I Forbid the Banns! — page 376: what you’re looking at

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

366 “7 FORBID THE BANNS!” at the point of death because some ruffan had offered her a sum of money to be his mistress instead of yours.” “No man did that,” said Julian slowly. He had scarcely strength to speak. The words that he heard over- whelmed him. He could not at once understand their import. “Tt is a terrible thing fora man to do—to place any woman in such a position as makes it possible for an insult like that to be offered to her.” ‘It never was offered to her—that insult,” said Julian resolutely. “It is part of your trickery. I know it, now that I know you.” “ Accept it as so if you wish; I do not urge anything on you. I have all along believed you to be quite unworthy of the love which she once bore for you. The fact that you were unable to perceive, when you found her at your house on your return the night before last, that something terrible had happened to her, proves with great clearness that you appreciate nothing of the beautiful nature with which you have been associated for some months,”’ “And you knew that that insult was offered to her, and yet, though professing to be her friend—nay, to have loved her—you allowed the wretch that insulted her to escape.” ‘He did not escape—not quite. It was left for a lad to administer the chastisement, and for you, who called your- self her husband, to occupy the humiliating position of a looker-on.” “ What—do you mean ?—oh, why do I remain here to suffer worse agonies that those of death?”’ muttered Julian passionately as he paced the room. ‘Sir Ecroyd Fair- leigh, whether you believe me or not, I swear to you that I never had the least hint of what occurred to bring about that scene in the greenhouse. If I had known——” “ You could have done nothing, Mr. Charlton. That is Eomichbooksico