Violet Lisle — page 39: what you’re looking at

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

TWO ARISTOCRATS, 3d “Lady Darlington, sir,” whispered Goody, shaking her two hands at him in a most impressive manner. “What about Lady Darlington?” demanded Mr. Lisle, haughtily. | “In the parlor, sir, she is, with her own carriage waitin’ outside. An’ she asked for you, sir. I was that dum. founded, sir, when I see who it were to be sure——” “That will do,” said Mr. Lisle, with dignity. “Tell _ Lady Darlington that I will be with her presently.” And Goody White went from him, marveling at the composure with which he could receive so startling an event, and beginning to comprehend that her master was really one of the great ones of the earth. Else, as she said) “he would ’a been more flustered like.” it would not be true to say that Melville Lisle was un- moved by the announcement that Lady Darlington had come to visit him at his humble cottage—“ hovel” he called it—but he had cultivated an aristocratic repose of ' manner too long to be betrayed into any expression of feeling even when brought into unexpectea contact with guch a piece of intelligence. He changed his dilapidated smoking-jacket for his coat, and put himself into as good trim as lay in his power with the wretched means at his command, and then, with the air of an aristocrat to the manner born, descended the stairs to. the little parlor, which was pretty and sweet with the little refinements bestowed upon it by Violet, but | which to him looked especially mean and poverty-stricken now, as he entered it and made a quick contrast between and the richly clad peeress who sat there waiting for im. But if he felt the poorness of the little room he did not betray the feeling; but rather the more he felt it the higher mounted his pride, and he bore himself with pre- cisely such an air as the Earl] of Granthorpe would have done in his great drawing-room at the castle, insomuch that Lady Darlington was fain to rise to return his courtly salutation, whereas she had intended to put him in his place at once by remaining seated. “Lady Darlington does me a great honor,” said Melville Lisle, but said it with a grand air of rather conferring than receiving an honor. “This is Mr. Melville Lisle?” inquired Lady Darlington, endeavoring in vain to throw into her manner an air of _ patronage. The stately, haughty courtesy of her tenant | compelled her to a like courtesy. GComMmicbookstcom - "9 ~ - ~~? we = - & we — eS ee en ee - —_ <€ - 7 ee ee eS