The Mysteries of the Court of London Vol. 4 — page 146: what you’re looking at

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

a a ee male Be meee ot be we ane THK MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. “You know not how utispeakably happy you render me by this dasurance, deaneat Veneuda!” ex- claimed Curzon, bestowing deeply senduous caresses upon the wife of that man whom he was about to challenge to a mortal duel for Having intrigued with his wife. “ You look handsonfer than ever, Venetia! you are indeed grandly béautifal,” he continued ; aud his fingera played with the shining tresses of her juxuriang haiz, : “ Well, you shall compliment me presently,” she said, with a smile displaying the two rows uf pearl which, gleaming in contrast with the moiet acarlet of her lips, seemed the ivory portals through which the balmy breath of heaven iteelf came forth. “Toll me again, lask you, the details of this adven ture of last night.” © : “You must know, my dear Venetia,” responded the Karl, “that for some time past—aeven or eight months perhaps—I have suspected—or rather,” he continued, “{ have had positive proofs that my wife was a thorough intriguante —~—=" “ And pray, are you the mostimnmaculate of men 2” inquired Venetia, with an aroh smile, “ No—far from it,” responded Curzop, snatching a kiea from her lips: but he immediately added, “I do not ohoose my wife to pursue a similar game——” “Then how you must despise, scorn, and loathe me?” said Venetia, but with a certain haughty mockery in her tone. “Am not I a‘wifet—and yet have I not furgotten myself with you?—am I not , likely to do it again~e=" ** Ah! but you are one of the world’s exceptions,” exclaimed Curzon, not knowing exactly what re- sponed to give! then after some little hesitation and with a certain confusion in‘his looks, he said, “ But wher@tore ghall we contique this topic? It only makes me aay things disagreeable to you; and I would not for the world offend or unnoy you, Venctia.” * You neither offend nor aunoy me,” she observed, with a peculiarity of tone and look which for the moment ecemed tv have something sinister in it: but as her countenance suddenly lighted up, she exclaimed in a blythe voice, “I kaow vary well that Iam different frgm other women; and there lives nota man on the face of the earth why can either scorn or despise mt.” “ Trao—most true!” exclaimed Curzon, bgstow- ing upon her another varesa. “ Well, I was aboat to explain that on tho Continent J met a person who revealed to me all the seorets relative to [iditha’s misconduct, and how artful! y she managed, by the aid of her principal tire-woman— girl named Gertrude—ty cay on her iatrigues fu such a way that none of the servants, save this conf. dential one, could possibly suspect what was golug on.” 2 “ And who could have been base and mischievous enough to give you such information?” saked Editha, her suspicions instantaneously setting upon Colvncl Malpas. : : ry “ Ah! my oharmer, I must not tell you Mal,” said Gurzon, patting her face. . “Weill, go ou,” she said, with an arch smile, I do not wish to penstrate more deeply than you choose into your seareta, » I suppuse, Lowever, that having gamed this information on the OCon- tinent, you lust uo tithe in turuing it to account the moment you come back to Lundon?” a 133 “ Such was indeed the case,” rejoined the Earl; “and it was in order that I might carry out my project at once, that I did not instantaneously pre- sent myself at Carlton Honse on my return, In fact I only arrived y¢sterday evening, at about | seven o'clock, and going in the first iustance tosee | a friend of mine—or rather a young man who ix mterested in my affaira—I sent him to Grosvenor Street with a letter saying that I should not be ut home until thie evening. Ahi{ my dear Venetis, | pardon me if I say I know your sex 80 well, that I felt. assured my wife would dt once commanicate with her paramour—even supposing that ashe had not an appointment with him for the night-——” “Oh! what a calculation on your part!” ex- claimed Venetia, ia a tone of mock rebuke: “what an opiuion you must indeed have of our sex! Bat | pray go on: I am interested in these proceedings which you are relating.” “* Well,” cantinued tne Earl, “at about eleven I went home. If I had found Editha, I should of veourae have told her that I had been ebabled after ali to return more speedily than I at first antiei- pated: but she was not at home—and I understood | that she had gone to Lady Lechmere’s. Ah! then I knew at once that I was on the right track. I accordingly proceeded thither—*—But public ru- mour has doubtless told you all the rest that occarred ?” ” “ Yes,” replied Venetia. “ And now, do you not think that you have been vory foolish? How can you possibly*find fault with your wife——~” * Ali! my dear Venetia,” exclaimed the Earl, “if you force mo into explanations, I must give them. My disposition 1s a curious one; and ra- kish, profligate, dissipated though I may be, I could nut enaure the thought that my wife should Toliow m the same path, It may be unjust—it may be preposterous——" ‘‘ Well, we will not comment any more upon this part. of the affuir,” interrupted Venetia. “ But tell me— are you going to challenge Horace to a duel ?” ‘] must,” auswered the Earl of Curzov. “ But I promise you, my dear Venetia, that I will fire very wide uf the mark. Not that 1 suppose you: care over riuch for your husband——=" “ You talk of purposely misaug your aim,” said Venetia, hastily; “ but by that very attempt you may hit him—for is it not sometimes the random or ill-directed shot that takes the tatal effect?” ° o “ And ye: I must challenge him,” reiterated the Earl, “ You know very well, my dear Venetia, how peremptory is the code of honour——” * Honour!” echoed Venetia: and her beautiful lips writhed in superb disdain, “ Now teil me, 1s nut this thing that you call Aeneur the vost wretched, paltry, miserable scarecrow of a aenti- ment that ever was? Horace is as justified in intriguing with your wile as you are in intriguing with Ade, if there be any justification atall, And yet, because you happeu to baye found him and your wife out, you must fight # daelt” - Tobe sare,” exclainted Curson, “Suppose that he bad found you. and fii. out, should I not be compelled to go and tight @ dadl with Aim?” . ‘Ah! it is a weoiehsd affair, this code of houaur cf your's after all" said Venetia: then, as she started sotnewhat abruptly trom the sofa, she said, “1 think thatE diave a buok here which ex poses the folly of duelling.” Seems peel ‘ CONNIE OOO cS) CO