The Price He Paid — page 123: what you’re looking at

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

114 THE BARON’S DECREE. “Indeed? I should have thought that such an obstacle in the way of your suit would also have prohibited a declaration of your sentiments.” “Had it been premeditated, certainly; but your excellency, that was not the case. In an unguarded moment my secret escaped me; only when it had found utterance, when my words had been accepted, did reflection regain the upper hand; and then I was forced to confess to myself that for the present I could advance no grounds entitling me to ap- proach Baroness von Harder as a suitor for her daughter’s hand.” | “It is well you make the admission yourself,” re- marked the baron, with withering scorn. “I should otherwise have been under the necessity of making the fact clear to you. If Fraulein von Harder has made you promises, they, naturally, count for noth- ing, having been given without my knowledge or her mother’s; and it would be simply absurd for you to build on them. Romantic notions should be left to the domain of romance. I regret that my niece should have lent an ear to such extravagant folly, but you will hardly expect me to deal with it as a matter calling for serious consideration.” The young man’s face began to flush beneath this contemptuous treatment, and the rising irritation within him betrayed itself in his voice, as he an- swered: “1 do not know that an earnest and pure affection, which has been tarnished by no unworthy thought, which has held its object as some high and sacred thing apart, should be met by derisiononly. Ihave kept it a secret so far, and have caused Fraulein von Harder to do likewise, because I knew that time and much continuous labor on my part were needed to remove obstacles that stand in my path, because I foresaw that every effort would be made to separate us. In that alone amIculpable. My conduct in that respect may deserve blame, but those who have had experience of love will not judge me too harshly. lownI was not prepared to find oe mutual attachment treated as mere romantic olly.’ (E(ayAniicel revo <S (E(0)