The Argosy — page 36: what you’re looking at

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

The White Witch. | 21 at the time to be strongly under the influence of—another woman.” The last words were so low that the young man had almost to guess at them. There was a pause. -Then the Vicar looked at him for the first time. ‘““T don’t think you can say I am too hard upon you, Godfrey. I don’t want to preach to you about faith and loyalty, and what a man owes to the young woman he has asked to be his wife. Iam quite _ sure that, if my suspicions are correct, you have not yielded to temp- tation without making many a sermon of that kind to yourself, with- out struggles and—perhaps—prayers. I know how a beautiful girl, who dresses in the fashion, and who has been used to a great deal of attention, makes a simple little country lass seem very tame— especially to young men. But you must have known your danger, if you have indeed been in danger, and I cannot acquit you of blame in not making stronger efforts to escape it. Perhaps I ought to have spoken to you before, but it is the sort of accusation a man naturally shrinks from until he is quite sure.” There was another pause, a longer one; then the young man raised his head. ‘“‘T have been to blame, Mr. Thornhill,” said he, candidly. ‘And ——you are right—I’ve suffered for it. I’ve been under—an infatua- tion. There were reasons, which I. cannot tell you, which made escape more difficult than you think. She was not to blame,” he resumed quickly, as the Vicar looked round. ‘‘ When she guessed, she was indignant. So you may be satisfied—I shall be well punished. Infatuation over, and engagement broken—at the same time.” He got up restlessly, but the Vicar signed to him to sit down again. ‘One minute, Godfrey,” said he, less sternly. ‘‘ You say your infatuation is over.” “ves, it 1s, Sir.” ** And you wish your engagement to be broken ?” “That is not my wish. I understood it to be your decision.” ‘Was the wish father to the thought, Godfrey ? ” “On my honour, no. I have lived in a fever lately ; I want to get back my health and my peace. I have had thoughts, as you know, sir, of obtaining some post in London, under Government ; I shall now do so, if possible, and go away to begin a manlier life than the useless and aimless one I have led here. Yet at the moment of beginning to work, the object of work is taken away from me. Do you think a return to peace is likely to follow?” “If you mean that as a threat that you intend to let yourself go and lead a disorderly life, once the restraint of your engagement is removed, I can only think my daughter has had a lucky escape from 2 man of so little self-control, Godfrey.” “I did not mean that. I have neither the wish nor the intention Gomichboo “S (E(©) a