A Parisian Romance — page 229: what you’re looking at

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

240 A PARISIAN ROMANCE. seems to me, that it would not be a very nice thing to do, all the same.. As arule, and they are right, men do not like to accept favors from women. It is a reversal of relations that is unnatural, not to say repulsive; and itis apt to give rise to evil suspi- cions. On your account, my dear mother, | am sorry to refuse this chance to achieve fortune, but— I have suffered much, and I have lost all, except my honor; and I wish to keep that intact, without even the shadow of a stain. I am sure, mother, that you approve of my resolution.” “Most assuredly, my dear boy. I think your “scruples are most honorable, but pardon me if I say that I think you carry them too far. It is possible to exaggerate anything, even a point of honor.” “What, mother,” said Henri, smiling faintly, and coming over and sitting beside her in the gathering dusk, “you, who are so scrupulously delicate in all your thoughts and actions, say that to me?” “My dear boy,” she replied, half-jestingly, half- seriously, “when have you seen a mother too scrupulously delicate, as you call it, when her children were in question? Never in the world! But still, in this case, really you exaggerate; you are wrong; without sufficient reason, you will .cruelly hurt.and mortify Madame Chevrial. Now, be honest about it! If such an offer were to come from any one else, would you refuse it?) No. . And you will not acceptit from her because, for one Eomichooks. co