The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 68: what you’re looking at

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

THE MINISTER’S WIFE ol conjectured them but too well almost from the beginning? You are not the first, Miss Marshall, to whom my husband has made such proposals; you are not the first to whom he has offered to sell that mercy which on no other condition would he vouchsafe. But you are one of the few who have had the honour, the spirit, and the rectitude to scorn and disdain the proposition. Oh, you know not how I love my husband, notwithstanding all his faults; and if I could but wean him back to my arms — But Iam wasting time. Pray give me your explanations.”’ Kate Marshall, perceiving that the minister’s wife was firmly resolute in hearing these disclosures, and that they connected themselves with the plan she was revolving in her mind, no longer hesitated to acquiesce in her demand. She accordingly entered upon a narrative of those partic- ulars of her interview with the minister which are already known to the reader; but inasmuch as she appeared disposed to glance at them more lightly than was consistent with minuteness of detail, in order to avoid as much as possible shocking the outraged wife, the latter was compelled to question her closely to elicit the fullest particulars. Ulti- mately every tittle was revealed, not even to the omission of the insolent prophecy thrown out by the minister to the effect that within the week which was passing Kate would return to him. ‘“ Now I know all,”’ said the minister’s wife, in a mournful voice, for she could not be otherwise than shocked at the cold-blooded cruelty and refined villainy of her husband’s conduct; but speedily brightening up again, with the hope which was encouraged by the project then in her mind, she said, “‘ Now, Miss Marshall, I will explain to you the course which is to be followed, — the only course whereby you can save your lover from an otherwise certain death.”’ The minister’s wife and Kate Marshall remained together for nearly an hour longer in deep and earnest discourse, but what the nature of it was need not now be particularized. Suffice it to say that Kate took her departure with hope in her bosom; and on returning to the hotel, she gave the landlady to understand that she had experienced no un- favourable reception at the hands of the Minister of the Interior and his wife, but that a definite answer could not be given to her prayer for three or four days to come. CONNIE DOOKS (C@)