The Argosy — page 355: what you’re looking at

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

The Master of Greylands. 335 ‘ And—pardon me—could you give references ?” Madame Guise looked up helplessly. The. colour rose in her face ; for the fear of losing the appointment became very present to her. “I know not how. I never was a governess before ; and in that res- pect no one could speak for me. I am of respectable family : my father was a rentier, and much considered: I am of discreet conduct and manners, — surely you cannot doubt it,” she added, the tears ot emotion nsing to her eyes, as she looked at them. They looked back in return. Mr. Castlemaine thinking what a nice, ladylike, earnest woman she was, one he could take on trust ; Mrs. Castlemaine, entirely seduced by the prospect of the pure French for Flora, eagerly wanting to ratify the bargain. Madame Guise mistook the silence, supposing they were hesitating. ‘“I could have a letter wntten to you from Paris,” she said. “JI possess a friend there, who will, I am sure, satisfy you that I am of good conduct and family. Would there be more than this required ? ” “Notazy more, it would be gusfe sufficient,’’ Mrs. Castlemaine hastened to say. And, without waiting for the promised letter—which, as she . observed, could come later—she engaged the governess on the spot. Mr. Castlemaine attended Madame Guise to the door: and never a sus- picion crossed him that she was—who she was. Madame went out from the interview. In some respects it had not been satisfactory : or, rather, not in accordance with her ante-impressions. She had gone to it picturing Mr. Castlemaine as some great monster of iniquity ; some crafty, cruel, sinister man, from whom the world might shrink. She found him a very good-looking, pleasing, and polished gen- tleman, with a high-bred aur, a kind and apparently sincere manner, and with the wonderful face-resemblance to his brother Basil and to her own poor husband, Anthony. How had it been possible, she asked herself, for so apparently correct a man to commit that most dreadful crime ? How wickedly deceitful some great criminals were ! Mrs. Bent, when consulted, made strong objection to the nursing scheme, expressing a most decided opinion against it. “Put the sweet little child tovany one of those old women! Why, the next news we got would be that she had been let roll down the cliff, or had fell into the sea! I should not like to msk it for a child of mine, ma’am.” ‘IT must do something with her,” said Madame Guise, setting her lips tightly. .Give up her plan, she would not ; she believed Heaven itself had aided her in it ; but no one knew how much it cost her to part with this great treasure, her child. From the hour of its birth, it had never been away fromher. The devotion of some French women to their children is as remarkable as the neglect of others. ‘‘ There’s one thing you might do with her, ma’am, 1f you chose—and far better too than consigning her to any old nurse-womap.”..... . = SS