The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 293: what you’re looking at

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ae Se — ee So I LO LL LC ttn THE MYSTERIES OF THE Prince, continuing the whispered discourse with Le- veson, while Venetia was straining every sense to catch each word that passed between them. “Yes,” returned the Marquis. “ What else could possibly be done with him? He is proof against all temptation: his virtue would put the old Stoic philosophers to shame ;—and if he were set at large he would blow to the winds all that fine scheme which, if successful, will relieve you from the trammels of your accursed marriage.” “But will the French Government consent to retain him a prisoner much longer?” asked the Prince. “Seeing that the pretext is so shallow, I fear lest it should be under the necessity of setting him at liberty.” “Not at all,” returned the Marquis. “ King Louis acknowledges his obligation to succour your Royal Highness to the utmost of his power—and he pledged himself to me to do so.” “ {hen the imprisonment of that madbrained, obstinate young man is likely to be prolonged indeed?” said the Prince. “ But what have you done with that beautiful Louisa Stanley of whom you wrote to me in such glaring colours ?” ** Would you believe it, sir—I have brought her back from Paris and managed to entice her to Albemarle Street,’ said the Marquis, with a leer of most sensual satisfaction. “Do you mean to say that you have already won that prize ?” asked the Prince. *“No—no—not yet. I have been playing the paternal—and she looks up to me quite as a father. She has gotasister somewhere in London: but she has evidently mistaken the address of this sister’s residence. However, I will tell you all about this another time: suffice it to say that Louisa is a charming creature—and I have obtained such in- fluence over——” The whispered dialogue between the Prince and the Marquis, aad the animated discussion on the part of Sackville, Curzon, and Huntingdon, were both alike interrupted at this particular moment by the circumstance of Venetia suddenly upsetting: her wine-glass by a too abrupt movement which she made: and as the wine was spilt upon the rich satin dress that she wore, she started from her seat, evidently much confused and chagrined at an accident which had drawn all eyes upon her. ‘Then faltering forth a few words of apology, she hurried from the room. Hastening to her own chamber, she threw her- self upon the sofa and fell into a profound reverie. Painful it no doubt was; for her troubled spirit seemmed to look through the eyes that were bent down fixedly, beaming not with a voluptuous languor now :—painful, too, that reverie was, be- cause the colour had fled from her cheeks and an unrelieved pallor sate upon her countenance. Pre- Sently she pressed her hand forcibly to her heart, as if to still its throbbings : and that superb bosom which was wont to swell so warmly and glowingly with amorous emotions, now appeared to palpitate beneath the empire of other and far different thoughts. But suddenly starting from the sofa, she assumed alook of forced composure—that look which an energetic woman puts on, when, in tle presence of dangers, difficulties, or annoyances suddenly start- ing up before her, she resolves to adopt a decisive course. Ringing the bell to summon her faithful | oe 2 COURT. 279 attendant Jessica, Venetia hastened to put off the soiled dress and array herself in another robe. Then, ere she quitted the chamber, she said to Jessica—* You must hasten up to Stratton Street at once, and tell Miss Bathurst that it is probable inquiries may be made for a certain person and that she must be upon her guard accordingly. Whisper this much in Miss Bathurst’s ear: or if Miss Bathurst should not happen to be at home, tell it to Mrs. Arbuthnot, and the meaning of the message will be thoroughly understvod.” Having given these instructions, Lady Sackville descended to the saloon belonging to the suite of apartments which she and her husband occupied at Carlton House ;—and after remaining there for ashort time, until she had entirely regained an outward appearance of calmness as well as some of the lost carnation hues upon her cheeks, she rang the bell and ordered her serious-looking valet, who answered the summons, to go and in- form his Royal Highness and his guests that she should be happy to see them to take coffee with her. Half-an-hour afterwards, the Prince, the Mar- quis, the Earl, and the Baronet, accompanied of course by Lord Sackville himself, repaired to the saloon where Venetia was thus awaiting their pre- sence: and as the company partook of the fragrant coffee and the choice liqueurs which followed, sbe conversed as gaily and as cheerfully as if she had experienced no sudden paroxysm of low spirits during the entire evening. Sir Douglas Huntingdon had seated himself next to her at the tea-table: and the influence of the wine he had drunk, mingling with that of her transcendent charms and the melody of her fluid voice, filled him with a species of delirious in- toxication which rendered all control of his feel- ings a matter of utter impossibility. Availing himself, therefure, of a moment when no one else observed him, and hurried along by an irresistible current of ecstatic emotions, he whispered, “ By heaven! Venetia, you are adorable to-night! O for one hour of your love—and I would cheerfully resign all the remainder of my existence to enjoy it 1” ‘“ Are you serious ?—and would you do me a great —a very great service?” she inquired, in a low deep whisper, accompanying her words by a look which seemed to blend a profound earnestness of purpose with a tender intimation that she was willing to pay the highest price which woman can give for the service to which she had just alluded. “ Tell me what I can do for you, adorable being !” murmured the enraptured Baronet: “and I will peril my life in your service.” Venetia threw a hurried glance around; and per- ceiving that this rapid and whispered colloquy at the tea-table was still unobserved, she darted a sud- den look of vivid intelligence upon the Baronet, say- ing in an equally hurried but low-breathed tone at the same time, “ I will write presently upon a slip of paper that which I should blush to say in your presence |” Having thus given a sort of promise to which the Baronet instantaneously attached the tender- est and most delicious interpretation, Venetia rose from her seat ;—and crossing the room, she threw herself upon a sofa at the farther end, as if to get as far as possible from the heat of the very large fire that was blazing in the grate. NUUCLOOOLS (CO)