The Opposite House: A Novel — page 93: what you’re looking at

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

88 The Opposite House. in it, or your zeal would not go so far. Have you, too, a score to settle with him ?” “T? Oh, not at all! You interest me, Heloise. I feel an active sympathy in your love affair,” he answered, smiling, ‘‘and am extremely glad to be of service to you in any way. Gerrald attracted my notice at the gaming table in Wiesbaden. He was astrange gambler. The rest you shall know at the right time, Heloise. For the present be satisfied with the assurance that it is of some importance to me also to have Gerrald pursue his old career. These are purely personal concerns which, in the first place, would not interest you, and of which, for the sake of a friend, I must not speak.” Heloise turned abruptly away. “Vou are a fiend, Max. In Gerrald’s case you deserve praise, but so far as you and your secrets are concerned, the deepest blame. There! Now go. The clock has just struck ten, and in spite of your pleasant society I have grown weary. So fare- well, and good luck !” With these words she glided past him as nimbly as an eel, and the next instant had vanished through a side-door, whose key turned in the lock. A muttered oath followed her. Brand rose, an- grily drained his glass, then lifted his gloves from the chair and went to her writing-desk. Several bank-notes and a small sum of money in gold lay in CoOMmicboOoks.c©