A Parisian Romance — page 166: what you’re looking at

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

A PARISIAN ROMANCE 157 All Marcelle’s indifference had vanished as if by magic, and her face and voice were full of anima- tion, as she answered: “What means! Why, since I have a voice and a little talent, why not profit by it? Why should I not give lessons? You make no objections to mother giving them! Why should I not sing in concerts or at private parties, if your objections to the stage are invincible.” “Absolutely invincible!” retorted Henri, firmly. “[t is an absurd idea for a girl of your age to think of giving lessons! And as for singing in concerts, you might just as well go on the stage at once. What makes you so persistent in that idea?” Marcelle made no reply. “Ah! I know. It is that miserable Juliani! I know that he persists in coming here, although he has no business todo so. If I ever meet him here, I will tell him squarely what I think.” “He will know how to answer you!” was the quick, angry retort. A few months before, she would have bitten her tongue out, before she would have made such a speech; but she was nervous and unstrung, and the words slipped out before she thought. Henri turned white as death, and Madame de Targy, dropping her work, started to her feet with a cry of indignation. But, before either of them could speak, Marcelle, who had instantly realized the enormity of what she had said, stretched out Gomicbookssco in