The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 54: what you’re looking at

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

36 THE COURT OF LONDON and the scandal which the discovery thereof had created at the time. ‘“‘ It didn’t strike me at the moment what delicate ground I was treading on. However, these things do happen in fashionable life, and so I dare say your ladyship has taken it cool enough about your husband. But, as I was saying, I have had Malpas and Lady Curzon in my house, and I also had the Earl of Curzon and Lady Prescott one night at my house. Ah! I dare say she thought at the time that I didn’t know her, but I did, though. I had seen her in attendance upon the queen at Windsor Castle.”’ “Do you mean to tell me that you have ever been inside Windsor Castle? ’’ asked Venetia, evidently suspecting that the woman was indulging in a mere idle piece of bravado. “Ay, that I have, more than once,’’ she confidently rejoined, “ and have acted as midwife there, too. But of that no matter. Few people know better than I do that a court is not the centre of virtue, and that ladies in waiting and women of the bedchamber may now and then havea child, though perhaps their husbands have been absent as governors of colonies or generals of armies for two or three years. Be- sides which, though a lady may be a maid of honour by title, it doesn’t follow she should be so in fact; and let me assure you, also,’’ added Mrs. Gale, significantly, as if she could tell more if she chose, “‘ that the royal princesses are not the most virtuous ladies in existence.” ‘So I have heard,” remarked Venetia, unwillingly suffer- ing herself to be interested in this conversation; but suddenly recollecting the infamous character of the woman whom she was thus encouraging in her tittle-tattle, and also re- membering that time was passing away and that her dinner- hour approached, she said, ‘‘ But pray come to the point, Mrs. Gale. You began by speaking to me about the forger Emmerson.” ‘* Ah, the villain!’ ejaculated the dame. “ As I told your ladyship just now, he used to frequent my house, and paid so liberally that I had the highest opinion of him. Besides, to tell you the truth, on two or three occasions when he was there with Lady Curzon, I happened to overhear them chatting together.’ ‘“‘ In plain terms, you listened, I suppose? ”’ said Venetia, scarcely able to conceal her disgust for the woman or her impatience at her garrulity. connicloooKks (CO)