The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 366: what you’re looking at

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

ANOTHER FIVE THOUSAND GUINEAS — 333 tunately I have a little hoard from some private gifts of the prince— However,’’ she cried, suddenly, “I have not time now to enter into particulars. Go back to your Wine and your guests, whoever you may have with you, and in an hour come up to me in my boudoir. You shall then have the money.’’ “Ten thousand, thousand thanks, Venetia! ’’ exclaimed Horace. Then as he embraced her, he said, ‘‘ If we are not the most devoted lovers in the world, or the most faithful and exemplary husband and wile, we are at all events the very best of friends.” ‘“‘ And that is perhaps better,’’ answered Venetia. ‘* But I must now return to the prince, and in an hour you will come to me in my boudoir.”’ They then separated. Horace went back to Gertrude, to tell her to wait an hour, as he had sent for the money, and then returning to Captain Tash, he proceeded to question this gallant gentleman relative to the secret resources of Venetia. But Tash — little suspecting, however, that acci- dent had so speedily put Lord Sackville in the way of testing the experiment in the matter — could be induced to say nothing more than that ‘“‘ what he said he knew was to be relied on.’’ In the meantime Venetia, instead of returning to the prince regent, whom she had left snoring and half-drunk on the sofa, hastened up to her boudoir, and summoning Jessica, she hurriedly communicated her intention to that faithful dependent. Enveloping themselves each in a thick cloak, and putting on plain straw hats with ample veils, they pre- pared to sally forth. But previously Venetia opened her jewel-coffer, and took off five of the pearls from the string which the Marquis of Leveson had given her. These she enveloped in a piece of paper and carefully secured in her bosom. Then, accompanied by Jessica, she issued from the palace by means of one of the private doors. Taking a hackney-coach in Pall Mall, they proceeded direct to Albemarle Street, and on inquiring at Leveson House if the marquis were at home, they were at once admitted into the mansion. Being shown to a parlour on the ground floor, they were almost immediately joined by the marquis, and Venetia, at once raising her veil, said to the nobleman, ““When I spoke so triumphantly and so positively this CoOnniclooolkks (C(O)