The Man in Possession — page 90: what you’re looking at

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

THE MAN IN POSSESSION. 8c running,” he thought uneasily, ‘*I thought she was so different to most girls.” ‘I believe he has a few,” he said quietly. ‘‘He likes comic songs, I know. One young lady ‘has brought a banjo with her, and sings for his delecta- tion every night. You know that song that’s making such a rage in town, ‘If you love me, wink your eye.’ She really gives it most creditably, almost as well as the celebrated ‘Comique’ who introduced it at the Trocadero. But doubtless you will have an opportunity of judging for yourself,” he added, taking the empty tea-cup from her hand. | ‘‘What else besides comic songs ?” asked Kate. ‘‘Well, really,” the young man answered after a long pause, ‘‘I cannot call to mind anything else that specially deserves mention. I would find it much easier to describe what he does zof like,” he added, ‘‘if you desire to draw up a programme on the ‘ what to say, do, and avoid’ principle. For instance, he does no/ like books, he does zo/ read poetry, he does not appreciate the opera. He thinks the Academy ‘rot,’ and most of the theatres ‘slow.’ He goes to sleep over classical music; he can’t hunt, and he never shota decent bag of game even ata ‘battue; ‘he likes his conversation done for him, so that his mental powers are under no greater strain than a simple nega- tive or affirmative induces. He smokes, and doesn't object to any girl joining him in a cigarette. He ac- cepts his mother’s devotion with placid indifference, and thinks he’s conferring an inestimable favour upon her by some brief appearance at her house parties. COMicloe <Sii C(O)