The Argosy — page 111: what you’re looking at

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

96 Lady Valeria. The Vicar looked at her consideringly. Perhaps then, for the first time, his perceptions received any distinct impression of her in- dividuality. She had been erstwhile one of the undistinguishable flock of brilliant creatures who used to madden him with their admira- tion and soft incense of flattery; who came to him on Sunday to be excited and thrilled, as they went on a week-day to the last new play ; ready, when the time came, to desert him and his teaching at a day’s notice for some newer attraction. The woman who stood before him was of a different clay. More beautiful, if that mattered ; more purposeful, more capable. She would either help or hinder him mightily, he felt; and somehow he suspected it would be the latter. “How do you mean to begin?” he asked at length. Mrs. Damien’s. eyes danced under their down-dropped lashes. ‘“Can’t you give me an introduction to somebody who belongs here? JI want some new friends. I have exhausted one phase of English society pretty much, I think; I should like to see another. Don’t you think some people here might care to know me and let me be friends with them ?” ‘IT should think they might,” admitted the Vicar, slowly and much against his will. He was irate with himself for watching the play of her beautiful lips, and noticing the soft, dark sweep of her eyelashes against her cheek. The great eyes flashed up suddenly at him al} alight with eagerness and bright thoughts, but dropped again under his dark scrutiny. “You had better consult Mr. de Cressy. He shall call upon yow to-morrow.” And then Mr. Stannard bade her a stiff adieu, feeling rather as if he had taken some unknown compound into his hands that might prove valuable, or might go off with sudden explosion and blow him and his to utter destruction. ‘“‘A fine lady’s freak,” he muttered consolingly, ‘and not likely to prove a lasting one.” CHAPTER: ‘VIE A BLACK SEVEN. (RETROSPECTIVE. ) THERE were other and more dangerous elements fermenting under the surface calm of his parish, had he but known it, and he came very nigh upon touching on some of them the very next day. It was on that occasion that he discovered Lavender Row. It was no small achievement for a stranger, such as he was. From Lavender Row to the busiest thoroughfare in the City is but a stone- cast, and yet men have lived their working days through from year’s end to year’s end unaware of its existence. There is a restaurant and a public-house in the neighbourhood, whose inhabitants might direct an explorer; but the clerks in the ECORMIECLMOOOKS. (EC) m H