The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 167: what you’re looking at

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

144 THE COURT OF LONDON — I have suspected, or, rather,’’ he continued, ‘‘ I have had positive proois that my wife was a thorough intriguante.”’ “And pray, are you the most immaculate of men?” inquired Venetia, with an arch smile. ‘“ No, far from it,’ responded Curzon, snatching a kiss from her lips; but he immediately added, “I do not choose my wife to pursue a similar game.”’ ‘“Then how you must despise, scorn, and loathe me,”’ said Venetia, but with a certain haughty mockery in her tone. “Am not I a wife, and yet have I not forgotten myself with you? Am I not likely to do it again? ” ‘Ah! but you are one of the world’s exceptions,” ex- claimed Curzon, not knowing exactly what response to give. Then, after some little hesitation and with a certain confusion in his looks, he said, ‘‘ But wherefore shall we continue this topic? It only makes me say things disagreeable to you, and I would not for the world offend or annoy you, Venetia.”’ “You neither offend nor annoy me,”’ she observed, with a peculiarity of tone and look which for the moment seemed to have something sinister in it; but as her countenance suddenly lighted up, she exclaimed, in a blithe voice, “ I know very well that I am different from other women, and there lives not a man on the face of the earth who can either scorn or despise me.”’ ‘True, most true,’ exclaimed Curzon, bestowing upon her another caress. ‘‘ Well, I was about to explain that on the Continent I met a person who revealed to me all the secrets relative to Editha’s misconduct, and how artfully she managed, by the aid of her principal tirewoman, a girl named Gertrude, to carry on her intrigues in such a way that none of the servants, save this confidential one, could possibly suspect what was going on.” ‘“ And who could have been base and mischievous enough to give you such information? ”’ asked Venetia, her suspicions instantaneously settling upon Colonel Malpas. ‘“ Ah! my charmer, I must not tell you that,” said Curzon, patting her face. ‘Well, go on,” she said, with an arch smile. ‘I do not wish to penetrate more deeply than you choose into your secrets. I suppose, however, that, having gained this infor- mation on the Continent, you lost no time in turning it to account the moment you came back to London? ”’ ) | COIN (-) IDoOOkKs (E(0)