The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 73: what you’re looking at

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

THE PRIVATE APARTMENTS 55 asserting the power of one who grants a concession rather than fulfils a compact. It. wanted ten minutes of midnight when Lady Sackville alighted from a hackney-coach at the private entrance to Carlton House, and speeding up the back staircase, she reached her boudoir unobserved by a single soul. Mrs. Gale was dozing on the sofa, the wax lights were burning on the mantel, and a tray on the table, containing sandwiches and wine, showed that Jessica had supplied re- freshments during her lady’s absence. The moment Mrs. Gale heard the door open, she started up, and on beholding Lady Sackville, who, however, had the veil closely drawn down over her features, she glanced toward the timepiece on the mantel, saying, ‘‘ Ah, well, your ladyship is indeed in good time. I suppose you have brought the money with you? ”’ “ Here it is,” replied Venetia, in a voice that sounded strange and hollow, and still she raised not the veil. ‘“‘ Take it, take it, and good night.” Mrs. Gale hastily ran her eye over the bank-notes, to assure herself that the precise sum she had demanded was there. Satisfied on this head, she put on her bonnet, and moving toward the door, said, ‘‘ Well, my dear lady, I hope we are not going to part bad friends? I am sure I don’t want any unpleasantness between us.” ‘“‘ No, there is none, there is none,” interrupted Venetia, quickly, “but, for God’s sake, leave me. I am tired, I am 1 ‘Well, my dear, I certainly won’t stay to vex you, for you have behaved well at last,’’ and with these words Mrs. Gale took her departure. And now, when alone, Venetia flung off her bonnet and shawl, and, wringing her hands with ineffable anguish, she gave way to the wildest ebullition of grief. No wonder was it that she had retained her veil over her features while the old procuress was still present, for she must have felt that they wore an expression of withering agony, an agony power- ful enough, one would almost think, to blight and sear every lineament of that proud and brilliant beauty which had been alike her glory and her shame. Yes, it. was indeed to prevent Mrs. Gale from observing (C(O)INN (C (O JI WK Sat