The Memoirs of Harriette Wilson, Volumes One and Two: Written by HerselfWilson, Harriette
General
The Memoirs of Harriette Wilson, Volumes One and Two: Written by Herself
Wilson, Harriette
Courtesans -- Great Britain -- Biography; Wilson, Harriette, 1786-1846
Deerhurst possesses talents and can be very agreeable. He was growing
tired of being cut by so many respectable people; therefore he set about
winning the friendship of the Duke of Leinster. He talked of sailing and
boats, big fiddles and Irish watchmen; praised to the skies such of the
Irish nobility as lived on their estates, and imitated the Irish brogue
as though he had been practising it all the days of his life. Leinster
was delighted with him.
After dinner, Luttrell called to say that Amy gave her first party
since her confinement, on this evening, and had permitted him to say
that, as it was a mutual convenience that we should meet civilly at
parties, and neither friendship nor intimacy was necessary for that
purpose, she was ready to ratify the engagement made between us a few
years back, to offer me no insult and desired I would go to her in the
course of the evening, and bring as many of my male friends as I pleased.
I asked Leinster and De Roos if they would like to take me to Amy's with
them.
"Most willingly," was their answer.
"Make no apologies for not asking me," said Deerhurst, "for, with all my
impudence, I do not think I could face that tartar of a sister of yours
without a special invitation."
"Are you fond of looking at jewellery?" I asked Luttrell.
"Very," answered Luttrell, "and I believe I am rather a good judge too."
"Then," said I, "Sophia, my dear, if you have brought your jewels with
you, pray ask Mr. Luttrell's opinion of their value."
Sophia drew from her reticule two smart jewel-boxes, of Love the
jeweller.
"These are the jewels which were presented to my sister by Viscount
Deerhurst," said I, as I handed them to Mr. Luttrell.
The box contained a necklace of large green glass-beads, set in yellow
metal. There was a leaden ring, with a blue bead in it, a small
Tunbridge-ware tooth-pick case, with "When this you see, remember me,"
superscribed on it, and two brass seals, one with the name of Sophia
on it, the other, with a little winged figure, evidently meant for a
cupid or a parrot; but it was very difficult to decide which it most
resembled. Everybody laughed heartily, but the loudest laugher of our
party was Viscount Deerhurst.
"And then," said Deerhurst, trying to recover himself, "and then, having
won the young lady by dint of these valuable jewels, Robinson, the
attorney of Bolton street, first draws up an agreement to secure to
her an annuity of three hundred a year, and the next day tells you his
agreement is not worth six-pence!"
There was only one of our society who carried politeness so far as to
seem amused at such disgusting profligacy.
Luttrell looked with unqualified contempt on his lordship. Leinster and
De Roos, considering themselves too young to set an example, or reform
the age, fixed their eyes steadily on the carpet, while De Roos's fair
cheek was tinged with a deep blush. Sophia alone joined Lord Deerhurst
in his laugh; declaring that it was very funny to be sure.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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