The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 187: what you’re looking at

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

162 THE COURT OF LONDON the veil well folded over her countenance, but this precau- tion was scarcely necessary, for they encountered no one on the landing or the staircase, and the hall-porter was so Overcome with drowsiness that he actually rose from his. great leathern chair to open the door with his eyes shut, thus performing his duty mechanically rather than in full consciousness. On issuing forth from Leveson House, Lady Sackville was escorted by the baronet back to Miss Bathurst’s resi- dence in Stratton Street. There, however, he left her, parting from her even before the front door was opened to give her admittance. Nevertheless, ere they had thus separated, a few rapidly whispered words of deep and tender meaning passed between them. Venetia, hurrying up-stairs to Miss Bathurst’s bedroom, threw aside the bonnet and cloak, arranged her hair before: the mirror, assumed her brightest looks, and returned into the quadrille-room. There she was immediately surrounded. by her admirers, who asked what had become of her for the last hour, for it was now midnight, and she had been a little more than an hour absent. ‘‘ A temporary indisposition that compelled her to retire,’’? was the ready apology, and many a worshipper expressed his grief to learn that her ladyship should have been indisposed even for an instant. The supper-rooms were now thrown open, and thither Venetia repaired, leaning on the arm of some nobleman. Her husband and the Countess of Curzon were still in each other’s company, and Venetia saw that an amour was. settled in that quarter. It was about one o’clock when Lord and Lady Sackville: took leave of Miss Bathurst and entered their carriage. During the ride back to Carlton House, which only occupied. a few minutes, the husband and wife conversed on periectly indifferent subjects, for Venetia did not think it worth while to let Horace know what had occurred at Lord Leveson’s, and, on his part, he had not observed the temporary absence: of his wife from his aunt’s brilliant saloons. On reaching Carlton House Lord and Lady Sackville ascended to their own suite of apartments, and on the stairs. they encountered Jessica, who made a quick and furtive sien of intelligence to her mistress. Venetia understood it well, —so well, indeed, that it brought a blush of mingled CoOnniclooolkxs (E(@)