The Man in Possession — page 245: what you’re looking at

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

240 THE MAN IN POSSESSION, ‘“‘I shall be only too glad,” said Tom. ‘‘ The phrase may sound conventional, but, believe me, it is really meant.” ‘You needn’t tell me that,” said Colonel Lawrence, looking at him with his grave eyes and kindly smile. ‘‘Meanwhile, leave the river alone. You're too young, and life has far too much in store for you, that you should wish to be transformed into what Dickens calls a ‘demmed damp most unpleasant body.’ She may yet relent, you know.” COMicloe (Sri C(O)