I Forbid the Banns! — page 205: what you’re looking at

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

ON VARIETY IN LACE. 195 While she was making up her mind to go to town by the afternoon train, Charlton’s man of business called at the Court, and carried him away to his office at Brackenhurst to decide some of those intricate points in regard to leases, which cause the intellect of a country gentleman to be per- petually briluant. The human intellect is bound to corus- cate around the clauses in a lease as the lightning plays around the platinum tips of a hghtning conductor. Julian was absent for two hours, and when he drove back and pulled up at the porch he had sarcely time to give the reins to the groom before he was aware that Bertha had run out from the drawing room to the hall tomeet him, and that she was wearing her white velvet tea gown smothered in lace, as the white moon is occasionally smothered in fleecy clouds. He joined in her laugh of triumph. ‘*At last, at last!’’ he cried. ‘‘At last, at last you are returned,’’ she responded. ‘‘T meant the trunks,’’ said he—‘‘the things.’’ ‘“The things are here all nght. AndIhave a surprise for you. They did not come alone.”’ ‘All surprises are disappointments unless one is prepared for them. What is it?’’ “Tt 1s not z¢, it 1s he.’’ ‘‘He? Who is he?’’ He had taken off his gloves and hat, and was about to open the door of the drawing room when he heard a loud, honest laugh in the direction of the dining room door. He turned. He had heard that honest laugh before. It came from Eric Vicars, who was standing at the open door of the dining room, his large frank features glowing through the shadow, as a Japanese lantern glows by day. It took Charlton some time to remember that he was in his own house. ‘‘Here I am, as large as life,’’ cried Eric, flinging out his EOMMIC LOOKS. EC)