The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 62: what you’re looking at

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

4 THE COURT OF LONDON the bitter experiences which a lavish profusion is sure to reap. On many other disagreeable things did Lady Sackville ponder as she was borne along in the hackney-coach; but when the vehicle suddenly stopped she gave a convulsive shudder, ejaculating audibly to herself, ‘‘ No, no! ”’ Indeed, she was on the point of ordering the driver to turn back, when all the danger that she ran of again facing Mrs. Gale empty-handed presented itself vividly to her imagina- tion, and she accordingly alighted from the hackney-coach the moment one of the Marquis of Leveson’s servants, issuing forth from the hall, opened the door of the vehicle. For it was to this nobleman’s mansion that Venetia had come; but with the thick veil drawn in double folds over her face, she was not recognized by the domestics, no, nor even by his lordship’s shrewd and cunning valet Brockman, as this individual escorted her up to the Crimson Drawing- room. Venetia retained her veil over her countenance until the door again opened. Then, as the Marquis of Leveson made his appearance, little suspecting who his female visitant might be, Lady Sackville revealed her face, saying, “ ’Tis I, my lord, who am come to implore your forbearance, or else to surrender at discretion.”’ The marquis was so taken by surprise that a dizziness seized for an instant upon his brain, and he staggered back a pace or two. But almost immediately recovering himself he took Venetia’s hand, conducted her to a seat, placed himself near her, and then, gazing in mingled suspense and joy upon her countenance, he said, ‘‘ Did I understand your ladyship aright, or was it only a delicious dream? ” ‘“‘ My lord, I am at your mercy,” answered Venetia, the colour coming and going in quick transitions upon her cheeks a dozen times in a moment as she produced the string with the one remaining pearl, and handed that last representative of the hundred thousand pounds to the marquis. “ Oh, then it is no dream, it is a reality, a bright, a glorious reality,” exclaimed the nobleman, his voice thrilling with exultation. “ At length the moment is come when I may wind my arms around you and say, ‘ Venetia, you are mine!’ ” Suiting the action to the word, Lord Leveson seized Lady Sackville in his fervid embrace, and covered her lips with Ccomiiclooolks (CO)