The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 180: what you’re looking at

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

THE WITNESS 155 was delivered to Ernestina through the medium of her lady’s-maid. When Ernestina, in pursuance of this message, repaired to the Gilded Saloon, she first noticed her uncle pacing uneasily to and fro. Then her eyes rested upon the baronet, to whom she bowed with haughty coldness, while a blush at the same time suffused her countenance, as she felt that he must entertain a very mean and contemptuous opinion of her indeed after her conduct in the affair of Louisa Stanley. But her looks, speedily flitting away from Sir Douglas Huntingdon, fell upon the countenance of Venetia, whom she knew by sight, having once or twice beheld her riding in her carriage in the park. ‘Lady Ernestina Dysart,” said the baronet, ‘‘ this is Lady Sackville.”’ A scarcely perceptible bow took place on either side, for those two women felt that they stood as enemies in each other’s presence. But even while thus exchanging this slight salutation, they darted upon each other a look of scrutinizing curiosity. Indeed, the two handsomest ladies in London, perhaps in all England, were at this moment face to face, and the mutual hostility which they expe- rienced arose not from the comparatively lofty rivalry of beauty, but from the meaner and more paltry cause that each was acquainted with certain secrets regarding the other, thus placing them, as it were, mutually in each other’s power. ‘Now that her ladyship is present,’ Sir Douglas Hunt- ingdon hastened to observe, ‘‘ we will, with your permission, my lord, repair to the Crimson Drawing-room.”’ “And wherefore? ’’ demanded Leveson, gazing in stupid astonishment upon Sir Douglas, while Lady Ernestina grew more and more nervous every instant. “You will see anon,” was the baronet’s reply. ‘‘ Where- fore waste time in useless questions and answers? ”’ | ‘True,’ muttered the marquis, feeling that the sooner all suspense was got rid of the better. ‘‘ Come, then, to the Crimson Drawing-room.”’ And Lord Leveson accordingly led the way thither, followed by Venetia (who drew her veil down), Ernestina, and the baronet. Brockman, whom they encountered on the landing, hastened to light the wax candles in the draw- connicloooks (C(O)