The Opposite House: A Novel — page 269: what you’re looking at

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

264 Lhe Opposite House. few thousands of her fortune would barely furnish aman like Hasso with pocket-money ; and who lived in a house—the rejected suitor threw back his head and turned up his nose—which was almost de- voured by wood-worms, and might be expected to fall clattering about the occupants’ heads at any moment. He would not have expected his groom to live in such an antiquated abode. Bah! It was merely an evidence of alarming narrow-mindedness, inconceivable folly, which could only awaken pity, and, at last, become actually amusing from the rarity of having the hand ofa Count Raven refused. The jest would excite mirth in the circle of his intimate friends; they would laugh and congratu- late the young man upon having escaped the con- sequences of childish haste so easily. Or would it be better for him to pass over the matter in total silence? But, no; she might boast of her triumph, and it would be better to take the initiative ! Hasso angrily pulled the photograph of the coy lady out of his pocketbook, and gazed at the lovely features with a frowning brow. “But the little witch zs pretty!” he confessed defiantly. “ Con- found it! The very first time I have really fallen in love, to have such a—”’ The sentence ended ina sarcastic laugh. “What will mamma say to it? She ‘ll be amazed, Comicbooks.c©