The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 230: what you’re looking at

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

208 THE COURT OF LONDON spoiled by the contaminating dissipations and profligacies of the sphere into which he was thrown. From the very first moment that Horace Sackville beheld Venetia, he was struck with her transcending loveliness, and, indeed, he at once conceived a profound attachment toward her. This he however veiled to the utmost of his power, because Miss Bathurst had duly initiated him in the purpose for which Venetia was destined, although the little circumstance relative to Mrs. Gale was carefully kept out of sight. Horace was too much accustomed to follow the instructions and obey the wishes of his aunt, as he called her, not to enter at once into the plans which she and Mrs. Fitzherbert had so artfully devised, but he could not prevent himself from loving Venetia secretly and tenderly, and the more he saw of her the deeper grew his affection. Still, he continued to keep this passion to himself, and, faithful to the positive instructions he received from Miss Bathurst, he forbore from calling at Acacia Cottage, or even hinting to any of his friends that he had the honour of Miss Tre- lawney’s acquaintance. Everything that Miss Bathurst and Mrs. Fitzherbert had foreseen, in arranging their plans, actually took place. Venetia Trelawney soon excited an immense sensation at the West End. All the noble roués and fashionable rakes were soon busied in making inquiries concerning her, and endeavouring to obtain an introduction. But all they could learn was that she had suddenly taken Acacia Cottage, fitted it up splendidly, and paid honourably as well as liberally for everything. Of course Miss Bathurst had enjoined her upholsterer, jeweller, carriage-builder, and other tradesmen to maintain the strictest secrecy relative to her acquaintance with Miss Trelawney, under the penalty of losing the said Miss Trelawney’s future custom, and these injunctions were very faithfully adhered to. Thus nothing could be learned relative to Venetia’s antecedents; no one knew who she was, or whence she came, yet no one dared to assert that she was an adventuress or an intriguante. If this suspicion arose for a moment, it was very soon set at rest by her own conduct. Never did she appear in public without her duenna-like companion, Mrs. Arbuth- not; it was found impossible to obtain access to her, and the numerous billets which she received were either re- (CONN GING 0) S (CO nin