The Price He Paid — page 45: what you’re looking at

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

36 A PLAIN TALK. say, no possibility of rescuing for you even a slender portion of your fortune. I advised you to go abroad, because it would have been too mortifying to you to witness the sale of your town-house and the breaking-up of your establishment in the capital. In your absence, what was really an act of necessity took the color of a voluntary withdrawal from society, and I have been careful that the true state of the case should not transpire among your old in- timate friends and associates. Happen what may now, the honor of the name you and Gabrielle bear is safe. You need fear no attack on it from any of the creditors.” “IT know that you have made great personal sacrifices,” said Madame von Harder. “My solici- tor wrote me all the details. Arno, I thank vou.” With a touch of real feeling she held out her hand ~ to him as she spoke, but he waved it back so coldly that any warmer impulse in’ her was at once checked. “T owed it to my father-in-law’s memory to act as IT have acted,” he replied. “His daughter and grand- child must always have a claim upon me, and their name must, at any cost, be kept free from reproach. It was these considerations which induced me to make the sacrifices, and no sentimental feelings of any sort. Sentiment, indeed, could have no ground for existence here, for as you are aware, there was little friendship between the baron and myself.” “T always deeply deplored the estrangement,” said the baroness, fervently. “Of later years my hus- band sought in vain to bring about a better under- standing. It was you who persistently avoided any friendly intercourse. Could he give you a higher proof of his esteem, of his confidence, than to in- trust to you that which he held most dear? On his death-bed he named you Gabrielle’s guardian.” “That is to say, having ruined himself, he made over all responsibility touching the future of his wife and child to me, whose constant enemy he had been through life. I perfectly understand the value I ought to set on that proof of his confidence.” (EO) "ECOMIGCHDOOKS