A Fair Fraud — page 135: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

124 A Fair Fraud things on. She dreads my interference. She is right, for I shall certainly not allow matters to proceed too far.’ ‘I am convinced that Hester will not accept my cousin; pray let things take their course, Mr Naylor,’ pleaded Marion. ‘Then you have conveyed my message to her ?’ ‘I have not,’ replied Marion, emphatically and a little indignantly. ‘Has your profes- sion so hardened you, Mr Naylor, that you have lost all belief in the goodness of human nature ?’ | ‘My dear Miss Blake, pray do not be hard on me, or on my profession; I am sceptical certainly as to some people, I admit. And is it really possible that even your generous heart can believe in a Miss Lane?’ ‘I believe in her entirely,’ replied Marion, warmly, ‘I am _ convinced that her tempta- tions are immense, but that she will over- come them all.’ Mr Naylor raised his eyebrows significantly. ‘You judge other women by your own stand- ard, Miss Blake. I confess, although I know very little of the girl, I cannot believe good of the child of such a mother!’ ‘She is a million times better than her mother !’ ‘You are sure of that? Well—where does GOMMGIOO <S (GO) ™ a _— a i