The Opposite House: A Novel — page 95: what you’re looking at

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

CHAPTER X. VELLOWED PAPERS. The general’s widow, Frau Albertine von Rotters- wyl, was sitting as usual in her comfortable arm. chair near the window. A piece of sewing lay folded in her work-basket, and her open book seemed to have been angrily pushed aside. Was it the fault of a tiresome chapter, or was there an unusual number of things to be seen in the quiet street? The old lady raised her head again and gazed impatiently down at the uneven pavement. ‘The baroness was one of those persons on whom the consciousness of belonging to a noble race is indelibly impressed. ‘Tall and slender, nature had given her the bear- ing which, in a parvenu, easily becomes stiff and affected, but invested her with a dignity whose haughty reserve appeared to weave a magic spell that uttered an imperious “ Back!” to all who [ 90 ) Comicbook<s C@ 5}