The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 57: what you’re looking at

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

THE UNWELCOME VISITRESS (389 a conciliatory tone, “I will give you some proof of my gratitude on a future occasion. I am unable to do it now. So far from rolling in riches, I am actually most dreadfully embarrassed at this present moment.” ‘‘ Stuff and nonsense!’’ interrupted Mrs. Gale, with coarse rudeness. ‘‘ I don’t believe a word of it. Besides, you sha’n’t put me off with any trumpery excuses of this kind. You have already behaved ungrateful enough, and just now, if I hadn’t shown a spirit, you would have had me kicked out of the place. But I wasn’t to be put down by you.” “TI did not intend to be uncivil,’’ observed Venetia, showing by the increasing meekness of her manner how cruelly embarrassed she was. | ‘Ah! it’s all very fine for you to eat humble pie now, but you wouldn’t have done so if I hadn’t brought you down a peg or two. Come, my lady,” added the woman, with increasing insolence ails of tone and manner, “‘ hand me over two thousand pounds to-night, or to-morrow morning I will spread it abroad all over London that the brilliant, the proud, the worshipped Lady Sackville was — ”’ ‘“‘ Hush! — enough, desist, I implore you! ”’ cried Venetia. “Two thousand pounds! I cannot give you that sum to-night.” “ But I will and must have it,’”’ said Mrs. Gale, resuming the seat from which she had risen, ‘‘ and here will I remain till it is forthcoming.” ‘But this is the vilest, the most hideous of tyrannies,”’ exclaimed Venetia, trembling with excitement. ‘“‘T dare say it is,’ rejoined the woman, who, perceiving that her triumph was sure, grew more and more resolute, insolent, and dogged. ‘To-morrow, at any hour you choose to name — ” ‘No, I shall come here no more. To-morrow the doors would be shut in my face.” ‘“‘ On my honour, as a lady — ‘“ Enough! I will have the money to-night.” “ But I have it not,’ cried Venetia, in a positive agony of excitement. , “Then you can get it,’’ returned the woman, brutally. “Here, take my sewels, anything, everything, as a guarantee that I will send you the money to redeem them.”’ 2? (C(O) nn) GDoOo <Si in