The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 25: what you’re looking at

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

Neen eee eam nanan THE MYSTERIES “Never mind the duenna,” exclaimed the Prince. “Tell us about Venetia Trelawney—the charming’ Venetia.” “T have nothing more to tell your Royal High- ness,” answered the baronet. “ You now know as much of the transcendent Miss Trelawney as I do myself,’’ “Depend upon it, she is some adventuress,” ob- served the Prince, “who seeks to obtain notoriety by surrounding herself with an air of mystery.” “ Not so,” exclaimed the baronet: “for I forgot to add that she is reputed to be well off. At all events, she lives in good style—though in a very secluded manner; and she pays her tradesmen with scrupulous regularity.” “Ah! Isee you have been pushing your in~ quiries in all possible quarters,” said the Prince, laughing. “J admit the impeachment, sir,” returned the baronet. “But as for, Venetia being an ad- venturess, it is altogether out of the question. The circumstance relative to the Duke’s blank cheque proves that she is not mercenary, and that her charms at all events are not to be purchased by gold.” “Your reasoning is certainly most forcible,” said his Royal Highness. “ What is the age of the heroine ?” “She looks about four-and-twenty, I should say,” answered Sir Douglas Huntingdon. “ No such thing!” ejaculated the Earl of Cur- zon. * One-and.twenty at the outside.” * Well, I should not mind wagering heavily that she is six-and-twenty,” drawled out Colonel Mal- pas. “Tn truth,’ observed the Marquis of Leveson, “she is one of those magnificent beings whose features bear the stamp of youthful loveliness, but whose forms are matured in the most luxuriant proportions: and therefore it is difficult to judge her precise age.” “But at all events,” said the Prince Regent, “she is old enough to make us wonder that, with such transcendent loveliness, she should still be unmarried. What do you think, Horace?” he in- quired, turning towards his favourite. “There you sit, as silent and reserved as possible — although the wine is exhilarating and the , topic of discourse exciting to a degree.” “{ was listening with attention, sir, to the various remarks passing around,” said Sackville. “But with respect to Miss Venetia Trelawney, I have already spoken in eulogistic terms of her to your Royal Highness. In fact, it is impossible to have seen her once, without thinking of her ever after- wards.” “And how often have you seen her, Horace ?” inquired the Prince. “Perhaps a dozen times, sir,” was the response: and a flush passed over the naturally pale counte- nance of Horace Sackville. “Ts she really as beautiful as our friends here have represented?” asked the Prince Regent: “and do you also think she is virtuous and well- intentioned ?” “ No language is sufficiently powerful to do jus- tice to her loveliness,” said Horace: “and as for her virtue and respectability, I should think that, after the anecdote we have heard relative to the Duke’s cheque, your Royal Highness would alone OT DE ee ee Lees nl OF THE COURT. 11 Horace ?” asked the Regent, smiling complacently . “Upon the fact that if Miss Trelawney has re- jected the proposals of a Duke, she can only be triumphed over by a Prince who will sooner or later become a King :”—and as Horace Sackville agave this explanation, he narrowly watched its effect upon his royal patron. “By heaven! you almost persuade me to under- take the conquest of this fair one,” said the Prince. “But what if she be intent only on forming some brilliant match? It would be but natural—and hence the extreme circumspection of her conduct.” “ Tf marriage were her particular aim,” remarked Horace Sackville, “she could doubtless have ac- complished it long ago. Such charms as her’s do Besides—it is well known that ” not go begging. she has refused several splendid offers —— “Indeed!” ejaculated Sir Douglas Huntingdon. ¢ How ean this be known? And if it is so, then must she be acquainted with the noblemen or gen- tlemen whose suit she has rejected—and surely at least one of these discarded adorers would be amongst the circle of our friends: whereas nota soul now present has been enabled to obtain an introduction to her.” “T only repeated one of the rumours current relative to Venetia,” said Sackville, assuming a careless tone and indifferent manner. “But I fancy there can be no doubt that Miss Trelawney has received several brilliant offers, though com- ing from individuals who are personally unknown to her, but who, being captivated by her loveliness, have presumed on their rank and fortune to write tender billets laying their hearts at her feet.” “And from the refusals experienced, you na- turally infer that she has no particular ambition with regard to marriage?” said the Prince Regent, interrogatively. “We are all delivering our opinions, such as we have formed them,” answered Sackville: “and after all, seeing how little we know of the lady, our ideas concerning her can only be the veriest con- jectures. Well, then, my belief is that Venetia is a being whose mind must be as extraordinary as her beauty: and inasmuch as she has rejected many brilliant offers of marriage—or at all events, as it is quite clear that endowed as she is with sueh transcendent loveliness, it must be her own fault that she is still single—there are but two infer- ences to draw.” “ What are they?” inquired the Prince Regent. “ Bither that she possesses a mind so pure that she is resolved never to bestow her hand where she cannot give her heart likewise,” said Horace : “or else that she cherishes a towering ambition, which soars even above marriage and which prompted her to decline the opportunity of be- coming the mistress of a Duke.” «Then what on earth could she hope to be- come ?” demanded the Regent. «he mistress of a Prince or a King,” returned Horace: and the sidelong glance which he threw rapidly upon his royal patron, was of searching and penetrating keenness. “You rogue!” ejaculated the Regent, bursting out into a good-natured laugh and laying his hand on Sackville’s shoulder,—“ you wish to persuade ) succeed in winning the favours of the adorable Venetia.” “ Upon what basis do you found your argument, CONnNICLOOKS.G