A Gentleman from Gascony: A Romance of the Huguenots — page 48: what you’re looking at

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

44 A GENTLEMAN FROM GASCONY. she pointed to the picture above the mantel, “the duke his father had not numbered his years ere he had drawn a sword, not in a wild brawl and drunken frolic, but oo » , . - , ‘ + 7 vig - r Jian i = ? 1 ; & ae x ; with honor, under his monarch’s eye, in many a stricken ~ field.” “The fault is on the times. Youth, like the chame- leon, ever takes the prevailing hue.” “ His excesses!” “ For those the license of the court gives but too much excuse.” “ His duels!” “ At his age the blood is hot.” “ He is too turbulent, too ungoverned, too——” But the poor woman could proceed no further. Her emotion choked her, and, with a sob, she buried her face in her handkerchief. Ambrose Pare gazed down upon her with genuine concern depicted upon his countennce. He knew per- haps better than she to what an extent the young duke had gone in his excesses, and yet he loved the boy whose tutor he had been. He waited until the duchess had somewhat regained her composure, aid then sought to console her with words, which, to do him justice, he really believed himself. | “Madame! Madame! I pray your grace to look. upon these follies, for they are no more, with hopeful . eyes. I am old, and in my time have seen many a noble manhood obliterate the remembrance of a wild and foolish youth. In the duke’s case, believe me, the head alone is at fault and not the heart, for in the char- acter of tutor I have probed the latter often.” The duchess dried her eyes and raised her head, meet- ing the old man’s gaze as if she would read his inmost heart. Comicbooks (E() im =)