A Social Meteor — page 296: what you’re looking at

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

286 A SOCIAL METEOR. “T must have been mad when I listened to you, and anyway God knows I believed—oh, heaven ! how could you be so false ?” “Pray don’t let us have any private theatricals, mon cher! ‘The way yowre glaring at me posi- tively frightens me; I’m afraid you may throw me off the balcony. Cool down, and pull yourself together.” A silence fell between them. “Of course, after this you understand we must part,” said he, at last, in a voice so changed that she looked up, startled. “So you suggested; but why? I should not suppose ‘your tender conscience would admit of your doing me such an injustice. Besides, where should I go? Icannot go back to my husband, as mama tells me he is reduced toa mere eating and drinking machine and is constantly at the race-track, betting every cent he can scrape to- gether. Besides, he seems perfectly contented without me, and even jokes about my disappear- ance, when he’s had a glass too much.. And you —what country are you thinking of exploring, nion inquiet ? You surely would not return to America, would you?” He andded. . “And run the risk of Charley’s Sine you?” “Tve no fear of him, and I must and shall see Sal El Eomichbooks (60)