Guy Earlscourt's Wife — page 196: what you’re looking at

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

rR4 At Brighton. | “Unrortunate!” he smiled again. “That is a mild word to appiy to-such a ne’er-do-well as 1 am. Still, I ‘thenk you, Miss Lisle; I will not soon forget your kind indulgence,” She gianced at him, looking very haughty and handséme in the dim light. Then her head drooped—she began play- ing’ nervously with her tassels. Ile was in debt; she had more money than she knew what to do with; she felt a great compassion for him stirring in her heart; if he would only let her help him. “Mr. Earlscourt,” she faltered, “they—say—you are in debt,” words coming slowly and painfully. “If I am your friend, will you not let me—oh, don’t be hurt—don’t be offended, please—but won’t you let me help you? I have so much mo.ey. I don’t want at and it would make me so happy if only you would He made a sudden, swift motion that stopped her. | “Not a word more, Miss Lisle! From my soul I am grate- ful to you, but you must see it is impossible. Believe me, | will not readily forget your generosity of this night, un- ! worthy of it as I am.” & He was more moved than he cared to show. : She shrank away a little, feeling pain, pity, embarrass- ment in his presence. “T am unworthy of your compassion—remember that, Miss Lisle. All they have told you of me is true. What- ever has befallen me 1s merited. I have wrought my own ruin. And the end is very near. ‘Macilis descensus Averni!’ And I am at the bottom of the pit. Well, the descent at ! | least has been pleasant, and when oblivion comes there is nothing to do but let the waters close over my head; to yo | | out to the exile I have richly earned; to accept my fate and sink from sight; and when the finale comes—a shot in a gambling hell most likely—to eover my face and die with dignity. Am J] boring you with a sermon? and you shiver, while I selfishly keep’ you nere in the cold. Don’t waste your pity on-me, Miss Lisle; I don’t deserve it; let me take you back to the ballroom.” : . She was shivering, but not with cold, and she was very pale in the glaring gaslight when she re-entered*the warm rooms. He resigned her with a low bow to her next'partner. The tears were hardly dry on her Jong lashes yet as she was : whirled away in the redowa, tears not all; perhaps, for Alice : W arren Five minutes after Lieutenant Earlscourt quitted the ball. By the first train next morning he quitted Brighton, earry- Ing with him the memory of the sweet, impaesioned face upon which the stars had shone. . is F Poe dts et. Re. eee Cares Gs Mi that ner f The dance of th She hit, w seat dawn. Th token Ing u Mr: never was f menté een, ¢ been eyes, Lisle perfe drean odds upon As spoke eT » Lisle, with Sh detest ad sary. t the re “M rooms “Na lien. is “HT, ee Oe ¢ comicbooks.com