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.

CHAPTER XI ROYALTY’S FAVOURITE VENETIA, elegantly dressed in morning negligee, was seated upon the sofa with the prince regent, in her mag- nificent saloon at Carlton House. His Royal Highness was gazing with the mingled ardour and languor of a passion which had been crowned with success, but which was nevertheless subjected to renewed excitement every time he found himself in contact with that woman of transcendent beauty. Thus, while he experienced the voluptuous languor of gratified desires, he at the same time felt the flaming up of fresh longings in his soul. For it wasimpossible to be sated with the pleasures that were ex- perienced in thearmsof Venetia. Her beauty was so grand, and at the same time so enchanting, — her fascinations were so irresistible as well as so varied, — that it was no wonder if she had obtained, in the short period of a few weeks, a more despotic empire than any woman had ever achieved before over the mind of his Royal Highness the Prince Regent. Although in reality hating, abhorring, and detesting her lover, — despising him as a man, and loathing him as a paramour, — she nevertheless dissembled her heart’s true feelings with such consummate success that the prince actually believed himself to be the object of her devoted affections. And no wonder; for with such matchless duplic- ity she lavished upon him the tenderest caresses; and while she developed all the sensual blandishments of her naturally amorous disposition in order to render herself adorable as a mistress, she also studied to render available those qualifica- tions which made her estimable as a friend. Thus was it that the prince was gradually led to consult her in respect 102 GomiGcbdooks (E(0)