The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 365: what you’re looking at

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

Od2 THE COURT OF LONDON he asserts. At all events there could be no harm in trying. The case was desperate, and Horace caught eagerly at any hope. Bidding Gertrude wait a few minutes, Horace quitted the room and repaired to that part of the palace in which the prince regent’s own private apartments were situated. Waiting in an anteroom, he sent in a footman with a message to his wife to the effect that he wished to speak to her for a few minutes. It happened at the moment that the prince, after a somewhat early dinner with Venetia, had drunk so copiously that he had just fallen asleep upon the sofa, and therefore his lovely mistress was enabled at once to come forth in compliance with her husband’s summons. “Ts anything the matter, Horace? ’’ she inquired, imme- diately perceiving that there was a certain uneasiness and agitation in his manner. ‘“ My dear Venetia,’’ he answered, “‘ I wish to consult you as to what I am to do in a particular embarrassment which has just sprung up. A year or two ago, — long before I was acquainted with you, —I contracted a debt under peculiar circumstances. It was a debt of honour, and up to this moment I have never even been asked for the money. Now it is suddenly demanded of me, and unless paid to-night or to-morrow morning, the person to whom it is due will be utterly and totally ruined. An exposure of his affairs will take place, my name will be implicated — In fact, Venetia, it is serious, very serious.” “ But how on earth, Horace, can I assist you?’’ she exclaimed. ) ‘“T do not know,” he responded, in an agitated manner. ‘‘ But women are so ingenious, and you, of all women, possess such a readiness at expedients.”’ ‘‘ But is it really so very, very serious? ”’ she demanded, looking him fixedly in the face. “On my soul,” he replied, trembling with uncertainty as to the result, “‘ it is most serious, and unless I can pay this amount my very character will be compromised to a frightful degree. Young in the peerage as we are, and having by our sudden rise excited so many jealousies, envies, and hatreds, our position is a delicate one, and such an exposure would be most disastrous, most ruinous.”’ ‘“‘ Well, Horace, console yourself,” said Venetia. ‘' For- Gomicbooks (E(@)