Penny Blood Serial Fiction — page 380: what you’re looking at

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

THE CONSERVATORY 363 ‘“ Perhaps,” he rejoined, in a cold, ironical tone, “‘ you meant to ask me whether I could dance? You forget, Miss Farefield, that I was well educated and trained at South- . ampton, before circumstances reduced me to a mental condition.” “This observation on your part, Mr. Paton,” she replied, in a voice that trembled as if her feelings were indeed much hurt, ‘is most ungenerous and uncalled for. When I asked you if you were fond of dancing, | meant no more than would have been intended by yourself, had you put the same question to me. I think, Mr. Paton, if you will con- descend to tax your memory, you will find that, while you were as yet in ignorance of your parentage, I expressed the conviction that your birth was infinitely superior to your condition at the time.”’ “True!’’ murmured Frank, and the recollection that Juliana had spoken nothing but the exact truth struck him with a feeling savouring of remorse for the coolness which he himself was now maintaining toward her; moreover, he felt that he had been unjust in the harsh rebuke he had administered, —a rebuke, too, which according to her assur- ance she had so little deserved. “Yes, it is indeed true that I thus spoke to you at the time,” she said, perceiving that there was a change in his countenance, and penetrating the feeling which had pro- duced it. ‘‘ Had it not been my conviction that you were of gentle birth, never, never— But I ought not to be speaking thus. After what took place yesterday, I presume that I am to consider everything to be at an end between us? ‘Miss Farefield,” answered Frank, again recovering the perfect mastery over himself; ‘“‘ I have a few words of ex- planation to address to you, but it 1s impossible they can be spoken in this ballroom. For your sake, much more than for mine, the greatest discretion must be used. When the dance is over, if you will favour me with a few minutes’ attention, we may perhaps find an opportunity to speak in that conservatory which opens from the adjoining apart- ment.”’ The quadrille now commenced, and Juliana, perceiving at a glance that Mr. Hawkshaw was not amongst the lookers- on in the ballroom, resolved to play off all the artillery GOMIIGDOOKS (FO)