The Argosy — page 136: what you’re looking at

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

A Capriccio. 121 Good-night ; may I come and see you to-morrow ? Thank you ; I shall come without fail. You will be gone next week. And [I shall hardly know how to get on without—your Aunt Rebecca.” I slept very little that night. I was so much excited that strains of dance-music haunted my dreams and awoke me when it was yet early. Aunt Rebecca, on the contrary, slept the long sleep of exhaustion, until, in my impatience to talk over the events of the night before, I longed to awake her by fair means or foul, and was only deterred from doing so by the reflection that it might spoil her temper for the rest of the day. CHAPTER III. KISSES. “¢ So you are really going home to-morrow, and this is the last time we shall meet, for goodness knows how long ?” said Lord Everril. Are you sorry, Miss Celia, or are ‘home’ and ‘ Dick Somers’ superior attractions. I—vwe shall all miss you here.” We were sitting together near the window. Aunt Rebecca had complained of being chilly, which was strange, considering that it was one of those stifling July days when no one and no thing—if we except flies—seem capable of stirring. I was afraid she must be feverish, and offered to mix her a cooling beverage; but she repelled my advances, and sent me back to where Lord Everril was sitting by the open window, idly pulling to pieces the begrimed leaves that straggled through it. We had no view beyond the crowded street, and there was a din of equipages in our ears that was scarcely the fitting accompaniment to soft speeches. = But as far as we were concerned externals were of small account; to our eager eyes the horizon was boundless, the landscape aglow with sunshine and the glory of love and hope. “Sorry!” I answered. ‘‘Of course I am; very sorry indeed. Even home will seem a little monotonous now.” “TY wonder if you will remember me if ever we meet again?” he went on, ‘You will perhaps be married by then.” Most likely,” I said carelessly. ‘‘ And you, too. We shall be two elderly and sedate personages, taking snuff, and always falling asleep, like Aunt Rebecca, after dinner.” | I was determined not to reveal how sore my heart was at the prospect my own words held out to me, Lord Everril had never spoken a word of love to me, and it was no fault of his if I felt that no man could ever again fill the place that he had stolen in my heart. He turned his face from me and began to speak gravely. “You remember what I told you about my cousin and my own future prospects, or rather non-prospects.” GOMIGIOOKSHGEO @) im