The Argosy — page 303: what you’re looking at

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

284 Fack Laybourne’s Inheritance. a loss, on any favourable hypothesis, to imagine; but it occurred to __ me once or twice that it might have some relation to Gertrude. It is true, this view did not afford me any very great consolation, for what right or justification could Rita have to aid or abet in any way her sister’s flirtations? And that she was not discouraging them seemed plain from her manner towards the Prince, which, though agitated and cold, had not been angry. I could make nothing of the business, and was quite worn out with perplexity when summoned down to tea. The walkers had returned tired, talkative, with blistered faces and voracious appetites. I took my seat at the table; Jack, who divided Kate and me, was already ‘on one side of me; the still empty chair (I wished it could never have been filled again !) of Prince Sobranowski on the other. Presently Rita, who sat opposite to me, glided to her seat, bowing to me, at the same time, with a timid but deprecating rather than guilty air. Gertrude did not appear, as Mrs. Laybourne could not yet be left alone. Next, with his usual martial step, in marched the Prince. As manner was slightly amused and sarcastic. He was humming an operatic air in a low, unconcerned tone, and had the effrontery to break off in that occupation to wish me “ Bonsoir!” Somebody enquired if Madame Sobranowski were not coming. ‘‘ My wife is not very well,” said the wretch composedly. ‘She suffers sometimes from the nerves.” Several people expressed sympathy at this announcement ; but their condolences had hardly left their lips, when a door opened violently, and the very invalid in question bounced in. She swept up to the table, and took her place without a word. ‘Traces of recent com- motion were still upon her face, while the quiver of her lips, and the smouldering fire of her eyes, showed that very little would suffice to provoke a fresh explosion. “Tt strikes me,” remarked Jack, confidentially, ‘‘ that our amiable foreign friends have been indulging in some conjugal amenities. The Prince must have a roughish time of it on such occasions—don’t you think ?” “Yes, indeed!” I answered fervently, remembering my afternoon’s experience. ‘‘ We cannot call /er winds and waters sighs and tears— any more than Cleopatra’s.” ‘‘We were afraid we should not have the pleasure of seeing you this evening, Princess,” said Jack, speaking across me politely, to my infinite alarm. ‘*‘ Monsieur Sobranowski led us to fear that you were unwell,” } ‘““T am very z//, monsieur,” answered the Princess, furiously. ‘But I chose to come down.” ‘For heaven’s sake, hold your tongue!” I whispered imploringly | to Jack, who turned purple in his efforts not to laugh. At this moment Miss Lowndes, I could not but think with some — slight secret malice, observed across the table to Rita: “I am going Gomichbooks. com