The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 312: what you’re looking at

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

COUNT AND COUNTESS OF TOLEDO — 295 ness, informed her that the man who was succoured on previous occasions had called again to implore further bounties. | “As you may easily suppose,” his lordship went on to say, ““I was little gratified by this renewal of his impor- tunities; but as he solemnly assured me that he had now a chance of benefiting himself permanently, if he had only a sum of ready money, I agreed to help him for the last time.” “And to what amount did you thus assist him?” in- quired Juliana, not suffering her husband to perceive that the incident had at all troubled her. ‘““T am afraid I have been rather foolish,’’ responded the nobleman, with a good-natured laugh, “ for I have given the fellow asum sufficient to make a gentleman of him.”’ “But how is it possible,’ asked Juliana, still with a perfectly ingenuous air, “ that a poor labouring man should need such ample supplies, and that you should consent thus to minister to his wanton extravagances? ”’ It struck Juliana that the count eyed her strangely for a moment, with a keenness as if to penetrate into the depths of her soul, and ascertain whether she had any deeper motive than mere passing curiosity for putting these ques- tions. She maintained her countenance perfectly. The reader knows she was a perfect mistress of dissimulation, and she did not choose to let her husband perceive that she had been smitten with any disagreeable impression, for if so, he would at once suspect that she had watched his movements. ‘Therefore, when he saw nothing in her features to betray what was passing in her mind, he suddenly desisted from that keenness of gaze, and observed, in his wonted offhand, frank way, “‘ The fellow belongs to a family that has been long located on my domain. Since he has been in France, he has fallen, I fear, into bad company, but he 1s now repentant, and purposes to lead a steady life. So I have given him this last chance, and, at all events, have bade him come into my presence no more.”’ The discourse was then turned into another channel, and Juliana knew not what to think. She could not altogether banish the disagreeable impression made upon her mind, nor the vague suspicions that something was wrong, which had been excited in her bosom; but still her husband’s explana- _ tions had been given with a frankness which seemed perfectly (E(0) CONnNIEDOOKS