The Price He Paid — page 254: what you’re looking at

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

MAX INTERVIEWS COUNCILOR MOSER. 245 “No; only that you have got well with extraor- dinary promptitude. I remark nothing else.” Max drew himself up with much dignity, took a step forward, threw out his chest, and announced with complacency, “I am an engaged man.” “An engaged man? You?” repeated the doctor, in surprise. “Yes; I have sustained the character some weeks now. ‘There has been too much at stake for us all of late, I could not worry you with my love-affairs. But now that you are safe and at liberty, I must ask for your approval and consent. You already know my future wife—I mean Councilor Moser’s daughter.” “What, not the young girl who gave me my in- formation as to your state of health? Impossible!” “Why impossible? Does not Agnes please you?” “I did not say so, but that delicate white maiden with those dreamy dark eyes cannot surely be to your taste! And then her strange nun-like dress! I took her for a sister of mercy who had been called in to nurse you.” “She wants to go into a convent, she says,” de- clared Max. “I shall have to fight around battle with the lady abbess, the father confessor, and half a dozen reverends, before we two are joined together in matrimony.” “But Max!” interrupted his father. “ Agnes is extremely delicate, sickly even,” went on Max; “but there is nothing really serious the matter with her—mere nervous excitement. I shall soon make her hearty, or what am I a doctor for? She knows nothing about housekeeping, unfortu- nately.” iy “Well, as you are carrying out your marriage programme so faithfully,” put in Brunnow, in a jest- ing tone, “how does it stand with the first, the prin- cipal clause—with the fortune you declared to be in- dispensable?” The young surgeon looked a little disconcerted. “Bah! I have found out that is not necessary. Do you think I can’t provide for my wife and my Gomicbooks (E(0)