I Forbid the Banns! — page 220: what you’re looking at

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

210. “7 FORBID THE BANNS!” “Yes, Ihave more than ten thousand a year. But is it not yours now, Julian?” His face became grave. ‘How could it be mine?”’ he asked. ‘If you were to die to-morrow I could not claim a penny of. your money. God knows I would not try to do so. I have no wish to be regarded as an unprincipled scoundrel. That is what people would call me.” ‘“ But I thought that in England when a girl with money married——” She stopped suddenly. He did not make any attempt to suggest what he knew was in her mind. “TI forgot,” she said in a low voice. “I forgot that one important point in the eyes of your English law. But I do not suppose that the law is powerful enough to prevent my doing what I like with my own money.”’ ‘No; your money js your own, so long as you live.”’ “No, it is yours, my beloved. I shall take care that it is all transferred to you. You are my husband, and a hus- band should have the sole control of all the money that is available.” “ Not a penny will I have anything to say to,” cried Julian. ‘God forbid that I should ever touch a penny of it. Iam not so bad as that,” Her eyes opened very wide as they were turned upon his face. This girl, for all her shrewdness—it approached very close to wisdom—in some matters, was as innocent asa child in others. He perceived this and his heart smote him. It gave him a sharp buffet, but the pain did not last long. “Tf I had not given way to her she could not have avoided the snares of a man with such a fund of rem- iniscences as Eric Vicars,’’ was the thought that came to his help—a thought that conveyed that balm for the eas ing of his heart’s buffet. ‘‘T am indeed surprised that you should say such words - to me, Julian,” said she. (EMMICELYOOlKS (EC)