The Argosy — page 103: what you’re looking at

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

§8 Court Netherleigh. “ And a box at the Opera,” suggested Frances. “And a herd of deer, and a pack of hounds, and the crown diamonds,” interrupted Adela, with irony in her tone, and a spice of scorn in her eye, as she glanced up from her book. ‘Don’t you wish we had Aladdin’s lamp? _ It might come to pass then.” “ But if I tell you that it will come to pass without it,” said Lady Acorn, “that it Aas come to pass, what should you say? Look up, Grace, my dear; there’s luck in store for you yet.” Their mother’s manner was so pointedly significant, that all were silent from amazement. ‘The colour mounted to the cheeks of Grace, and her lips parted: could it be that she was no longer to remain Lady Grace Chenevix ? : ‘Grace, child,” continued the Countess, ‘the time is gone by for you to pick and choose. You are now getting on for thirty, and have never had the ghost of a chance “That is more than you ought to assert, mamma,” interrupted Grace, her face flushing, perhaps at her mother’s assertion telling home. “I may have had—I dd have a chance, as you call it, but ——” “Well, not that we ever knew of; let us amend the sentence in that way, Grace. What I was going to observe is, that you must not be over particular now.” “* Has Grace got an offer?” inquired Harriet, breathlessly. Yes, she has, and you need not all look so incredulous. It isa good offer too, plenty of substance about it. She will abound in such wealth that she’ll be the envy of all the girls in London, and of you four in particular. She will have her town and country mansions, crowds of servants, dresses at will—everything, in short, that money can purchase.” For, in her maternal anxiety for the acceptance of the offer, her ladyship thought she could not make too much of its advantages. “Why, for all that, Grace would marry a chimney-sweep,” laughed the plain-speaking Lady Frances. “Grace has had it in her head to turn serious,” added Harriet ; ‘she may put that offnow. I think Aladdin’s lamp has been at work.” “Of course there are some disadvantages attending the proposed match,” said Lady Acorn, with deprecation ; ‘no marriage is without them, I can tell you that. Grace will have every real and substan- tial good; but the gentleman, in birth and position, 1s—rather— obscure. But he is not a chimney-sweep : it’s not so bad as that.” “Good Heavens, mamma!” interrupted Lady Grace; ‘“‘‘so bad as that.’” “Pray do not make any further mystery, mamma,” said Mary. “Who is it that has fallen in love with Grace ?” “ Mr. Grubb.” “ Mr. Grubb!” was echoed by the young ladies in every variety of astonishment, and Grace thought that of all men in the x Gomicbooks (C(O) im