I Forbid the Banns! — page 352: what you’re looking at

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

342 “TT FORBID THE BANNS!” He played the part very well, and he was aware of this fact. He felta sort of artistic exultation at that moment. Clearly there were no better means of diverting unpleasant reflections than this, It was infinitely superior to brandy, that refuge of the inartistic. ‘To be sure, he had had some brandy in some soda water, but not such a quantity as would make an appreciable difference to him. ie GOmIichboo S co