The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 115: what you’re looking at

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

98 - REYNOLDS’ WORKS smitten. ‘ What have I done to grieve or annoy you? You assure me that you are not offended with me, and yet I per- ceive the contrary. Tell me what I can do to convince you that it was unintentional on my part.”’ ‘“ Really, my dear Stephanie, you are most unreasonable,” said the viscount. ‘“ Pray sit down and think no more of what I have said — what I have done —”’ “ But if you be angry with me, Jules?’ she observed, as she meekly resumed her chair. “Angry, no!’’ he eried, almost petulantly. ‘‘ Where- | fore should you persist in saying that I am angry? Really, Stephanie, I must henceforth be very guarded over my looks and my words that the least thing thus brings tears to your eyes.”’ “Do you not know, Jules,’ she continued, still weeping, “how much I love you? And will you be so cruel as to upbraid me for being sorry when I think I have given you offence, or when I fail to please you? I wish —I wish, Jules, that you would understand me better.” ‘Stephanie, I understand you full well,’’ the viscount hastened to respond, ‘‘ but we have been married two years, and are no longer lovers; we are husband and wife.” “No longer lovers?’ she ejaculated, as if a new light had suddenly been flung in upon her mind; then, as the tears gushed forth anew from her eyes, she added, ‘‘ Oh, I had hoped and thought we should always be lovers, and that we should not cease to exist as such because our hands were united at the altar.’’ | ‘See, Stephanie,’ ejaculated the viscount, “ how un- reasonably, I might almost say, how foolishly, you talk. And it is because these ideas which you have just expressed rule your actions likewise that I may perhaps seem a little 1m- patient toward you. At the slightest word you weep, you frequently give me hints that I am absent from home, and in the presence of friends your conduct is too endearing. You do not seem to know how to draw the proper distinction between the bearing which lovers adopt toward each other and that which husband and wife ought to maintain.”’ “T only know, Jules,” was the unsophisticated answer of the beautiful viscountess, while her heart swelled with emotions, though she now contrived by a powerful effort to keep back her tears, fearing to give her husband renewed ) CONNIE NO KS (E(0)