His Grace — page 17: what you’re looking at

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

HIS GRACE. Il late years. It’s rather a joke—only, of course, as you don’t know her, you can’t see the joke—that in a few months’ time Lady Charles will-be doing the honors at Hurstbourne Castle.” He had a good deal more to say about the late Duke of Hurstbourne, who, it appeared, had been an indi- vidual of eccentric and retiring disposition, as well as ' about the quarrels and peculiarities of the Gascoigne family in general ; but I did not listen very attentively to his prattle. I had family affairs of my own to think about which, if less interesting to him and the world at large than those of a duke, were far more so to me, and it did not seem likely that I should have any fur- ther personal relations with the newly-elevated member of the highest rank in the peerage. I remember that, while he was talking, I felt vaguely sorry that circum- stances should have rendered me such a complete out- cast from high society—not because I cared for high society, of which I had little knowledge or experience, but because I cared a good deal for Arthur Gascoigne. Nowadays I sometimes wonder what can have made me care for him at a time when, after ‘all, I was but slightly acquainted with him. He himself declares that it must have been my immense superiority to him in the matter of physical size and strength ; for indeed I am a big, muscular man, whereas he is a diminutive and not very powerful one, though, heaven knows, he has the pluck of a whole regiment ! “My dear Martyn,” says he—I don’t mind repeating this, because there isn’t a word of truth in it—“ it is your nature to think of anybody and everybody in the world before you think of yourself; and as nothing would induce you to admit that you have twice the Eomichoo “S (E(0)