The Argosy — page 29: what you’re looking at

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

Monsteur Silvain’s Secret. 19 victim and made restitution. Her property being, unfortunately, under her own control, she at once refunded the greater part of the money, and undertook to pay the rest in annual instalments out of the pittance she had left herself, which she proposed to increase by teaching.” . Monsieur Silvain coughed, and changed his position abruptly. ** And this person—Mathieu—how could he accept the reparation, knowing that she had reduced herself to poverty in order to . “He did not know it. The money was refunded, through her lawyer, in her father’s name. She has never seen him, and knows nothing concerning him, except what his letters told her. He furnished proofs of his identity, but gave no information as to his present position. Maitre Delaunay, of Rouen, was her agent in the matter—sorely against his will, as it deprived his son of a fortune.” “ How so?” ‘Renée was engaged to be married to Maurice Delaunay, whom she had known from childhood, but when she insisted on beggaring herself, the notary and his wife peremptorily broke off the match, and as the young man is dependent on his parents, he was forced to give way. Im afraid,” she added, with a sigh, “that it will not be an easy matter to find the poor child another parti.” Her companion shut his snuff-box with an indignant snap. ‘ You must have a poor opinion of my Sex, Madame, if you think that beauty and goodness such as hers “Eh, my good sir, you are sadly behind the times !” his hostess in- terrupted with a shrug. ‘What do beauty and goodness avail unless they are set off by a golden frame? It is not for her ‘ beaux yeux’ that a girl is wooed now-a-days, but for ‘les beaux yeux de sa cassette.’ But hush,” she broke in, “ Renée is coming back.” The next moment the girl appeared with the lamp in her hand. Feeling instinctively that they had been speaking of her, she glanced from one to the other as she placed it on the table, then looked more closely at the visitor, bending her brows in a puzzled frown. ‘It is strange,” she said slowly, “your face seems familiar to me. I can’t think of whom it is you remind me.” ‘Some friend at Rouen, perhaps?” Madame Evrard suggested. ‘No; of someone here in Paris, whom I have seen recently Monsieur Silvain rose and came forward, standing so that the light fell full on his face and figure. “Every man is said to have his double. I should be curious to know of whom I can remind you,” he said, composedly. She shook her head. “I can’t recollect, and now that I look at you again, the resemblance vanishes. I daresay it was only fancy,” she said, as she opened her music-book. Once installed at the piano, she was not allowed to leave it till her répertoire was exhausted, comichooks.com