His Other Wife: A Novel — page 18: what you’re looking at

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

10 . SLEEPING BEAUTY. of malignant enjoyment that is not good to see in a man’s look when women are in the question. It seemed to revolt and disgust his companion, the pale, homely, self-contained young man whom he had addressed as his ‘‘dear Warren,” for the latter turned abruptly and resumed the perusal of a document from which he had just read something which caused him to give expression to the opening sentences of this story. Mr. Croft let his keen glances rest a moment longer on the firm, inscrutable face of his junior partner, as if seeking to inform himself of other motives than mere chivalrous sentiments for the interest the young man evinced in the broken fortunes of Mrs. and Miss Morgan of Lucerne, Gordon Warren’s countenance never said to any one more than he willed it should, and now even its passing emotion of pained surprise had vanished from it—it was unreveal- ing as a stone cast. ‘‘] was not aware that you had any acquaintanceship with the ladies of Lucerne, Warren,” Mr. Croft said, with an inquisitorial. tone that seemed to displease the other, who answered curtly, without looking up from the paper: “‘Nor have I, sir; but I suppose a man may regard the hard lines that adversity draws about frail creatures like those, even with all the distinctness of class between him and them.” “That's what I call making a fool of himself, then. How much do you suppose it would disturb their fine heads to hear that you were starving to-morrow?” | (E(0) ~comicbooks