His Grace — page 123: what you’re looking at

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

HIS GRACE. 117 like you just to try that mare of his which he says can carry a lady.” | To an unprejudiced listener this sounded pretty cool, but Hurstbourne seemed to think it all right, and de- clared, with a foolish air of gratification, which made me long to wring his neck, that he would not for the world allow Miss St. George to mount any animal without having previously ascertained that it was fit for her to ride. What Mr. Gascoigne may have thought must remain a matter of conjecture ; but when he returned to us he seconded the invitation which had been given in his name with a tolerably good grace. We should al- ways try to allow the devil his due, and if I can’t find anything else to say in favor of Paul Gascoigne, I am at least willing to admit that he possessed the gift of self-command. It was not until some minutes after our guests had departed that Lady Charles interrupted her son’s warm encomiums upon Miss St. George’s beauty and amia- bility by remarking: ‘“ My dear Arthur, she may be this, that or the other ; but if she were staying in my house, I shouldn’t like her to make herself so much at home. The idea of her asking you to go over to Lavenham, and of that long-legged gaby submissively backing her up! She hadn’t even the civility to ask me either!” “Oh,” answered Hurstbourne, looking a trifle dis- concerted, “I am sure they would have asked you, mother, if they had thought you would care to go.” “ They /” retorted Lady Charles, with a toss of her flaxen head: “who are ¢Aey, pray? I was under the impression that Lavenham belonged to Paul Gascoigne. Not, of course, that it ought to belong to him, and not Gomichoo m