Weaker than a Woman — page 184: what you’re looking at

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

+ x a ro te oe Btn” 4 P : t WEAKER THAN A WOMAN. — 7 175 He knew that he was deficient in business capacity. In his sober and most sensible moments he owned that. Study—learning of any kind—had always been irksome to him. He never had read anything but the daily news- - papers, and some of the sporting prints; he could not write a letter properly, and he had just sense sufficient to know his own shortcomings. One morning he received a number of letters that. puz- zied him—some documents that he could not understand were sent for him to sign. “A man may sign his whole fortune away without know- ing it,” he said. “I wish I had some clever man to see to it all for me. Arlington has none of this trouble, I know.” Lady Chevenix, in her graceful morning costume, sat opposite to him. They had just finished breakfast, and that was, as arule, his most amiable hour. He looked up at hig wife suddenly; he had never consulted her on any business before, and would not have done so now but that she knew the Lonsdales. “Violet,” he said, ‘what a clever man that young Lons- dale is! He is making quite a good position for himself. I should not be surprised to hear of his getting into Parlia- ment.” He did not notice the flush on her face or her agitation. She did not know what answer to make—she dared not say she was glad. Sir Owen did not want ananswer. He went on: “T have been thinking of asking him to be my land- © agent; they say he does so well for Arlington. I really cannot grapple with all these matters myself ; and he seems to be the only man about here who has a head worth carrying on his shoulders. I wonder if he would under take it if [asked him, Violet?” “T cannot tell—I do not know,” she replied. “But you must; surely you have some idea—you have known them a long time. What do you think ?” “T should say the Lonsdales would be very pleased ; they ought to be. You would pay them well, of course?” “I should be quite willing to give five hundred a year, but then I should expect all my work done for that.- I pay almost as much as that now in one way or another._ I think I shall go and see them about it, Violet.” “It would be the wisest plan,” she said. “Young Lonsdale has not shown any great anxiety to visit us,” he continued, with a sneering laugh. “Perhaps (a(oy jaliicel exoye) ,<s