The Opposite House: A Novel — page 68: what you’re looking at

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

The Opposite FTouse. 63 The young girl, trembling, bent forward from the carriage. “T don’t know either of them,” she said, without reflecting how the vivid flush which crimsoned her cheeks belied her words. Verja was too much ab- sorbed by her own thoughts to notice it. “Lean back!” she said, smiling. “One, two— you must bow when Ido. Will you remember, petite?” She leaned carelessly among the cushions and seemed to be thinking only of her fan, which she negligently opened and shut, or balanced on her finger. Marie scarcely dared to breathe. The horsemen slowly approached—the carriage-horses were walking. The fair-haired man started and gazed silently at the lovely little face. How quickly the expression of his features changed, gaining new life! Marie tim- idly raised her long lashes, and for an instant their eyes met. Doctor Brand cast a swift glance at his com- panion, smiled—and raised his hat. Meanwhile, Verja’s fan slipped from her hand and fell into the road. Brand, with a hasty movement, turned Pluto and reached the carriage-door, exclaiming : “Your fan, madam.” ‘Then, with the speed of thought, he sprang from the saddle, raised the lost article, and, bowing courteously, presented it to the owner, Comiclbookks