Vashti's Fate — page 181: what you’re looking at

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

: yt = a the a Var OOS ey RN roots of his whiskers. After an instant’s vain effort to re-— ee ‘Ss * 2. , -. : Po a * ¥ a a : . - + ty) & * alt ee .* . Me, 4 ~~ 4 4. 8 eee ' J d a ah <a 7 ew 4 . « . a. +: y a * od a me 4 >= 176 CHANGES. ‘. - . ‘ fore him, gazing idly in the fire, ruminating, it is likely, upon his prospect of marrying an heiress. Presently Vashti said, with something of impatience, per- haps, at his silence and indifference : ‘Percy, Aunt Margery says you are not acting honestly by me. She says there is something between you and Miss Dale.” | | She had meant to speak lightly, but, unconsciously, she spoke with angry emphasis. All the red went out of the gentleman’s handsome cheeks, as suddenly as though an extinguisher had been abruptly slid upon his flaming hopes, and he grew white to the very cover himself, he rose, kicked his chair out of the way savagely, wishing, no doubt, that the chair was Miss Gresh- am, and turned his back upon Vashti and the fire. , ‘“‘Gentlemanly, upon my word,” said Vashti, in angry astonishment. ~ ee He bit his lip, pulling fiercely at his whiskers. He really did not know what to say ; how much did Margery Gresham know, and how came she to know it? However, he blun- dered out at last, without looking at Vashti: “You don't expect me to hear that my betrothed wife listens to such insinuations regarding me, and sit under it like a statue ?”’ His tone and his words were unfortunate—the very ones to strike fire on Vashti’s inflammable spirit. - “T expect gentlemanly behavior from you always!” she answered, haughtily.. She was not used to have him speak to her with that tone and manner. His bearing was usually obsequious and courtly in the extreme. He saw his mistake, through the fog of his dismay and