The Tinted Venus: A Farcical Romance Read online

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  *******************************************************Transcriber's Note: The author was inconsistent in theuse of single quotes in contracted words. All havebeen retained as in the original.*******************************************************

  THE TINTED VENUSA Farcical Romance

  BY

  F. ANSTEY

  AUTHOR OF"THE GIANT'S ROBE," "VICE VERSA," ETC.

  ILLUSTRATED BY BERNARD PARTRIDGE

  NEW YORK AND LONDONHARPER AND BROTHERS1898

  "To you, Free and ingenious spirits, he doth now In me, present his service, with his vow He hath done his best; and, though he cannot glory In his invention (this work being a story Of reverend antiquity), he doth hope In the proportion of it, and the scope, You may observe some pieces drawn like one Of a steadfast hand; and with the whiter stone To be marked in your fair censures. More than this I am forbid to promise."

  MASSINGER.

  CONTENTS.

  PAGE

  I. IN PURSUIT OF PLEASURE 3

  II. PLEASURE IN PURSUIT 27

  III. A DISTINGUISHED STRANGER 43

  IV. FROM BAD TO WORSE 55

  V. AN EXPERIMENT 77

  VI. TWO ARE COMPANY 93

  VII. A FURTHER PREDICAMENT 109

  VIII. BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP SEA 127

  IX. AT LAST! 151

  X. DAMOCLES DINES OUT 169

  XI. DENOUNCED 189

  XII. AN APPEAL 207

  XIII. THE LAST STRAW 227

  XIV. THE THIRTEENTH TRUMP 241

  XV. THE ODD TRICK 263

  LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

  PAGE

  "THERE," HE SAID TRIUMPHANTLY, "IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN MADE FOR HER!" 25

  "ANSWER ME," HE SAID ROUGHLY; "IS THIS SOME LARK OF YOURS?" 32

  "DID YOU WANT TO SEE ME ON--ON BUSINESS, MUM?" 47

  "WHAT WOULD BE DONE TO HIM?" ASKED THE HAIRDRESSER, WITH A QUITE UNPLEASANT INTERNAL SENSATION 67

  "KEEP OFF! TELL HER TO DROP IT, TWEDDLE!" 86

  "IT IS A MISERABLE THING," HE WAS THINKING, "FOR A MAN ... TO HAVE A FEMALE STATUE TROTTING AFTER HIM LIKE A GREAT DORG" 104

  SHE WAS STANDING BEFORE THE LOW CHIMNEY-GLASS, REGARDING HERSELF INTENTLY 119

  "FOR 'ARF A PINT I'D KNOCK YOUR BLOOMIN' 'ED IN!" 140

  "WHY DID YOU NOT KNEEL TO ME BEFORE?" 161

  SHE STRUCK A NAMELESS FEAR INTO LEANDER'S SOUL 177

  HER HANDS WERE UNSTEADY WITH PASSION AS SHE TIED HER BONNET-STRINGS 199

  LEANDER WENT DOWN ON ALL FOURS ON THE HEARTH-RUG 220

  "STOP WHERE YOU ARE!... FOR MERCY'S SAKE, DON'T COME IN!" 238

  "LEANDER!" SHE CRIED, ... "I DON'T BELIEVE SHE CAN DO IT!" 255

  HE THREW HIMSELF DOWN BY HER CHAIR, AND DREW DOWN THE HANDS IN WHICH SHE HAD HIDDEN HER FACE 276