The Argosy — page 198: what you’re looking at

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

The White Witch. 183 with her because she was charming, and made up my mind to marry her—partly because everybody wanted me to marry.” “‘ Everybody ?”’ ‘Well, my step-mother wanted me to, and my father dutifully followed suit. Indeed, I rather think she had something to do with my taking the final plunge.” “ Ah, then you wanted a little leading and—drifted into it.” ‘Exactly. I suppose that is how these things generally happen. And I—I’ve been happier, since,’ avowed Godfrey, pulling himself together and trying to look triumphant. Mrs. Penteith would not look incredulous. ‘ That was rather dis- interested of your step-mother, considering that she has a daughter of her own to marry. What is Miss Dixon like?” But Godfrey was prepared for this, and answered accordingly. “A little, quiet girl, devoted to books ; very ladylike and not bad-looking.” It would never do for his aunt to get the wild notion into her head that he was in love with Mary Dixon; with the girl whose suspected antecedents had just sent him off on a search, the results of which were weighing on his mind in the most alarming fashion. Mrs. Penteith spoke suddenly. ‘Who is the lady with the graceful walk and the soft dark eyes, Godfrey ?” The blood rushed to his face; he darted at her a look of amaze- ment, then laughed and stammered : “Oh, that is my ideal, aunt. I’ve given up all hope of ever meeting her; one never does, you know.” «But one ought to think one has met her when one marries,” said Mrs. Penteith, gravely. * But I am not married yet, Aunt Madge.” “No, thank heaven. Don’t laugh at me, Godfrey. I have thought about the time when you would love and marry as if you had been my own dear son, and prayed night and day that you might choose rightly. For love means to you more than it does to most men; with all my heart I believe that. Call me a sentimental old woman if you like, but ever since my dear sister’s death, it seems to me that your heart, and mind too, have been lying idle, waiting for the woman who was to come and make a man of you. Don’t be offended, Godfrey. I believe you are a good, kind-hearted fellow, with a hundred good and noble qualities tha nobody guesses ; I think you want a wife, young and beautiful and good, to bring them out. If I had heard some years ago that you would love and marry the pretty, innocent little daughter of a clergy- man, I should have thought my highest wishes for you fulfilled. But now I begin to think that this sweet Elspeth Thornhill is not the right girl after all. You want a woman who will rouse you, Godfrey, and stir you up to something—if it be only to great love for her.” He had listened to this—which Mrs. Penteith spoke in a broken Eomichbooks.co m