the hour of eight
As I was wrapping myself in my cloak , Guloseton turned to me , for passion makes men open their hearts : too eager for an opportunity of acquiring the epicure 's acquaintance , I offered to get his friend admittance in an instant ; the offer was delightedly accepted , and I soon procured a small piece of pencilled paper from Lady -- , which effectually silenced the Charon , and opened the Stygian via to the Elysium beyond . Guloseton overwhelmed me with his thanks . I remounted the stairs with him -- took every opportunity of ingratiating myself -- received an invitation to dinner on the following day , and left Willis 's transported at the goodness of my fortune . At the hour of eight on the ensuing evening , I had just made my entrance into Lord Guloseton 's drawing-room . It was a small apartment furnished with great luxury and some taste . A Venus of Titian 's was placed over the chimney-piece , in all the gorgeous voluptuousness of her unveiled beauty -- the pouting lip , not silent though shut -- the eloquent lid drooping over the eye , whose reveille you could so easily imagine -- the arms -- the limbs -- the attitude , so composed , yet so redolent of life -- all seemed to indicate that sleep was not forgetfulness , and that the dreams of the goddess were not wholly inharmonious with the waking realities in which it was her gentle prerogative to indulge . On either side , was a picture of the delicate and golden hues of Claude ; these were the only landscapes in the room ; the remaining pictures were more suitable to the Venus of the luxurious Italian .