Скорбота сатани

Chapter 35

           Themajorityresembledcarefullytrainedbaboons—respectablyclothedandartisticallyshaven—butneverthelessallwiththespasmodicgrin,theleeringeyeandtheuncouthgesturesofthehairywoodlandmonster.WhenIwasjusteighteenI‘cameout’inearnest—thatis,IwaspresentedatCourtwithallthefoolishandfarcicalpomppractisedonsuchoccasions.Iwastoldbeforegoingthatitwasagreatandnecessarythingtobe‘presented,’—thatitwasaguaranteeofposition,andaboveallofreputation—theQueenreceivednonewhoseconductwasnotrigidlycorrectandvirtuous.Whathumbugitallwas!—Ilaughedthen,andIcansmilenowtothinkofit—why,theverywomanwhopresentedmehadtwoillegitimatesons,unknowntoherlawfulhusband,andshewasnottheonlyplayfulsinnerintheCourtcomedy!SomewomenweretherethatdaywhomsinceevenIwouldnotreceive—soopenlyinfamousaretheirlivesandcharacters,yettheymaketheirdemurecurtseysbeforetheThroneatstatedtimes,andassumetobetheverypatternsofvirtueandausterity.Nowandthen,itchancesinthecaseofanexceedinglybeautifulwoman,ofwhomalltheothersarejealous,thatforherlittleslipssheisselectedasan‘example’andexcludedfromCourt,whileherplainersisters,thoughsinningseventytimessevenagainstallthelawsofdecencyandmorality,arestillreceived—butotherwise,thereisverylittlerealcareexercisedastothecharacterandprestigeofthewomenwhomtheQueenreceives.

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