The Craze of Christina — page 195: what you’re looking at

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

The Craze of Christina. {QI Mr. Scrubb stroked his parchment-like face thoughtfully, first on one cheek and then on the other. Being a bachelor himself, like his late friend, as well as his late friend’s butler, he had a holy horror of the whole female sex; at the same time, as he was no fool, he recog- nized it as a quantity to be reckoned with. Women were no mean and despicable creatures to be scorned and overlooked; in Mr. Scrubb’s Opinion they were foes of a formidable nature who must be fought upon their own ground and with their own weapons. ‘‘In dealing with a young man, Docker,” said Mr. Scrubb thoughtfully, “‘it is never safe to leave the female element entirely out of con- sideration; in my long experience of life I have frequently found that the petticoat is responsi- ble for a good many otherwise incomprehensi- ble vagaries on the part of my acquaintances.”’ ‘‘Have you any suspicinos in this case, sir?”’ inquired Docker gloomily, after a few moments of troubled silence. : ‘‘None whatever. Beyond the indisputable fact that Mr. Mark Clifford is twenty-five and a personable young man; he is also wealthy, and the female sex, as you may have remarked per- haps yourself, Docker, crowd about a rich and ligible man like bees around a honey-pot.”’ CoOnniclooOolKSse@