A Parisian Romance — page 32: what you’re looking at

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

A PARISIAN ROMANCE. 23 very Own was as hopeless of fulfillment as the child’s desire for the moon. A woman’s wits are always quicker than a man’s, especially in matters of the tender passion. Mar- celle was as well acquainted with the state of his heart as she was with that of her own, and, feeling sure of the happy outcome of it all, she could afford to indulge ina little malicious enjoyment of his confusion. Asacat with a mouse, a woman de- lights to tease and torment her lover, before putting him out of his misery. So, Marcelle, looking down with a mischievous smile upon the poor fellow, who lay both literally and figuratively at her feet, said: “Monsieur de Targy, who was the inspiration of that poem, an Andalusian with dark hair and liquid eyes? or was it a blonde Gretchen of some German town?” Gathering all his courage, determining to put an end now, once and for all, to his miserable sus- pense, De Targy replied, in a voice which shook a little in spite of himself: “Neither, Marcelle.” This was the first time that he had ever addressed her by her Christian name, and the girl flushed crimson as she heard it. “Neither, Marcelle. 1 have had in my life, as has every young man, passing fancies. I have lived much away from my family, and I felt the need of affection. But I knew always that it was Gomicbookssco im