The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 350: what you’re looking at

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

324 THE COURT OF LONDON mood, Penelope? ”’ she suddenly exclaimed. ‘ Perhaps he had something to vex him? It is well known that he feels deeply the loss of Venetia.’ “ Yes, it is because he loves Venetia as much as a de- bauched sensualist like him can possibly love a woman otherwise than as the object of gross indulgence, it is because he loves her, I say,’’ continued Penelope, with the emphasis of bitter vexation, ‘‘ because he pines after her, because he yearns for her, that all his thoughts, all his sympathies, and all his longings are centred in her, and that he has no room in his heart for even the slightest feeling of pity on behalf of me! ” “‘ But tell me what he said? How did he behave to you last evening? ”’ inquired Mrs. Arbuthnot, anxiously. ‘“‘ Oh, it is useless to enter upon these details,’”’ exclaimed Penelope. ‘‘ Suffice it to say that when I told him my position and besought his advice, he answered, with a cold indifference, that he had no doubt you would be able to manage the matter easily enough when the time came, that I must go into retirement for awhile, with leave of absence from court, and that if I wanted a few hundred pounds he dared say he should be able to spare them. Now, mother,’ asked Penelope, with a biting irony, ‘‘ what be- comes of your fine fabric of hope and ambition after all this? ”’ ‘““ Penelope, I am distressed beyond measure,’”’ answered her mother. ‘‘ The prince’s conduct is cruel and heartless to adegree. I had never a very high opinion of his character for generosity and honour, but I certainly did not expect that he would show such brutal callousness as this.”’ ‘““ Mother,” rejoined Penelope, ‘“‘ you have sold me to a villain. Would it not have been better that I should have become the honoured wife even of a humble Mr. Smith or Mr. Jones? ” and there was again a terrible irony in the young lady’s words and a malicious fire in her eyes. “ Daughter, do not make things worse by showing a bad temper. Perhaps everything is not as bad as you fancy it. There is plenty of time before you. Months will elapse ere your condition will become visible, and in the meantime who knows how the prince’s humour may change? He will altogether have forgotten his Venetia.”’ “Yes, and will have taken up with some other mistress, comicloooks (C(O) im