The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 374: what you’re looking at

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

Panne CHAPTER XCy. EDITHA, Tr wason the fifth evening after the incidents just related; and if we peep into the Countess of Cur- zon’s bourdoir between eight and nine o'clock, we shall observe her ladyship occupied with the elegant mysteries of the toilette. And yet the word mysteries acarcely applies in the present instance: for noneed had Editha of cosmetics, sophistications, or adven- titious appliances to enhance the natural splendour of her charms. No succedaneous enamel was required for those pearly tecth that were without spot or blemish and which shone between the lips that were full and red as a luscious fruit of the tropics: no art could shed upon the cheeks the hue of a richer carnation than chat a warm blood itself gave in ite mantling ~. THE MYSTERIES OF TBE CUURT. Pn RS SS glow ;—no dye ncr factitious confection could crown the dark hair with a brighter glory than its owa purply glossiness. And though the complexion of this Jady was of oriental duskiness, yet would it have been a very folly and a shame to have en- deavoured to mitigate its dark beauty by the appli- ance of aught whiter or make that akin fairer. For that soft and delicate tint of bronze—the softest and moat delicate that can possibly be conceived—gave her the appearance of the warm Andalusian or glow- ing Italian,—as if she wore one of the impassioned daughters of the sunny south! Her eyes, 20 dark and yet so fall of living lustre, seemed like ebony condensing all the brilliancy of diamonds: as suns they appeared to burn those who gazed upon them—and, as suns also, did they seem as if worlds of bliss and realms of paradise lay ecn- cealed in the depths of their glory! She had chosen for her evening toilette a rich satin dress of a shining amber colour, and whicb a comliclbooks.com