His Grace — page 105: what you’re looking at

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

HIS GRACE. 99 pany was not so very ardently desired, and soon after- wards I was free to grapple once more with those daily labors, in the discharge of which I received no assist- ance from the only person who could have rendered them lighter or more hopeful for me. To cut your coat according to your cloth is an excellent plan: but what size or shape of coat can be cut when you are ignorant of the quantity of cloth at your disposal? What bothered me was, that although I had pretty well ascer- tained the amount of my employer’s income, actual and prospective, I had no means of discovering more than a certain proportion of his expenditure. He had al- ready slightly overdrawn his banking account; I did not like to ask him whether I was correct in my sus- picion that he had borrowed money from less trust- worthy and more expensive gentlemen than the family bankers. Nevertheless, I resolved, that same after- noon, that I would risk his displeasure by putting the above inquisitorial question to him. Unless I did so, and unless he answered me candidly, my services would be scarcely worth the price that he was paying for them; so that, when I closed my books and took my skates in my hand, I saw quite clearly the path marked out for me by the finger of duty—which is always a — comforting mental position to have reached. I was crossing the park at a slinging trot, planning as I went, how I could lead Hurstbourne aside and stretch him on the rack without further delay, when I met my proposed victim, who was running as hard as he could in the opposite direction, and who, on catch- ing sight of me, pulled up. He was breathless, and much agitated. “Your sister has had an accident, Martyn,” said he, L.of C. Gomichoo cS m