The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 227: what you’re looking at

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

CONTINUATION OF THE MYSTERIES — 205 all. It is only by achieving the extraordinary popularity I have described that you will be talked of in the prince’s hearing, and then will Horace be enabled to serve us by still further piquing his curiosity. But if you yield to the over- tures of any other individual, if you suffer yourself to be dazzled by any offers that may be made to you, if, in a word, you compromise your reputation and thus gain the character of an adventuress or an intriguante, you will fail to inspire that curiosity and sustain that prolonged excite- ment and sensation which can alone lead to success. ‘“‘ And if successful, Venetia, only think of the advantages to be gained! They are incalculable. Your own position will of course be brilliant, and then must you labour on behalf of those who will have been instrumental in raising you to this summit of grandeur. For remember, it is I and Mrs. Fitzherbert who together have advanced these large sums of money to carry out our design; it is we who have rescued you from poverty and destitution, your sister and your aunt also, and are now placing you on the highroad to fortune, rank, and influence. Therefore, when that position shall have been secured to yourself, you must exert your power with the prince to provide pensions and places for those whom I and Mrs. Fitzherbert may point out, and through you shall we thus regain some portion of our de- parted influence. Now, Venetia, my explanations are com- plete. I do not ask you whether you have the capacity and the qualifications to enter upon a career where tact, judg- ment, delicacy, and shrewdness are as necessary as personal beauty itself, because in these respects I already know you to be well fitted for the purpose. But I do ask you whether, after all you have heard, you can enter, heart and soul, upon the enterprise and give yourself up to it with enthusiasm and devotion? ”’ With but little compunction, and with a pleasurable sensation infinitely outweighing it, Venetia replied in the affirmative, and her destiny was thus fixed. (C(O) nn) GDoOo <Si nin