A Parisian Romance — page 235: what you’re looking at

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

626 | A PARISIAN ROMANCE Suddenly she became conscious of the presence of some one near her, and looking up, she saw the master of the house standing in one of the curtained arches that opened into the drawing-room. “You are home early,” she said. with a smile. “Yes,” was the response, “I wish to speak to you.” There was something grav2 in the dector’s man- ner and tone that arrested her attention, and it was with a vague presentiment of evil that she lay down her shears, drew off her gardening gloves, and fol- lowed him into the room beyond. “What is it?” she asked, anxiously. * The doctor did not answer for a moment. He seemed troubled, and at a loss how to begin. “My poor friend!” he murmured at last, in a tone full of commiseration. Madame de Targy, now really alarmed, caught him by the arm. } “What has happened?” she exclaimed. “Summon up all your courage!” replied the doc- tor, laying his hand upon hers with a firm grasp. “By some fatality, I seem to be always the messen- ger to bring you bad news.” _ “Bad news!” echoed Madame de Targy, with a quickening of the breath. “But what is it? Tell me quickly. Itis not Henri? No, he was here but a moment ago. What is it? See! I am calm. Speak!” “Marcelle,” began the doctor; but no sooner was Eomicbooks. Go