I Forbid the Banns! — page 284: what you’re looking at

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

274 “TT FORBID THE BANNS!” only in a measured way, and with more than a trace of bitterness. There was a long pause in the room. Then she got up from her seat, and, without a word, left the drawing room. To reach the door she had to pass through the fortiere drawn between tall pillars. Only at the moment of moving the curtain to one side did she look toward him. He remained with his hands behind his back at the fireplace, making no sign. He heard the door open and close. Then he felt alone. It was tne first cloud. It was a curious satisfaction that he felt—very curious and extremely evanescent. , ‘Had he treated her badly? or had she treated him badly ? Surely he was the ill-treated one. Why had she gone away with Sir Ecroyd Fairleigh? Why had she thought it well to leave the protecting shade of the weeping ash? Why had she allowed Sir Ecroyd to make up a portion of that extremely effective picture which had come before his eyes and the eyes of Lord Ashenthorpe at the ornamental water? It was quite monstrous that she should get on such friendly terms with him as allowed her to employ him in a way that involved the becrumbing of his waistcoat. If he had been her most intimate friend, she could not have treated him in a more confidential way. The exact con- . nection between crumbs and confidences Julian might have had some difficulty. in defining, but he perceived that such a subtle connection existed the moment he saw the crumbs on the waistcoat of the Minister of the Annexation Department. | Why had she then kept talking about him all the time they were driving home, if she was not fascinated by him, as the minister clearly was by her? Gomichooks (€(©)