The Opposite House: A Novel — page 256: what you’re looking at

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

The Opposite Flouse. 251 full height, while his chest heaved with his laboring breath. “And what do you desire of me, Count Raven ?” His voice sounded icy cold, and his features looked as though they were carved from stone. ‘Dear me, surely you understand!” said Hasso, nervously. ‘‘ Must everything be told down to the most minute detail? My cousin requests you to re- lease her from her promise—vozla tout !’ “Did Fraulein von Rotterswyl herself send you here with this message ?” Gerrald did not stir, but his eyes blazed with the most intense excitement. Raven flung the violets out of the window with studied carelessness ; then, shrugging his shoulders, cast an insolent glance at Gerrald. “You seem very hard to convince, sir. I should think it would not be so incomprehensible that a young lady had changed her mind—/emme rare, as the French say. Surely you must know that best, as you came directly from France.” A look of unspeakable scorn rested upon the frivolous speaker. “Then Fraulein von Rotterswyl prefers to dance with you ?” Traugott’s lips curled with the most bitter sar- casm. He felt an impulse to laugh aloud in his rage and grief; and yet no, it wasimpossible. Marie CoOmiclbookks C@ S|