The Argosy — page 233: what you’re looking at

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

216 Featherston’s Story. headache. His wife carried up a choice bit of the capon when — they were dining after morning service, but he could not so much as look at it. Being a fairly cautious man as a rule, he had to pay for—for the jolting of the train. He was better on Monday morning, but not well, still shaky, and did not come down to breakfast. It was bitterly cold—a sort of — black frost; but Lavinia, wrapping herself up warmly, went out as — soon as breakfast was over. | Her first errand was to the bank, where she paid in the cheques © and received French money for them. ‘Then she visited sundry shops; the butcher’s, the grocer’s, and others, settling the accounts due. Last of all, she made a call upon Madame Veuve Sauvage, and paid the rent for the past quarter. All this left her with exactly nineteen pounds, which was all the money she had to go on with for — every purpose until the end of March—three whole months. | Lunch was ready when shereturned. ‘Taking off her things upstairs and locking up her cash, she went down to it. Flore had made. some delicious soupe maigre. Only those who have tried it knows now good it is on a sharp winter’s day. Captain Fennel seemed to relish it much, though his appetite had not quite come back to him, — and he turned from the dish of scrambled eggs which ae the soup. In the evening they went, by appointment, to dine at. Madame Cardiac’s, the other guests being Monsieur Henri Dupuis with his recently-married wife, and Charles Palliser. After dinner, over the coffee, M. Henri Dupuis suddenly spoke of the soirée at Miss Bosanquet’s the previous Friday, regretting that he. and his wife had been unable to attend it. He was engaged the’ whole evening with a patient dangerously ill, and his wife did not. hike to appear at it without him. Nancy—Nancy !—then began to tell about the ‘‘ Fortune” which had been forecast for her by Signor Talcke, thinking possibly that her husband could not reproach her for it before company. She was very gay over it; a proof that it had eft no bad impression on her mind. ‘ ‘‘What’s that, Nancy?” cried Captain Fennel, who had listened) as if he disbelieved his ears. ‘The fellow told you we had some- thing evil in our house?” LT ‘Yes, he did,” assented Nancy. ‘An evil influence, he said,” which was destined to bring forth something dark and dreadful.” “Tam sorry you did not tell this before,” returned the Captain — stiffly. ‘I should have requested you not again to allude to such folly. It was downright insolence.” ‘” ‘“‘T—you—you were out on Saturday, you know, Edwin, and in — bed with your headache all Sunday; and to-day I forgot it,” said Nancy in less brave tones. : ‘“‘ Suppose we have a game at wholesome card playing,” interpaiie I Mary Cardiac, bringing forth a new pack. ‘Open them, will you t jules? Do you remember, mon ami, having your fortune told once ‘ Comicwooks:com |