The Opposite House: A Novel — page 55: what you’re looking at

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

50 The Opposite Flouse. with open eyes to meet ruin, and felt in the depths of my heart that I ought to guard you, consider your youth, and warn you against approaching disaster. I felt this, yet kept silence. You look at me sullenly, Gerrald. Why are you in such sudden haste? No, listen; I must make this confession.”’ He seized Traugott’s reins with an iron hand, and, checking the impatient horses, continued : ‘““T watched you gamble for three successive even- ings, sympathized with you, was interested in your appearance. It is foolish to say that at the gaming-table nothing is seen and heard save the demon of gold; on the contrary, 1 was never pas- sionately fond of play. I took part in it merely to see and study others. It was so in your case. Your personal appearance attracted me; your youth awakened my sympathy; you seemed to me an unusual character. It was probably the first time you had gambled; there was still opportunity for a friendly hand to hold you back; but you, yourself, know the world, the egotistical, careless world, which has so few weak moments. ‘ What 1s it to me?’ said acruel voice in my heart. ‘Why do you meddle with other people’s affairs to receive in- eratitude and rebuffs in return for your good-will?’ I looked on as you lost, saw one bank-note after another go to the croupier—looked on in silence. So matters went until you ceased to come, It ComicboOoks.c©