The Opposite House: A Novel — page 81: what you’re looking at

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

76 The Opposite House. need not leave here. I'll give you my word of honor that my old wine cellar is still very respect- ably stocked, and that you will find good liquor in the ancient merchant-house.”’ Brand smoothed his mustache. “T didn’t doubt that an instant, my good friend,” he said, with a graceful gesture of acknowledgment ; “the whole house is planned for a good cellar; and I always say: ‘ Wherever the Lord puts a cellar he rolls the casks into it. The ancestral Gerralds seemed to me to have been no laymen in the chap- ter of natural history concerning the noble fruit of the vine. Well, you are their worthy son. But, we ll reserve this pleasure for another day. Letus seek a few old acquaintances now and refresh our- selves with a glass of porter.” “'To be frank, I feel no inclination to meet old acquaintances. It is uncomfortable to see them, after having avoided their society so long.” “ But, for heaven’s sake, my dear Gerrald,” cried his companion, ‘‘do you mean to play hermit for- ever? lappreciate your determination not to return to the old mode of life, and you know my opinion of it; but I don’t think you ought to shut yourself out of society entirely. There are too many evil tongues who might interpret it in a disadvanta- geous way, now that there is no excuse on account of your mourning, and your credit might be injured.” CoOmicboook<s C@