The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 298: what you’re looking at

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

MATRIMONIAL STORMS 265 laugh. ‘‘ He was as drunk as an owl, and looked very much like one, too, lolling in that armchair — ”’ “Yes, Lady Sackville must have a singular taste,” ob- served Editha, with a contemptuous toss of her head, arising from ill-concealed jealousy, “to allow such a loathsome monster — ’’ ‘“ Nonsense! you don’t think so in your own heart,” said the earl. ‘‘I dare say, if the truth be known, you would give ten years of your life to change places with Lady Sackville and become the prince’s mistress.”’ “How dare you insult me, my lord, in this manner? ”’ demanded Editha, but with a passion that was not so well affected as altogether to deceive her husband. ‘‘ In fact, what cause have I given you to address me in the style which you adopted in the carriage last night and which you are renewing now? I repeat that I only received Lord Sackville’s attention with a becoming courtesy; and when the company got heated with wine and began to indulge in certain little freedoms, innocent as your lordship doubt- less considers them to have been,”’ added Editha, with a fine vein of sarcasm in her accents, ‘“‘ Lord Sackville abstained from adopting the same course toward me, whereas you did not hesitate to kiss Lady Prescott — ”’ “Twas a mere kiss snatched in fun,” observed Curzon. ‘Lips are not glued together in jest,’’ rejoined Editha, her eyes flashing the spirit of the sarcasm which her words conveyed, “‘ nor does the hand rest upon the naked shoulder unintentionally, nor, when withdrawn, glide accidentally over the heaving bosom — ”’ “Ah!” ejaculated the earl, ‘‘ do you mean to tell me that all this took place between Lady Prescott and myself? ”’ ‘“ I mean to say that it took place from you toward Lady Prescott,’ replied Editha; “‘ but I may add that her lady- ship, ashamed at what thus took place, though perhaps in her heart not altogether unwilling, looked the prude and affected to be shocked. In plain terms, — if I must repeat what I said to you in the carriage last night, — your con- duct was infamous, and mine was irreproachable.”’ ‘ And I tell you in return,” exclaimed the earl, now getting too angry to persevere in a tone and manner of listless in- difference, ‘‘ that your conduct toward Sackville was not so innocent as you would have me believe. When he helped ) CoOnniclooolkks (C(O)