The Price He Paid — page 156: what you’re looking at

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

THE ICE BEGINS TO THAW. 147 constraint, which weighed heavily on each separate member of tbe party. The baroness, shallow- minded and superficial as ever, was, perhaps, the ieast affected by it. She could not understand how an insignificant, fleeting love-affair, which, after all, was nothing more than.a piece of chiidish folly, should have so deep and lasting an influence on her brother-in-law’s humor. To her thinking, a com- plete end had been put to the matter by the baron’s decided refusal, and by Winterfeld’s departure from R——. There could be no doubt that Gabrielle would now listen to reason. The mother had, as she supposed, an unfailing resource at her disposal, one which would speedily drive that romantic youthful fancy into the background. Lieutenant Wilten’s admiration for the young baroness was srowing day by day more evident, and but little en- couragement was needed to embolden him to press his suit openly. Ever since tthe night of -the ball, when Colonel Wilten had remarked how much his eldest son was taken by the appearance and manners of Gabrielle von Harder, that gentleman had held tenaciously to the idea about bringing about a marriage be- tween the two. As Raven had shown himself im- pervious tothe slight hints he had let fall on the subject, the colonel had recourse to the lady of the house, whom he found far more amenable, and quite disposed to favor his wishes. There was not, indeed, much to be urged against the match, which was one to satisfy a higher aspiring mother than the baroness. The Wiltens came of a good old house, and were connected by blood, or by alliance, with some of the foremost families of the land. They were not rich, certainly, but this want would be supplied by Gabrielle’s dowry and future fortune, in case, as might confidently be expected, the baron should give his consent to the marriage. Albert von Wil- . ten was a good-looking young officer, whose uni- — form became him exceedingly well, and who rode and danced to perfection. He was a model partner and an agreeable companion, and he appeared to be sincerely attached to Gabrielle. In short, he pos- S (E(@)