The Argosy — page 185: what you’re looking at

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

170 The White Witch. “A pretty caricature Mary must make of you behind your back, Godfrey, with her talent for taking people off: for it is a positive talent.” Godfrey had small doubt that this was one of the pretty pastimes she had indulged in with Ernest Underwood that afternoon. He replied that Miss Dixon was quite at liberty to take him off as she pleased behind his back, provided she left him alone when he was present. You don’t get on well together. It seems to me a most unac- countable prejudice that you have taken against her,” said his father. ‘‘ If you were consistent, you ought to admire her very much. You admire fragile girls and girls with soft brown eyes. And you always profess to think a great deal of the way a woman dresses. ‘Then, Mary is quiet and lady-like, but can be very lively when she chooses, and say smart things, as she did this evening.” “‘T don’t care for a girl so very smart that she sees in me nothing but what is ridiculous,” said Godfrey. ‘I think, of the two, I should prefer one ‘too dull to see that there was anything ridiculous at all about me.’ ** Ah, yes! Elspeth, of course,” said Mr. Mayne. “Oh, ah—-yes ; of course Elspeth,” echoed his son, who had, how- ever, been thinking too much of his hatred of Miss Dixon to remem- ber his fair flancée’s existence. ‘Elspeth is a very dear little girl,” said Mr. Mayne indulgently ; ‘‘but you must admit she has nothing to say for herself.” ‘“ Then I think there is all the more to be said for her,” returned Godfrey, in whose eyes, for the time, brilliancy had no charm, When they left the dining-room, Godfrey went to the old re- fectory to smoke, and to think over what he had heard that after- noon; he felt, too, that Miss Dixon in her new character of bril- liant and satirical woman would be more than he could stand just then. He had thrown open all the four windows and was leaning out of one of them, when he heard the voice of the butler behind him. “‘T beg pardon, Master Godfrey.” The young man turned round impatiently. Hawkins was one of those terrible old servants who are kept only because they have already been kept too long. He took liberties with everybody, and was, God- frey thought just now, an insufferable old nuisance. “Well, what is it?” ‘‘T beg pardon, sir,” returned Hawkins, perceiving he was not welcome. “If I had thought it was taking a liberty, I would not have ——” But he would ; he was always taking liberties. Godfrey cut him short ; he was not in the mood to tolerate even the faithful old retainer. “Go on, Hawkins ; what is it?” Eomichooks. co m