His Grace — page 252: what you’re looking at

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

246 HlS GRACE. your proofs ; but he isn’t a very trustworthy person ; so I thought it as well to be on the safe side.” “In other words, you imagine that, after what you have done, youcan bully me into silence. You will find that you have made a miscalculation. Up to the pres- ent moment I have not said one word to Leila; but this evening she shall hear the whole truth.” “That is of course ; did you think that I wished to | conceal it from her? But where will you be if, in spite of having heard the whole truth, she tells you that her affections have been bestowed unworthily ? ” ‘She will not do so. She is a gentlewoman, and it would be impossible for her to feel any affection for a forger’s son.” “Oh, I don’t know about the impossibility ; you were not unwilling, it seems, to marry the forger himself. I don’t blame you for that, I can quite forgive you ; tut will Miss St. George forgive your suggesting that she is ready to throw herself into the arms of an humble and disgraced individual who hasn’t yet asked her to marry him ?” “That is begging the question ; you are going to ask her to marry you.” “Perhaps. Anyhow, I shall do exactly as I feel disposed about it, and I shall not ask your permission. You said, a short while ago, that I wasn’t entitled to expect much consideration from you; now, I don’t think you are entitled to expect much consideration from MeN it “T am not asking you for any,” Lady Deverell de- clared, with some emotion ; “ yet, if you had a spark of honorable or gentlemanlike feeling, you would acknowl edge that I have not been ungenerous to you and Eomichoo cS (E(0)