His Grace — page 206: what you’re looking at

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

200 HIS GRACE. Then I turned and walked away, not caring to listen to any more remarks of the above description. I walked straight to the house of Miss St. George’s aunt ; not because I wanted to see that lady, but because I did rather want to see Nora, to whom I had something to say. The chances were that before the autumn I should find myself free and unemployed; she also would, I hoped, be similarly. situated; and it seemed to me that the time had nearly come for us to make some arrange- ment respecting the future. Miss Martyn was at home,I was told, on reaching Upper Grosvenor Street, and very glad Miss Martyn was to see me. So, at least, she said, though she might have given a more flattering reason for her glad- ness. “TI was just wondering how I could manage to get a word with you, Phil,” she began. “I want you to tell me whether all these things that people are saying are true. I can’t ask anybody else, because I don’t like to appear inquisitive: besides, I suppose all they could do would be torepeat hearsay. But you must know whether itis a fact or not that he has lost such enormous sums of late.” I did not think it worth while to waste time and breath by inquiring who “he” might be. “It is a fact,” I replied, “that he lost a good deal of money at Ascot. I can’t tell you how much, and I don’t know that it particularly signifies. It is just wildly possible that before the end of the racing season he may recoup himself for his losses; but I have given up all hope that he will ever consent to square his expenditure with his revenue; so, since the break-down must inevitably occur sooner or later, it may as well come in 5 (El) m Eomichboo