I Forbid the Banns! — page 283: what you’re looking at

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

ON THE FIRST CLOUD. 273 question of my money ; and I know that you are so froma feeling of honor. You do not wish anyone to do you the injustice of thinking of you asafortune hunter. But——’”’ “Do not let us talk any more on the subject,” said he. ‘“We are fast approaching that stage of bickering which is usually supposed to be the chronic state of those who com- mence with great connubial bliss, as it is called.” “There is no reason to change the topic,” she replied gently. ‘*Do not fancy, for a moment, my dearest, that I fall short in appreciating the delicacy—the sense of honor which causes you to wish to avoid the implication of a partnership in my money. But I do not think that you should allow your sense of honor to prevent your giving me some advice. I believe that my father meant to do some- thing more for Eric than he did, and I have been rather uneasy in consequence. My aunt takes the same view of the matter as I do—she told me so when she was here, and | you were in the smoking room. Now, do you not think that, as there are so many large farms vacant in England, I might buy one and set Eric up in it, giving him a chance of being the pioneer of my plan for recruiting agricultural England from the colonies ?” “For God’s sake,” said he, rising and making a depre- catory motion with his hands—‘‘for God’s sake, let us hear nothing more about systems and plans and principles. I think we have had enough of them. Do what you please with your money—it is all yours. I never want to see a penny of it. Throw it away upon your old friend Eric, or upon your new friend Sir Ecroyd, if you wish ; all I beg of you is not to try to make me a party to any more schemes.” He was standing with his back to the fireplace, and she was seated on a gilt couch at his left—the very sofa where, only a few weeks before, he had fancied her sitting. He had spoken without any expression of anger in his voice, Gomicbooks (2)