His Grace — page 134: what you’re looking at

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

128 HIS GRACE. “Tam sure,” said I gravely (being perhaps sure of the contrary), “that he would never have left you to take care of yourself if he hadn’t been convinced that you were capable of doing that. You must try to for- give him; he probably thought, as I did after seeing you go, that you stood in no need of a pilot.” “T don’t require anybody to break my fences for me, if that is what you mean,” replied Miss St. George ; “but I am not ashamed to confess that I can’t find my way instinctively about a country which I never saw before in my life and have no wish ever to see again.” She was so obviously out of temper that she rendered me quite cheerful, in spite of all the good reasons that I had for feeling depressed. “Tam very sorry,” said I, “that you don’t like this part of the world and don’t wish to revisit it. Hurst- bourne will be very sorry too, and so, no doubt, will Mr. Gascoigne. By the way, Hurstbourne may have imagined that Mr. Gascoigne could escort you home, if he could do nothing else for you.” My companion made a half-turn in her saddle and contemplated me with a disdain which, I dare say, would have withered me if I could have seen it, but as her back was turned to what little light there was left, I was denied the pleasure of scrutinizing her features. “From your way of speaking of him,” she said, after a pause, “I suppose the duke is an intimate friend of yours.” “T have been acquainted with him since he was a very small boy,” I answered. ‘That accounts for the lack of deference and respect which seems to have struck you, and which would perhaps be only becoming in one of his present subordinates.” Gomichbooks (E(0)