Penny Blood Serial Fiction — page 354: what you’re looking at

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

HAWKSHAW HALL 337 are now married. You understand, Mr. Hawkshaw, from what I have told you, that I was not born in wedlock; never- theless, I was the offspring of the tenderest and most faithful love. My parents are immensely rich; my father will give me a fortune whensoever I am prepared to settle in life. A few days back he learned the history of my love for this lady of whom I am speaking. How did he act? Not sternly and implacably, as many fathers would, but generously, kindly, and considerately. He said, ‘ Go to where the object of your affection is at present to be found; appear before her in the meanest and poorest costume; suffer her to think that you are steeped to the lips in poverty; tell her a tale of hopeless prospects in this country, and of offers to amend your fortunes in a foreign clime, then ask her to become your wife. If her love be sincere, she will make every sacri- fice rather than renounce you; if 1t be a mere gross passion, selfish and egotistical, she will refuse. By these means, my son, you will put her to the test. If she come out worthily from the ordeal, I will settle upon you two thousand a year, but if it prove otherwise, you will be rejoiced to think that you have escaped from your infatuation in respect to one so utterly undeserving of your regard.’ Thus spoke my father, Mr. Hawkshaw, and I came down to Gainsborough. For it is in the town of Gainsborough, at this moment, that for a few days the lady of whom I speak is staying; she is there on a temporary visit to some elderly relatives, who, though not so well off in the world as her own family, are nevertheless highly respectable.”’ The reader will perceive, in the latter portion of Frank’s speech, those ingeniously contrived variations from the real circumstances of his story, which, while they did not impair the general truth of the narrative, were perfectly sufficient to conceal the identity of his heroine with Juliana Farefield. “Having arrived in Gainsborough,” he continued, ‘“ I dressed myself in this humble apparel which you see, and appeared before the young lady. I adopted the course which my father had recommended. But upon the details of the scene which ensued [I cannot dwell further than to give you the briefest outline possible. Would you believe it, Mr. Hawkshaw? She refused to bestow upon me her hand, but she shamelessly proposed to make me her pensioned Gomicdoo cS (C(O)