The Argosy — page 358: what you’re looking at

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

Court Netherleigh. | 337 Her dainty bonnet tossed on the bed, her little black lace mantle on the back of her low dressing-chair, Selina, who had come straight home, swayed herself backwards and forwards in the said chair, as she mentally ran over the items of the keen words just exchanged between herself and Madamé,’ and wondered what in the world she was to do. ‘Tf I had but kept my temper!” she thought, in self-reproach. “Tt was always a fault of mine to be quick and fiery—lke poor Robert. It was nothing but that which made her so angry. What on earth would become of me if she should do as she says—send the account to Oscar?” Selina started up at the thought. Calmly equable to a rather remarkable degree in general, she was one of the most restless of human beings when she did give way to excitement. Just as Robert had.been. “Tf he had but lived!” she cried, tears filling her eyes as her thoughts reverted to her brother, “f could have taken this trouble to him, and he would have settled it. Robert was so generous!” But Selina quite forgot to recall the fact that her brother’s income, at the best, would not have been larger than her husband’s was. Not quite as large, indeed, for Oscar had his own small patrimony of six or seven hundred a year in addition. Just now she could not be expected to remember common sense. ‘“‘ How is this woman to be pacified ?” she resumed, her reflections reverting to Madame Damereau. ‘‘ What a fool I was to provoke her! Two or three hundred pounds might do it for the present. Where am I to get them? If she carries out this dreadful threat and appeals to Oscar, what should Ido? What cou/d Ido? And all the world would know—Oh!” she shivered, ‘‘I must stop that. Z must get some from him, if I can. I will try at once. Ugh; what a calamity the want of money is!” She descended the stairs and entered the dining-room, where her husband was. He sat at the table, writing letters, and seemed to be in the midst of business and accounts. “Oscar !” He looked up. ‘‘ What 1s it?” “Oscar,” she said, advancing and standing close to him, ‘can you let me have a little money ?”’ “No, that I can’t, Selina. Iam settling up a few payments now, and can only do it by halves. Others I am writing to put off entirely for the present.” He had bent over his writing again, as if the question, being answered, was done with. ‘Oscar, I must have it.” “What money do you mean? Some for housekeeping? I can let you have that.” “No, no: for myself. I want—-I want—two hundred pounds,” VOL. XXXI. Z COMIC OOO SS (C(O)