The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 308: what you’re looking at

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

CHAPTER XXV VENETIA AND HER ADMIRERS A rortTnicutT had elapsed since the occurrences just related, and it was now the middle of November, — that month of short days and dark fogs in which Englishmen are reputed to show a greater predilection for suicide than at any other season of the year. On the particular evening of which we are about to write, the prince regent was entertaining at his dinner-table Lord and Lady Sackville, Sir Douglas Huntingdon, and the Earl of Curzon. The reader will therefore perceive that it was quite a select little party; and Venetia, being the only lady present, was of course compelled to render herself as agree- able as possible. We were wrong, however, to use the word compelled, because the beautiful creature possessed that admirable tact, ladylike discernment, and natural flow of spirits which always enabled her to be affable and agreeable without an effort; and the spells of fascination seemed to belong as naturally to her manners as loveliness hung like a charm upon her person, or as the sweetest and richest melody poured itself forth in the tones of her voice. It will be remembered that the Earl of Curzon had cher- ished a great deal of animosity toward Venetia, not only for having rejected his advances, but also for having bestowed her hand upon Horace Sackville; and the reader may like- wise suppose that Venetia, on her side, did not immediately forget the cowardly threats which the earl had held forth when he visited her at Acacia Cottage, or the malignant irony of his manner when he congratulated her immediately after the ceremony at St. George’s, Hanover Square. But when Horace and Venetia became not only Lord and Lady Sackville, but alsc took up their quarters at Carlton House * 291 GOmiGcdooks (C(O)