I Forbid the Banns! — page 285: what you’re looking at

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

ON THE FIRST CLOUD. 275 That was a question which could only be answered in one way; and it was because he felt that he could answer it without hesitation, he came to the conclusion that he did well to be angry. But then he reflected—as he nd done more than once lately—that if she had been fascinated by the Minister of Annexation, there was no reason in the world why she should not go to him, and, if she wished, and the minister wished, marry him. If she were once married to Sir Ecroyd she would never be able to return to the Court. Where was she at the very moment he was thinking about her? Perhaps she was putting on her hat in order to set out for Ashmead to throw herself into the arms of the minister. If that was her intention there was no power that he could bring to his aid to prevent her from realizing it. She was bound to him by no tie—that was what he now felt, as he had often done before. Why had he not remembered this before speaking to her such words as had so deeply offended her ? Then the thought occurred to him that it was only when she had talked about Eric Vicars that he had become exas- perated. He hated Vicars as he had never before hated -any man. He had hated him from the moment he had appeared on the dock side. Was it possible that he was jealous both of the cabinet minister and the ex-overseer ? The notion was ridiculous. Of this fact he was well aware, but, unfortunately, the consciousness that a certain notion is ridiculous is by no means incompatible with the possession of this notion by a man. Jealousy is madness—this he knew. But there is another passion that “doth work like madness in the brain.” This is “to be wroth with one we love.” Then indeed he CONMNIELOOKS (E)