The Argosy — page 218: what you’re looking at

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

Roger Bevere. 203 * And Aunt Dyke too—she’s his second, you know. They are both flourishing just now with rheumatism. He has got it in his chest, and she in her knees—tra, la, la, la! I say, are you not going to invite me in?” ; Lizzie’s conversation had been interspersed with laughs and antics. I saw Harriet look at her keenly. ‘Was it a public-house you took shelter in, Lizzie ?” she asked. “ As if it could have been a private one! That’s good.” “Ts your husband with you at Brighton?—I suppose you are married, Lizzie?” | ** As safe as that you are an old maid—or going on for one. My husband’s a doctor and can’t leave his patients. I came down with a friend of mine, Miss Panken; she has to go back to-night, but I mean to stay over Christmas Day. I'll tell you allabout my husband if you'll be civil enough to take me indoors.” “T can’t take you in to-night, Lizzie. It’s too late, for one thing, and we must not have visitors on a Sunday. But you can come over to tea to-morrow evening; I’m sure my lady won’t object. Come early in the afternoon. And look here,” added Harriet, dropping her voice, ‘don’t drink anything beforehand ; come quiet and decent.” ‘Who has been telling you that I do drink?” demanded Lizzie, in a sharp tone. * Well, nobody has told me. But I can see it. I hope it’s not a practice with you ; that’s all.” “A practice! There you go! It wouldn’t be you, Harriet, if you didn’t say something unpleasant. One must take a sup of hot liquor when benighted in such freezing snow as this. And I did not put on my warm cloak ; it was fine and bright when I started.” “Shall I lend you one ?—I’ll get it in a minute.—Or a water- proof?” “Thanks all the same, no; I shall walk fast, I don’t feel cold— and I should only have the trouble of bringing it back to-morrow afternoon. I'll be here by three o’clock. Good night, Harriet.” “Good night, Lizzie. Go round to that path that branches off from our front gate; keep straight on, and you can’t miss the way.” I had heard it all; every syllable; unable to help it. The least rustle of the laurels might have betrayed me. Betrayed me to Lizzie. What a calamity! She did not appear to have come down after Roger, did not appear to know that he was connected with Lady Bevere—or that the names were the same. But at the tea-table the following evening she would inevitably learn all. Servants talk of their masters and their doings. And to hear Roger’s name would be ruin, ~ I found Roger in his chamber. ‘“ Uncle Brandon was putting inconvenient questions to me,” he said, ‘‘so I got away under pretence of looking at the weather.—How cold you look, Johnny !” Gomichoo cS) (EO) m