The Argosy — page 353: what you’re looking at

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

The Master of Greylands. 333 ‘“‘I would place her at nurse with some good woman, sir. That would not be difficult. And the little thing would enjoy all the benefit of the sea-air. In my country, children are more frequently brought up at nurse than at home.” ‘“‘T have heard so,” observed Mr. Castlemaine. ‘ You speak English remarkably well, madam, for a Frenchwoman. Have you been much in this country? ” ‘Never before, sir. My mother was English, and she always talked to me in her own tongue. I was reared to her faith—the Protestant. My father was French and a Catholic. Upon their marriage it was agreed that of the children to be born, the boys should be brought up to his faith and the girls to hers. There came no boy, however; and only one girl—me.” All this was true. Madame Guise did not add, for it was unneces- sary, that towards the close of her father’s life he entered into large speculations ; and became a ruined man. He and her mother were both dead now. “ And it is, I presume, to see your mother’s relatives that you have come to England?” pursued Mr. Castlemaine. ‘‘'Yes, sir,’ she answered after a moment of hesitation, for it came hard to Charlotte Guise to tell a deliberate untruth, although necessity might justify it. ‘‘ My mother used to talk of one relative that she had here—a brother. He may not be living now: I do not know.” ‘In what part of England did he live? ” ‘‘T think he must have been a traveller, sir, for he seemed toa move about. We would hear of him, now in the south of England, now in the north, and now in the west. Mostly he seemed to be in what my mother called remote countries—Cumberland and Westmoreland.” ** Cumberland and Westmoreland !” echoed Mr. Castlemaine. ‘Dear me! And have you no better clue to him than that ?” ‘‘ No better, sir; no other. I do not, I say, know whether he is dead or alive.” “Well, it seems—pardon me—to be a somewhat wild-goose chase that you have entered on in searching for him. What is his name?” ‘¢My mother’s maiden name was Williams. He was her brother.” Mr. Castlemaine shook his head. “A not at all uncommon name,” he said, “and I fear, madam, you might find some difficulty in tracing him out.” “Yes, I fear so. I find those places are very far off. At any rate, I will not think more of it for the present. My little child; I see it now ; 1s too young to travel.” In all this account, Madame Guise had spoken the simple truth. The facts were as she stated. The only falsehood in it was, the representa- tion that it was this relative, this never-yet-met» uncle)‘she had come over to search out. During her long journey through. France, 5 mn —_)