The Freemason's Daughter: A Novel — page 18: what you’re looking at

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

THE FREEMASONS DAUGHTER. 9 for he trembled for his situation. ‘‘ My health is better, much better than it was. I begin to feel quite strong again,” A slight cough interrupted the speaker: he placed his handkerchief to his lipsp—when he removed it, Gridley saw that it was stained with blood. The sight at once determined him, and he advanced with a firm step towards the door of Grindem’s private room. “Where are you going,” demanded Small, pale with rage. . * To talk to your master,” replied Gridley, coolly. *‘ Impudent scoundrel !”’ “Scoundrel !”” repeated the old man. ‘And who, pray, gave Ebenezer Small the right to call me scoundrel? Is it because from shoe-black he rose to be clerk, from clerk to bea partner in the firm? Had I kept sober, I might have been a partner too. Like a fool, I drank at all hours ; like a wise man, he only when business was ended. He has reaped the advantage of his prudence, but it gives him no right to call me scoundrel ! ”’ The speaker, whom the state of the weather had prevented from leaving the office in search of his usual glass, was, like an opium-eater deprived of his favourite drug, in a state of fearful excitement; in his anger he had raised his voice to a pitch approaching a scream, and consequently made himself distinctly heard by the head of the firm, who had been seen more than once to turn pale whenever Gridley gave way to one of his COniiclooecl SS (SO