I Forbid the Banns! — page 31: what you’re looking at

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

ON ITALIAN PROVERBS. | 21 people make of themselves crowding round the engine room companion? I tried to force my way through them to see what was actually the matter; but they stood firm. It is the boiler, 1suppose. Where would that cloud of steam have come from if not from the boiler, I should like to know ?” “1 don’t think it is the boiler,” said Charlton. ‘ When a boiler bursts people in its immediate neighborhood are, as a rule, left free from all doubt as to what has happened.” ‘“ But something burst. And the captain cried out ‘God bless my soul!’ Surely that counts for something ?” ‘“‘ Certainly, unless the same recording angel is the officer of the day as the one who did duty when my uncle Toby swore,” said Charlton. “Your uncle Toby? Don’t talk nonsense. You have no uncle Toby. What has your uncle Toby to do with the angels, and what have the angels to do with the captain ? He said ‘God bless my soul!’ distinctly. Look at those idiots standing beside that boat as if they were waiting for it to be launched. What fools people do become when anything unusual happens! I don’t suppose it is much, after all. Why don’t you force your way through that crowd and find out if anyone is killed? Inever saw a funeral at sea. I believe it is extremely picturesque and touching, and all that sort of thing. Are you not inter- ested inthis business, Mr. Charlton ?”’ “ Not in the least, Mrs. Howard. If anything serious has happened we shall know about it soon enough.” “There is Mr. Southcote,” said Marian with malice in her heart. ‘* He knows everything that happens in heaven above, and in the engine room beneath, and in the waters under the ship—or at least he fancies he does, He will satisfy you, Mrs. Howard, you may be sure,” “Vou think so? Then I will go to him. Ah, it is at such a time as this that a woman misses her husbnad most deeply. If poor Vincent were but here he would have CORNICLOOOKS (EO)