A Fair Fraud — page 282: what you’re looking at

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

A Fair Fraud 271 already heralded his arrival, and a spare room —there was more than one in that commodious mansion—had been got ready for him. ‘If you have your friend to stay, I don’t see why I shouldn’t have mzne,’ Naylor had re- marked to his wife, with a twinkle in his eye. ‘Certainly. Yet it is not so very long ago since you pointed out to me that it was my duty to take active measures to save my cousin from falling into the hands of a scheming woman ; and you wouldn't listen to me when I told you that Hester was not an adven- turess.’ ‘Let me down easy, please, little woman.’ ‘I merely wish to ask who was right—you or I?’ ‘Oh, you, of course. What a fool a hen- pecked husband would be ever to admit any- thing else!’ Nevertheless, although he had fallen into his wife’s plans and arrangements with a very good grace, Naylor sometimes doubted whether they were altogether wise. | ‘Don’t you think asking him here is forcing his hand a bit?’ he had said to his wife only that very morning, before he went off to his chambers. ‘Suppose the chap has changed his mind about her?—he has never mentioned her in his letters ; and suppose time and absence have shown him the undesirability of the match, ElLOOO 4 (G' O)