His Grace — page 117: what you’re looking at

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

HIS GRACE. | lit “Yes,” [ replied ; ‘she is very good-looking indeed. I doubt whether she is anything more.” “Oh, you be hanged!” returned Hurstbourne, laugh- ing. ‘“ You’re an old St. what’s-his-name—Anthony, _ wasn’t it? Pretty faces don’t appeal to you, you must needs have mental beauty ; whereas everybody else, including our esteemed friend Paul, knows that if a woman isn’t physically attractive, she has missed her vocation. I don’t suppose you noticed anything; but I'll lay you two to one in whatever you like that Paul has lost his heart to that Miss St. George.” I did not take his offer, because, for one thing, I can’t afford to bet, and for another, he was mistaken in his assumption that I had noticed nothing. On the contrary, I had noticed that Mr, Gascoigne had not half liked his guest’s gracious reception of the young duke, and that he had made several vain attempts to break in upon their brief and harmless colloquy. However, I did not care to mention this; I only said: ‘“ Well, if he has lost his heart to her, by all means let him marry her. I shall not forbid the banns, nor, I presume, will you; and if appearances are to be relied upon, they ought to make a remarkably well-suited couple.” Hurstbourne gave a sort of snort andleftme. I knew just what the state of his mind was: I knew perfectly well that he would like to forbid the banns if he could ; I knew that he had been a little bit fascinated and that he had a very strong desire to cut his cousin out in any way that might seem to lie open to him. I couldn’t help it, though, I could only hold my tongue, and wish that I hadn’t been such an ass as to bring my poor dear Nora to Hurstbourne Castle, and wonder what Provi- dence could be about to let things fall out so askew, Gomichoo cS im