The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 168: what you’re looking at

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

THE WIFE’S STRALTAGEM 151 placing her hand upon his mouth. ‘ Now sit down once more, and tell me all that occurred at Geneva.”’ At this moment a knock was heard at the door, and Vene- tia ordered Jessica, from whom the summons came, to return in half an hour, for she had only rung the bell in the presence of her husband to make him believe that Curzon was at once to take his departure, and that she had no private business with him. The earl accordingly proceeded to give Venetia an account of just as much as it suited him to relate concerning his proceedings at Geneva. He did not mention the name of Malpas, and she did not choose to mention it either. in fact, her only object was now to ascertain the precise position in which affairs seemed to be in the household of the Princess of Wales, and if she showed herseli thus affable, condescend- ing, and kind toward the Har! of Curzon, it was merely because she deemed it prudent to conciliate a man who was acquainted with so many of her secrets. At the expiration of the half-hour Jessica returned to the boudoir, and Curzon was then stealthily conducted from the palace. | Venetia now remained alone, alone to ponder upon all that had taken place, and to plunge into those meditations which the development of her career, with all its varied incidents, was so well calculated to engender. Was not all sense of virtue now lost within her soul? Had she not become shameless in her depravities.and brazen in her profligacies? Yes; nor did she attempt to conceal this fact from herself. On the contrary, she was resolved that so far as the power of her beauty and the witchery of her fascinations could serve her purposes of ambition or of intrigue, oi amorous gallantry or of subtle design, she would never hesitate to render those means available. CORNICLOO! <S) (CO)