The Argosy — page 290: what you’re looking at

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

My Saturdays. 269 find it to be true, Mrs. Singleton. I don’t wonder that you are annoyed ; but it is much better to look at things as they are, and not deceive ourselves.” They took themselves away then; Archie showed them out with elaborate politeness, and then vanished. I wanted to pour out to him my indignation and incredulity, and to rave against these mischief- makers—but he came not. So I went to church alone, and fumed through most of the prayers and all the sermon, finding my only con- solation in building romances of faith and constancy triumphing.over slanderous tongues. He could not escape me in the evening, however; and though there was no sitting by the river that night, I took my opportunity under the prosaic circumstances of books and candles in the drawing-room. ‘“* Archie,” I began, without preface, ‘‘ you don’t believe a word of that woman’s gossip ?” ‘‘T don’t know,” he answered, moodily. “‘Didn’t you see that it was mere spite and malice? If you had heard her and her daughter talk last night before they went away, you would know that they would make any mischief they could.” ‘“’'That’s well enough ; but where did they get their story from? They didn’t invent it, I suppose?” ‘Well, they would not be quite equal to that, I daresay; but they would turn a rumour into a certainty if it suited their purpose, and if Lord Sandgate is an admirer of Imogen, there might have been some gossip to work on.” “TI daresay he is: I’ve seen him round about, and dancing with her. Of course it’s just the match that her people want to make for her, and nothing is more likely than that they have made it.” “Nothing more likely! After last night! Archie, how can you insult her so ?” “T don’tinsult her. I know her heart can’t be in it, if it is so ; but if her step-mother and uncle have made up their minds, how is a girl to resist ? They’ll make her life a burden to her until she gives in ; and what is she to do? I don’t blame her.” “Upon my word, you are as gracious as Mrs. Minton herself. And, pray, should you not blame her for behaving as she did to you yesterday, if she were engaged to some one else?” He was silent a moment. ““Perhaps we took that for more than it was worth. She was enjoying herself, and her spirits carried her away. But no, after all, I do believe that she does care for me a little. That makes ita more horrible sacrifice.” ““Why should there be any sacrifice? It lies with you to save her,” “YT wish it did. But it would not be honourable for me to put my- self and my poverty between her and a brilliant fate, and ask her to quarrel with her friends for my sake. At any rate, I must wait to COMmicoooks (CO) mn