I Forbid the Banns! — page 238: what you’re looking at

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

228 “7 FORBID THE BANNS!” not help having been born in New Zealand. They are a most interesting people, Iam given to understand; are they not, Mr. Southcote ?” ‘Extremely,’ said he. ‘“ They speak English fluently.” “ You see,” said Lady Rushton, with another wave and another patronizing smile. ‘So you need not be afraid, Mrs. Charlton. You will never hear your birth alluded to. No one whom you are likely to meet in society could possi- bly have the bad taste to refer to such a matter.”’ “Tf anyone should it would be a great pleasure to me,” said Bertha. ‘‘I am very proud of having been born in Australia.” ‘Oh, dear!” said Lady Rushton, lifting up her hands, “In Australia, I need hardly tell you, who seem to be so well informed, Lady Rushton, there are quite as noble fam- ilies as any in England. ‘The best groom I ever had in Australia was the second son of an English peer, and the best hand my father had on one of his sheep runs was the representative of a family that came over with the Conqueror.” “My dear Mrs. Charlton!” cried Lady Rushton in a tone that suggested extreme incredulity. ‘The police sergeant at one of our stations was the son of a bishop,” continued Bertha, ‘and for several months our head sheep-shearer was the brother of a baronet.” ‘* A baronet!” almost shrieked Lady Rushton, as if she felt that this young woman whom she meant to patronize was becoming unwarrantably personal. “A baronet! there must be some mistake.” _ “There is none, I assure you,” replied Bertha. “ But you English must not fancy that because your best families work for us in a menial capacity we decline to regard you as on a social level with ourselves—or, at any rate, very nearly so. No, I assure you, Lady Rushton, there is no foolish exclusiveness among us in this respect,” C@ONNIELIOOKS (C(O)