The Freemason's Daughter: A Novel — page 35: what you’re looking at

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

26 THE FREEMASONS DAUGHTER. ‘* Some friend, doubtless,” observed Beacham. ** Spoken like one who has not studied the world !”’ exclaimed Gridley. ‘‘ Pardon me, young gentleman, but here we are no longer the clerk and nephew of the wealthy Mr. Grindem, but youth and age—boy and man. When I say boy,” he added, ‘‘ of course I speak figuratively, and perhaps abuse my privilege; but I knew your mother, sir, when she was no higher than my knee. God! how time runs—how time runs !” “If not from a friend,” observed Henry, without being in the least offended at the familiarity of the speaker’s language ‘“ who could the gift be from ?”’ «An enemy.” “An enemy!” they all repeated; “ you jest.”’ “T don’t often do so. I repeat it—an enemy. Honest friendship has no reason to hide its acts; crime only fears inquiry into the motive. I repeat, it 1s my opinion the gift was sent as an atonement—a sort of dose to lull the conscience of the donor.” ** You have strange ideas,” said Amy, with a laugh, observing that both her mother and Beacham were plunged in reflection at the singular view which the old man had taken of the gift. ‘«< Ay, and dull ones, too,”’ observed Richard, beckon- ing his sister to his side, and whispering in her ear to sing him his favourite song before he retired to rest. There was no affectation in the compliance. Amy knew that she sang well; nature had endowed her with an extraordinary voice and exquisite sensibility— COniiclooecl SS (SO