert, Lady Letitis Lade, Mrs. Brace the milliner, the Countess of Jersey, aud the Duchess of Devonshire ;—-end he came st length to the conclusion that none was to be compared with Venetia! Nor ia this mental review of his almost countless conquests amongst beauties of all grades and ranks—-from the Duchess to the milliner, from the Countess to the balleg- dancer, and from the haughtiest dame to the hum- blest servant-girl,nor in this category, we say, did he forget to inelude Miss Bathurst, Agatha Owen, and Lady Ernestina Dysart. He remem- bered that the first-named had once been emi- nently beautiful: his mind still retained pleasurable impressions of his amour with Agatha:—but chiefly did his fancy gloet over the superb and yo- luptuous charms of the impassioned Ernestina. Between this lady, then, and Venetia did he hover in afew moments’ uncertainty; his memory com- paring their respective charms—the eyes, hair, complexion, and bust of Ernestina, with the eyes, hair, complexion, and bust of Venetia: but at length, as above stated, he gaye hig decision in favour of the latter. Yea—for about Venetia there was all the first freshness of youth—the bloom upon the peach that has scarcely come in contact with the rude hand of man } And now, as the image of the beauteous crea- ture had become paramount ia his mind, to the exclusion of all the rest, he felt his impatience for her arrival augmenting every instant. He looked at his watch: it was ten minntes past nine—was she not coming? Yes: for scarcely had he asked himself the question, whan the door opened from the landing without— the velvet drapery wae pushed aside—and Venetia was ushered into his preseoce. The curtain fell again—the domestic who had escorted her thither, closed the door behind her—and the Prince Regent sprang for- ward to clasp her in his armas. Venetia bad made her appearance closely veiled and enveloped in an ample cloak, ao as to avoid being recognised by the Prince’s servants: but she now hastily threw uff her bonnet and veil-——dropped UF THE COURT. her cloak—and fell in al) the grandeur of her beauty into the outstretched arms of ber royal lover. “Oh! how magnificent you look !” murmured the enraptured Prince, as be conducted her to a seat after fondly and fervidly embracing ber: thea, placing himself by her sida, he eontemplated her with the earnest looks of a devouring sensucus- ness. As the light shone upon the beeuteous oreatere, enhancing the brillignoy of ber charms into positive radignos, she seemed a being of celestial mould and nature. Her very presence was dagsling and overpowering : for every feature and contour ap- peared to possess ite own light,—the lustre of the eyes, the alabaster of the forehead, the vivid redness of the lips, the snowy whiteness of the neck and bosom, and the anbarn glory of the hair! She was dressed in a orimpon velvet robe, with a low boddice fitting tight to her shape—and her arms were naked. The gentle agitation whieh she experienced had deepened the rich bloom upon her cheeks; and altogether she leoked so tran- ecsndently lovely thas the Prince felt as if he could surrender not only his present rank bus also the hope of seme day wearing the British crown, rather then resign the certainty of possessing her this night! “ Dearess—ever dear Venetis,” he said, passing one arm round her neck, and drawing her gently towards him, “‘is it indeed possible that the happy moment has arrived for me te enjoy your love ?— or am I planged in ¢ delicious dream which is to know the waking of disappointment 2?” “Paithful to my promise, [ am here,” marmepred Venetia, in the melting tones of her sweet limpid volce. “Do you remember all the conditions of our compact f” “ You shall recapitalate them, my angel,” replied the Prince: “and there is nothing you can demand to whioh I shell hesitate to agsent.” “First and foremost,” said Venetia, “it wag agreed thas I should marry in order to save my re- putation—ead J have done sa.” “Ah'S happy Horace Sackville I” exclaimed the Prince. “ But tell me, dearest—was he already eae geged to you on that day when we agreed that you ebonid marry ?” “ Assuredly not,” answered Venetia. “Bat I was aware that he formed ane of the party of six who bad leagaed, or rather wagered in the love-cem- neign—I likewise knew that he had seen me oftea and was inspired with an affection for me—and I consequently felt oprtain thas he woald scospt my band io marriage,” “ But does he know—is he aware-——” “That 3 am come hither this evening? Yea; before we were married I explained to him that she whom he took as his wife was pledged to become the mistress of the Prince.” “Truly, he must be infatuated with yon, my Ve- netia! Bat this is not wonderfal—thou ars the loveliest women that ever trod npon the earth {” “© flatterer!” cried Venetia, with playfal re- monstrance. “But I have before told you hog readily and fiznently these compliments glide from your tongue.” “By heaven! they are truths when applied to thee!” exolaimed the Prince, rst devouring her with his regards and then covering her face, shoulders, and bosom with frenetic kisses. “ But GOnMGoOO CO