The Argosy — page 167: what you’re looking at

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

} } ] 152 ee Ve ee BYso KATHERINE? CARER: o 4 CHAPTER III. HOMEWARDS. PARLE on the morning after Monsieur de Kériadec’s unwelcome arrival, Madame Lenard came to her niece’s room to scold, pity, condemn and advise. For once, the good lady was seriously displeased with her spoilt child. She had had no idea that Denise’s return to the stage had been without the knowledge of her husband; had she done so, the little scheme would never have come to anything. She had more common sense than both Monsieur Lenard and her niece put toge- ther, and she certainly would not have countenanced such open rebellion in any young wife, were the latter the most ill-used person in the world. She madea pretty correct surmise that the de Kériadecs did not quite illustrate the harmony of married life; but it was her — maxim not to interfere between husband and wife, and though she had grave fears for. Denise when she heard of the three months’ separation, she did not feel called upon to interfere. All she could do was to keep tactful watch over the girl’s good name, and that office she fulfilled admirably, almost without Denise noticing that she did so. She found Denise putting on her bonnet, an open portmanteau in the middle of the room, and dresses, jackets, boots, hats, littered about the floor in hopeless confusion. ‘Eh, bien! naughty one!” she said, standing in the doorway, and shaking her head at her refractory niece; ‘‘ what have you to say for yourself? ” ‘‘Nothing. Nothing in the world,” answered Denise, turning round her pretty face, in which there were traces of a sleepless night. ‘¢What is there you would have me say, aunt ?” ‘‘T am ashamed of you,” said Madame Lenard severely, coming into the room and sitting stiffly on a high-backed chair that stood by the open portmanteau. ‘‘ I am deeply disappointed.” Denise turned away again, and went on tying her bonnet-strings. In the face that looked back at her from the glass were signs of two little dimples that did not give token of much repentance. She was only wondering how long Madame Lenard’s severity would last ; there was something comical in the dear good soul’s righteous attempt to elongate and stiffen her kind round face, as she sat gazing into the Gomichooks.Gom |