His Grace — page 101: what you’re looking at

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

HIS GRACE. 95 privileges to convey the suggested information to the old bloke, but that, as I had already mentioned, I was not without hope of that information being imparted to him sooner or later by one more directly interested in the matter than I was. “Qh, it’s all very fine to throw the whole responsi- bility upon your sister,” returned Hurstbourne rather angrily ; “ but you know as well as I do that she hates the man, and’ that she would give him the sack to- morrow if she wasn’t afraid of becoming a burden upon you.” : “Upon my honor, I don’t know that,” I answered. “ How do you know it, pray?” He said he had heard it from her own lips, which, I confess, startled me, for, considering that Nora had not for a long time past so much as mentioned Mr. Burgess’s name to me, it did seem strange that she should have made a confidant of a mere acquaintance. However, he dispelled my nascent apprehensions by dwelling upon her unselfishness and by a repetition of his statement that she was afraid of burdening me with the expense of her maintenance. “ Which is utter nonsense,” he added: “because as long as you remain here, she won’t cost youa penny. You needn’t tell me, my dear old chap, that you wouldn’t grudge her every penny you possess ; that’s a matter of course. Only you must see that she can’t very well take the first step : it’s for you to do that.” Was it for me to kick the reverend gentleman into space? I was unable to think so, much as I should | have enjoyed the task, and I assured my friend that I could not, without due authorization, assume such a responsibility. “I told you long ago,” said I, “that I com (@) boo CS m