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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