The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 316: what you’re looking at

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

294 THE COURT OF LONDON ‘Show his lordship up immediately,” exclaimed his Royal Highness, aloud. Then, so soon as the servant had retired, he observed, “ It is Leveson, who has just come back from Paris; and, as a matter of course, he will be wel- come amongst us.”’ ‘Oh, assuredly! ’’ exclaimed the Earl of Curzon. ‘ But what did he go to Paris for? ” ‘Ah! that, I suppose, is his secret,’’ replied the prince, who, however, knew full well wherefore the marquis had gone so suddenly abroad more than a month previously, and why he had remained so long in the French capital. The Marquis of Leveson now made his appearance; and when the usual greetings and complimentary phrases were exchanged, he took a seat on the left hand of the prince, — Venetia being on the right of his Royal Highness. The conversation was continued upon general subjects for some time; but presently when Lord Sackville, the Earl of Curzon, and Sir Douglas Huntingdon had become involved in a warm though friendly discussion upon some moot- point, to which Venetia was listening with great interest, the prince and the Marquis of Leveson seized the opportunity to exchange a few hurried and whispered observations. ‘What news? ” inquired the prince. ‘Did you not receive letters from me yesterday, stating that I should be home to-day? ”’ asked Leveson. ‘‘ Yes,” replied the prince. ‘‘ And nothing, I suppose, is changed since the date at which you wrote those letters? ”’ ‘“ Nothing,” returned the marquis. ‘‘ As you are aware, Julia Owen has gone on to rejoin her sisters in Italy — ” ‘‘ Yes, that I know well enough,” interrupted the prince; “and she must have reached them by this time. Why, it is a fortnight since you despatched her from Paris, on the failure of that precious affair between her and the falsely styled Jocelyn Loftus.”’ At the mention of this name, which caught Venetia’s ear, she gave a start, though it was unperceived by any one present. Then, while apparently continuing to listen with interest to the discussion between her husband, the earl, and the baronet, she in reality lent an earnest and attentive ear to the whispered and confidential discourse that was going on between the prince regent and the Earl of Leveson. The latter proceeded to make certain observations relative CONIC OOo (EO)