The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 123: what you’re looking at

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

104 THE COURT OF LONDON ‘“ Miss Trelawney remained with me at Mrs. Gale’s from nine until past eleven on that Friday evening,’ returned Colonel Malpas. ‘‘ But the proof of this? ” said the marquis, inquiringly. ‘“ Here is Mrs. Gale’s own certificate of the fact,’’ answered the colonel, tossing a folded paper toward the marquis. ‘“ I have no more to say,” and he resumed his seat. The Marquis of Leveson opened the paper; and the astonishment he already felt was enhanced when he recog- nized Mrs. Gale’s handwriting, which was perfectly familiar to him. He had expected to find the document a forgery; but there was no doubt it was genuine, although the circum- stances detailed in it might not be true, for all that. “Yes, this is Mrs. Gale’s handwriting,’ he said. ‘I know and can attest it.” He then read the paper, which set forth that Colonel Malpas and Miss Venetia Trelawney (now Mrs. Sackville) had passed two hours together at her establishment, between nine and eleven o’clock, on the night of Friday, September 20, 1814. Malpas now felt assured that his triumph was complete; for Horace Sackville still remained silent and motionless, with the fever spots burning upon his cheeks and his lips quivering. The marquis and the prince once more exchanged looks of ineffable astonishment, as if uncertain what course to pursue, and yet having it in their power to make some startling revelations; while the Earl of Curzon whispered hurriedly to Sir Douglas Huntingdon, ‘ You see how that rascal Tash deceived us both! ” But all on a sudden the door was thrown open with such violence that the screen was nearly upset, and Venetia herself, followed by Captain Tash, entered the room. Robin was not, however, with them; he had been hastily despatched on some errand, the nature of which will speedily transpire. Nothing could exceed the grandeur of Venetia’s beauty at this moment. Her splendid form was drawn up to the full of its noble height, and, as her carriage now seemed statuesque as that of a sculptured Juno, by her shoulders being thrown back and her head being held erect, her superb bust displayed its ample development to the fullest advan- tage. Upheaved in its luxuriant proportions, it seemed (Q) COUM LOOK KS (E(0)