The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 330: what you’re looking at

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

THE FLIGHT - 313 appearance of attaching credibility to the whisperings of scandal.”’ | “T am afraid, Juliana,’’ answered the Count de Toledo, “that it would be rather a difficult thing to convince the Durands that you did not live with them under the name of Madame Chesterfield, that you were not .in a way to be- come a mother when residing beneath their roof, and that you did not, even then and there, intrigue with the Viscount de Chateauneuf.”’ Juliana sank down upon a seat like one annihilated. It was utterly impossible to deny facts which had evidently come with all corroborative details to her husband’s knowl- edge. At that instant she hated him. She felt that whatso- ever degree of affection, or, rather, of liking toward him, which his own love had engendered in her mind, was now completely destroyed, for the instant that he became an accuser she viewed him in the light of an enemy. “ Now, Juliana, you perceive,’ he said, addressing her in a milder and more soothing voice, ‘‘ that if there were any deficiency of candour on my side, there was far more on yours. Whatsoever concealment was practised by me was the veriest trifle, in comparison to that adopted by you. But I do not intend to give utterance to reproaches. I should not have made these allusions at all, were it not to convince you.that you had no right to upbraid me.” ‘ And have you all along been acquainted with those cir- cumstances? ”’ inquired Juliana, still covered with shame and confusion. ‘ No,” responded the count. ‘‘ But let me tell you that at the very first, when our acquaintance began, I suspected there was something peculiar attached to your history. A young lady, unmarried, living apart from her family — But no matter, it is useless to dwell upon details. Suffice it to say that I never knew the whole truth until the other day, when I met the Durands in Spain — ”’ ~ Ah, you met them?” ejaculated Juliana. ‘‘ They told you that they saw me in the village, they revealed every- thing — vile gossips, treacherous scandalmongers that they are!’’ and her countenance was flushed with indignation and rage. _ “ You would indeed do well never to speak to them again ui you should happen to encounter them,” observed her ) P CORNICLAOO <S (S(O)