The Opposite House: A Novel — page 78: what you’re looking at

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

The Opposite House. 72 “We'll talk about that later,” replied Traugott. “It would be a fine thing if I let you go after a three-minute visit. Perhaps, however, a Lucullian banquet awaits you, in which case, of course, my simple meal must retire into the background.” “Oh, no, no,” said Brand, with a courteous bow. ‘“T shall lose nothing at he me, and should consider myself fortunate in accepting your invitation in preference to any other, but—” ‘Then pray let us have no ‘buts’ and no compli- ments. You know that you are welcome, and as a friend, you certainly ought to go in and out of my house without ceremony.” He drew back to let the doctor enter, and after a little more hesitation the latter accepted. The young mill-owner’s room was very tastefully and comfortably furnished. “Your little den is delightful,” said Brand, turn- ing to Gerrald, who was drawing the curtain to shut out the sunlight that glided inquisitively over the carved writing-desk and cast a shimmering glow upon the velvet covering of the sofa. “ But, tell me, my dear Gerrald, don’t you sometimes feel rather dull in this lonely hermitage ?”’ “Oh, yes,” Traugott quietly assented. “It is often very melancholy, more sorrowful than you . can imagine. Especially when, as I sit alone and desolate, a thousand memories of the past arise, and Comiclboolkk<s C@