The Opposite House: A Novel — page 73: what you’re looking at

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

68 The Opposite Flouse. His face brightened, asif illumined by a sudden flood of sunshine, and he turned hastily to curb his horse, which, rearing, resisted his con- trol. “ Ancestress Barbara will bless you for it—and that other, too,” he added, hesitatingly, grasping his bridle still more closely, ‘‘ who loved her. What can I do for you, madam ?” “T asked you to come over to this side and answer a few questions,” repeated Verja, gayly. “Don’t you see you are on the verge of falling into the ditch, Herr Gerrald? Jonas, keepin the middle of the road.” Traugott glanced aside. Yes, his horse was barely a hand’s breadth from the ditch; he would have plunged into it at the next bend of the road. The instantaneous consciousness of awkwardness which he felt as a skillful rider, and Brand’s pecul- iar smile, sent the blood to his cheeks. He let the carriage pass, turned his horse, and crossed to the side of the beautiful baroness, who received him with a gay jest. “Incredible!” she cried merrily. ‘ What an in- teresting conversation you must have been carrying on to make you forget the gulf at your side; or was it the perfume of the spring blossoms? By the way, Marie, you are losing your rose.” Doctor Brand laughed more loudly than usual, ComicbooOoks.c© S|