The Argosy — page 306: what you’re looking at

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

Fack Laybourie’s Inheritance. 287 the ‘Blue Danube’? Rita, I insist upon your waltzing with me: you are positively the colour of a sheet,” And in another five minutes all the younger people were dancing, and everybody else was digesting as well as each one could the respective emotions of curiosity, agitation, or rage evoked by the just- enacted scene. The next morning, as Kate was looking out of our sitting-room window, she suddenly called to me, ‘‘ Look here!” I looked, and there were our two young people, Jack and Rita, walking up and down the garden absorbed in confidential con- versation ! ‘Let us make haste to finish our breakfast and go down to them,” said Kate, with the frankest curiosity. And so we did. “T am glad you are come,” cried Jack brightly, advancing to meet us, ‘‘I have persuaded Rita—though with a great deal of trouble—to let me put yow, if no one else, into the secret of last night’s scene. It is necessary for her own sake that somebody should know the truth; so you had better begin by reading this famous note, which will explain everything to you,” and he gave us the fatal pink missive. : I opened it eagerly, and Kate read it over my shoulder. It was in French, and translated ran thus: “ MADEMOISELLE,—I will do as you desire; but I supplicate you to afford me a few hours’ respite. I honour your sentiments both as regards the respectable lady, your mother, and your—alas !—too lovely sister. My heart is broken. Nevertheless, I will obey you. Only to-morrow it is impossible, and you must bear with me a brief space longer. You are young, mademoiselle, and though so intelligent and, permit me to add, so fair, you are inexperienced in the ways of the world. Yet you must know that without money the most heroic enterprises fail. Consequently, to accomplish the great sacrifice you impose upon me, and which I, although anguished, accept, I must be allowed to remain here until the prosaic arrival of Thurs- day’s post. I present my respectful homage. ‘* PRINCE SOBRANOWSKI.” “Of course you understand the mountebank’s little game!” remarked Jack, with an air of ineffable disgust, as I handed the letter back to him. | ‘‘ He had been carrying on for some time with Miss Cameron a flirtation that assumed at last quite serious proportions. Rita, here” (there was certainly a new inflection of tenderness in Jack’s voice as he mentioned his little cousin’s name) ‘‘ had several times shown her disapprobation, and then the fellow had exerted himself to pacify and deceive her, by protesting his great esteem, his unalterable respect, and all the rest of it. But Rita began to suspect: that there was even a clandestine correspondence going on, and yesterday she CconnicoooKks (S©)