His Grace — page 205: what you’re looking at

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

HIS GRACE. 199 groom, I presumed, since he did not wear the Gascoigne livery—but they were otherwise unaccompanied and un- attended ; which seemed rather imprudent on their part, unless they wanted to be talked about. But very likely one of them did, while the other didn’t mind. A man with whom I was slightly acquainted took me by the elbow before I had ceased to gaze at their backs, and sald : “Does that really mean business? You ought to know.” “Ought I?”’ Tanswered. “Well, I don’t. It’snone of my business, anyhow.” “Oh, but I thought you were acting as a sort of male nurse to the duke. It’s too bad of you if you aren’t, for nobody stands in greater need of a nurse than that misguided young man does. To live at the rate of about three times your income is silly enough ; but you may take my word for it that that isn’t half so silly as marrying Miss St. George. I know, because my sister was at school with her, and the girl is mother of the woman, as Shakespeare, or some other equally sharp- witted old quilldriver, observes. Miss St. George has no money, precious little brains and a beastly temper. If you have any influence over that unlucky duke of yours, it is your duty to exert it and get him to drop this game, whatever other games that he doesn’t un- derstand he may insist upon playing.” “T have no influence over him to speak of,” I replied rather crossly, ‘and I think Miss St. George has brains enough to refuse a man who is spending three times his income—supposing Hurstbourne to be such a man. Added to which, Miss St. George has a vigilant and competent aunt.” Gomicboo cS €o AA :