The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 110: what you’re looking at

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

94 THE COURT OF LONDON . ‘“‘'The devil you have!” said the earl, in surprise. “ But how on earth —”’ ‘I know what you are going to say,’ remarked the baronet, with a smile of peculiar meaning; ‘and may I[ not also inquire how on earth you came to glean your information on those points? Come, let us be candid with each other.’’ ‘‘ Willingly,’”’ said the earl. ‘‘ In plain terms, then, I bribed Tash and his man Robin to watch Venetia — ”’ ‘“‘ So did I,” responded the baronet. ‘Well! this is excellent!’’ remarked Curzon. ‘“ And they informed you that Venetia went to Leveson House and Carlton Palace on the same night? ”’ ‘“‘ Precisely so,” returned the baronet. ‘“‘ But they also gave me a version of Malpas’s interview with Venetia in Lady Wenlock’s grounds at Kew, which does not very well tally with his boasted triumph over her.” ‘“‘ And they gave me a similarly puzzling account of that interview,” rejoined Curzon. ‘ In fact, it is this that has so much perplexed me. I do not know what to think. Either Tash or Malpas must lie most tremendously.” “The affair is curiously involved,” observed Sir Douglas Huntingdon; “ and its details are intricate to a degree. Malpas never would be fool and scoundrel enough — ”’ ‘“‘T have no very exalted opinion of him,” said the earl, “and you must remember there are six thousand guineas at stake. Leveson is treasurer; and we will not allow him to part with the money unless Malpas can give us the most positive and undeniable proofs that he really succeeded in being the first to win the favours of Venetia. What induces me to fancy that he might have done so is that Venetia evidently abandoned herself to Leveson and the prince, — on the same evening, too; and therefore she is thoroughly depraved.”’ “‘ But why should she have rejected you and me? ”’ asked the baronet. ‘“ At all events, if money be her object, you could have given her as much as Malpas; and if good looks be concerned, I may add, without flattery, that you ought to have stood a better chance than he.”’ At this moment the door was thrown open; and the domestic announced his Royal Highness the Prince Regent. Malpas, instantaneously quitting Lord Leveson, advanced CORVICOIOOKS (GO)