I Forbid the Banns! — page 272: what you’re looking at

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

262 “7 FORBID THE BANNS!” ‘“What—tricks?’’ ‘‘No; the official style, I mean. You must enter the House.’’ ‘Which?”’ ‘‘My dear Charlton, there is only one House. To be sure, there is a place above to which we must all go some day,’’ and Lord Ashenthorpe sighed. ‘‘When we die? Theology doesn’t say that it 1s absolutely necessary to go above.”’ ‘When our fathers die,’’ said Lord Ashenthorpe. ‘But, thank Heaven, the marquis is as hale as ever. I will not be forced into the Upper Chamber just yet awhile.’’ ‘“How easily one may be misled,’’ said Charlton; ‘I really fancied that you were alluding to Paradise.”’ ‘‘Ah, because there is no knight there—not even a baronet —nothing under a baron,’’ said Mr. Claxton, with a laugh that would be useful for blasting operations among the Rocky Mountains. . ‘‘The House of Lords is in some people’s mind a fore- taste of Paradise,’’ said Lord Ashenthorpe. ‘“Just as the House of Commons is a foretaste of “‘Come, now, Charlton, no theology at a garden party,’’ said the under secretary. ‘‘Have you seen Sir Ecroyd?’’ ‘*T believe that Sir Ecroyd Fairleigh is with my wife under that tree,’’ said Julian. “What, you are not acquainted with him? Oh, come along, he will be delighted—so will you. A capital fellow! The very man for the Annexation Department!’’ “Indeed! the very man forthe Annexation Department,’’ repeated Julian. ‘‘He asked me to present him to your wife. That is why I am going to present you.”’ ‘“That is hardly a sufficient reason, Lord Ashenthorpe,”’ said Julian, suffering himself to be led toward the ash—the weeping ash, a (CEORMIELICYOKS (€()