The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 58: what you’re looking at

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

40 THE COURT OF LONDON *“ No, if I took them away, you would declare I had stolen them. It is useless to continue this discussion. Besides,” added Mrs. Gale, vindictively, “‘ I saw from the very first that you liked my presence as little as might be, and just now you would have turned me out if you had dared. So I choose to be revenged on you in my own way for your impudence. That’s the reason which makes me so peremp- tory in demanding the money at once, besides my really wanting it for to-morrow, which is no lie. Let me see,’’ she continued, looking at her watch, “‘ it is now seven o’clock. Well, I don’t mind staying here till midnight. You can in the meantime go amongst your friends and get the money.”’ ‘‘But you cannot possibly mean to remain here all these hours? ”’ cried Venetia. ‘“‘T do,” was the dogged response. Lady Sackville threw herself upon the sofa in despair. What was to be done? She flung a glance at Mrs. Gale, on whose countenance sat the most determined resoluteness. of purpose. Further appeal to her was all in vain. Venetia then swept her eyes around the boudoir, as if in search of something that might be suggestive of the manner in which she was to act. She felt as if she could immolate the insolent old extortioner to her rage. Ah! a sudden idea struck her, and,springing from her seat, she said, ‘“‘ Wait a few minutes,” and hurried from the room. Her hope was that her husband, who was to dine with the prince, might not as yet have parted with the twenty thousand pounds she had given him an hour before, in which case she would obtain of him the wherewith to satisfy Mrs. Gale. But Horace, whom she found in his dressing-room, had already sent off the money to the gambling-house keeper by Captain Tash, who was himself to form one of the royal party. Lord Sackville had therefore only five hundred. pounds left, which he offered to his wife, and which she accepted. But perceiving that she was agitated, he asked her what it was that annoyed her, and for what purpose she required the money, whereupon she observed that it was. merely an importunate milliner’s bill which had been pre- sented, but that the five hundred pounds would satisfy the applicant at present. She said nothing about Mrs. Gale, because, though her husband was acquainted with nearly all the circumstances of her earlier life, he was nevertheless comicloooks (CO)