Weaker than a Woman — page 153: what you’re looking at

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

144 WEAKER THAN A WOMAN. and he was sure each day to give three or four invitations. Public expectation and excitement increased. What could the earl mean by such unlimited hospitality ? The proprietor of the *‘Bramber Arms” gave glowing ac- counts of the dinner that was to be prepared. No expense was to be spared. He was to provide.the most costly wines, the choicest dishes. He declared that during his business career he had known nothing like it. Felix heard of the grand banquet, the rent dinner, as it was called, and went home one evening pleased to have some news that would interest his father. When he reached Vale House he was astonished to find that two letters of invitation were there before him, one for his father and one for himself. ‘That is wonderful,” he said. ‘‘Why has the earl invited us ?” Nor was his wonder much decreased when in his father’s letter he read a few words written in the earl’s own handwriting, and signed ‘‘Arlington”—a few kindly words, begging Mr. Lonsdale, if possible, to be present, as he very much wished to see him. ‘‘That means good news for you, father,” he said. He had never mentioned his interview with Lady Maude, . neither had he forgotten it. Mr. Lonsdale shook his head gravely. ‘“‘There will be no more good news for me in this world, my dear boy—no second Will-o’-the-wisp will ever lead me astray. For the future I shall believe in nothing but what I see.” “You will findIlam right,” said Felix. ‘You will 60: father, will you not?” ‘Yes, I will go, just to show my fellow-townsmen that, while they treat me as athief or a swindler, the Earl of Arlington treats me asa gentleman. I will go, if only to show them that. Yet I have some misgivings, Felix. If they avoid me as they have done it will kill me. Felix, whatif his lordship has heard nothing of this story, and has invited me in ignorance?) What if, when he finds it out, he avoids me, too?” ‘‘My dear father, why dwell on trifles? Lord Arlington says expressly that he wishes to see you. Surely you do not doubt his word? He has been so much in Lilford lately that you may be quite sure he has heard the whole history.” In his heart Felix felt certain that Lady Maude had told her father all about it, and that this invitation of the earl’s comicbooks.co