I Forbid the Banns! — page 114: what you’re looking at

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

104 “TI FORBID THE BANNSi” Aboard the Carnarvon Castle the laxity induced by the smooth surface of the bay, entered into the passengers’ con- sideration of the love affair of Mr. Charlton and Miss Lan- caster ; for no one who has ever taken a long voyage aboard an ocean steamer needs to be told that the most elaborate precautions on the part of whatever lovers are aboard do not deceive their fellow-passengers. In spite of the fact that Charlton smoked an unusual number of cigars on the bridge, and showed a dexterity at the game of poker which quite upset Captain Waring’s calculations, it was soon known among all the ship’s company aft that Charlton had asked Miss Lancaster to marry him, and that she had consented. But. this was just what Charlton had not done. He had merely told the girl that he Idved her, and asked her if she loved him. Though men occasionally marry the women to whom they have declared their love, there are instances on record of such a declaration haviig been made withouta word on the subject of marriage having followed. It is, however, generally admitted that such incidents are unsatisfactory. ° Julian Charlton had avoided as long as possible all reference to such a commonplace topic as marriage, in the course of his converse with Bertha. Every man believes that, in the matter of love, his own case is absolutely unique ; but his marriage he must admit to be but one in some hundreds of millions of precisely the same type, since the days of the Voice that breathed o’er Eden. ‘“‘ Dearest,’ said he one evening in the Bay of Biscay, “J do not think you ever told me what your arrangements were with regard to England.” “T never did,’ she replied. “You never told me what were yours,” she added, looking at him with eyes overflow- ing with pure joyousness. “You never told me what ready money you have, or CORNICE IOOKS (€(0)