The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 342: what you’re looking at

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

THE PEARLS 309 explanation of a certain passage in your lordship’s letter, relative to these trinkets,’ and she pointed toward the pearls which lay in the jewel-case upon the table. ‘The passage was doubtless ambiguous to your ladyship,”’ said the marquis, ‘“‘ and I purposely left it so, masmuch as a full explanation of my meaning, if unasked and uninvited by you, might be construed into a breach of the compact entered into between us the other day under such peculiar circumstances at my house.” ‘Proceed, my lord,’ said Venetia, in a tone of mild command, ‘and give me your explanation without any further preface.”’ ‘“Then, of whatever nature this explanation may be,” said the marquis, inquiringly, “‘ you grant me full permission beforehand to offer it? And you will not hold whatever I may say to be a violation of the future line of conduct enjoined to me on your behalf by Sir Douglas Huntingdon? ”’ ‘““T give your lordship free permission to speak plainly,”’ answered Venetia. ‘‘ But understand me well, it is curiosity, and curiosity alone, which prompted me to grant this inter- view, and now induces me to listen to the explanation which your lordship may have to give.”’ ‘“T am honoured and delighted by being admitted to your ladyship’s presence on any terms,’’ responded the Marquis of Leveson, with another low bow. Then, taking the string of pearls from the table, he said, ‘‘ Your ladyship has recently entered upon a career the mostbrilliant, the most triumphant, and the most resplendent, but you will find that it is the most costly and the most expensive. The sources of your income must necessarily be limited to certain bounds, but, on the other hand, boundless will be the constantly recurring drains made in a thousand ways upon your purse. Forgive me for thus turning the discourse upon so vile a subject as money. My experience in the world is greater than yours, and you will soon find that my words are true. Therefore is it that I propose to constitute myself your banker in reserve, when your regular banker shall be over- drawn. Here are a hundred pearls upon this string, and each one, when presented to me by your own hand, shall be considered equivalent to a cheque or draft for a thousand pounds. You may present them singly, or as many as you like at a time, or all at the same moment if you choose, and Gomicbdooks (C(O)