I Forbid the Banns! — page 317: what you’re looking at

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

ON. THE SMILE OF MISS TRAVERS. 3°97 Levant, and if a larger proportion of gentlemen of a Levantine cast of countenance, and of ladies of Levantine figures, than one expected to find in a London drawing room might be found at some of Mme. Abed Nego’s parties, this fact was generally accepted as proving the lady’s anxiety to bring the various races that come from the Eastern shores of the Mediterranean under the benign influences of Christianity. While Bertha and Julian were being driven to Saxe- Coburg House, the mansion of the Abed Negos, they did not exchange many words, and such as they did exchange were in regard to the most commonplace topics. The approach of the first cloud had been clearly defined. It had come ina heavy mass, if its area had not been very great. It had thrown a well-defined shadow over them ; but this new obscuration of their domestic sunshine was lighter and partook more of the character of a clinging mist around them. It did not cast a dark shadow upon them, but they had breathed of its dimness. It had entered into their life. Bertha felt feverish. Julian felt as if he were by the side of a stranger as they walked along the scarlet drugget which was laid down on the short drive within the grounds of Saxe-Coburg House, and crushed their way up the fine staircase, to be greeted by their heated host and scented hostess, and then to pass on to one of the great drawing rooms, where an entertainer was producing sweet music by touching the edges of a number of tum- blers partly filled with water. Later in the night a lady gave a whistling entertainment in the same apartment, while in a more distant room, a sallow-faced gentleman gave imitations of popular actors, taking the wise precaution of announcing beforehand the particular actor he meant to imitate. In the grounds of Saxe-Coburg House a certain Green Scandinavian Band performed at intervals. The electric light was worshiped by Mr. Abed Nego— (CORNICLIOOKS (E(0)