Mrs. Bob: A Novel — page 133: what you’re looking at

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

ENTER MRS. BOB. 125 and testament, which I have ze proud honor to exe- cute myself, he leave everything to his beloved niece, Estelle, on condition that she do not marry until of age—if she take ze husband before zat time she lose all, andit go to zis gentleman, her uncle, Cornelius Gordon. ’’ Gypsy gives a sudden cry, and starts forward as though she would confront the lawyer, but Bob restrains her, whispering: ‘*Patience, dear—I knew all this—wait and see how we confound the rascals.”’ Senator John is the spokesman. ‘Well?’ he says, as Monsieur Merle pauses. “Ze case is plain—if zis young lady—pardon, madame, I mean Mrs. Pemberton, has wait till to- morrow when she will be eighteen, under ze will of her grandfather she come into all of ze estate—as she have married before coming of age she forfeit everyzing.”’ The lawyer looked around him as though conscious of having done a great stroke of business while his companion smiles‘as aman can afford to who has won all. ‘(Pardon me for interrupting, but 1t happens that I chance to know something about this matter, seeing that I officiated at the birth of the bride.’”’ The solitary stranger steps forward, and Monsieur Merle looking closely at him, exclaims: ‘6 Von Dieu / it is ze Doctor Hammond.”’ ‘CAh! doctor, tell us, if you please, what you know about this case. Perhaps these gentlemen may be glad to receive some information that will tell them Connicooolkks.€© iim