The Argosy — page 213: what you’re looking at

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

A Marriage from the Stage. 199 They paced up and down the terrace arm-in-arm, for she would not release her hold of him. “ Where were we five months ago?” she began breathlessly. ‘*In Italy, if my memory serves me. What a nuisance I haven’t got another cigar!” and he felt in his pocket. Claudia went on: “ This night five months ago I had just come from the theatre ; do you remember that ?.” Raughan had found a cigar and was raising it to his lips when she dashed it out of his hand and repeated her question. “My dear girl, do you suppose I make a note of everything that happens?” returned Raughan quietly. ‘Come; I mean to go in, and you shall come too.” “ There is something I wish you to remember,” continued Mrs. Raughan, taking no notice of his last words. ‘Five months ago I had come home from the theatre and had met you. I recall every word you said. You vowed that if I gave up the stage, which was my very world, that I should never repent it; that you would never give me cause for a moment’s unhappiness! I remember how your - tears fellon my hands. How are you keeping your promise, Arthur? Shall I go back and begin my old life again?” ‘You are talking foolishly. I have given you no just cause for this outburst of passion. I think you are making up a grievance, and should scarcely expect me to be a sympathetic listener.” “Heaven knows,” she exclaimed, “that I never dreamed you would be a sympathetic listener, but I thought at least that you would have a little feeling for me.” ‘You must not expect me to be perpetually talking of love, my dear Claudia,” remarked her husband. “As to your going away, that’s out of the question. We are married; you have nothing to complain of really, and so let us hear no more about the matter.” A look, half contemptuous, half despairing, flashed over Claudia’s face as she dropped her husband’s arm and followed him into the house; the sea.might as well break upon the pebbles and hope to soften them, as she to move Arthur by her words. Below the terrace stood Gabriel. His hands were clasped and pressed against the stones, his dark hair lay tangled and wet over his brow, and he was muttering under his breath. Smith paused here and looked up from his papers. ‘“ There is 2 note in di Vilna’s book which I should prefer to read to you as it is. It is dated April 20, midnight. ‘I really forgot myself to-day, and she must have noticed it. The breach is getting wider and wider. My time is coming.” As I glanced now and again at Mrs. Raughan’s face, it seemed to me to express a variety of emotions. I could almost cheat myself into believing that she followed every word of Smith’s tale and was consciously testifying to its truth. i] comicbooks.com