I Forbid the Banns! — page 326: what you’re looking at

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

316 “7 FORBID THE BANNS!?” Mrs. Charlton to fling herself in that fashion through the portiere of the Cairo doorway. ‘“ A breath of fresh air will do you all the good in the world,” he added, putting her hand under his arm. ‘Then ina whisper he said, “ Don't give way before these people. Bea brave girl ; remember there’s nothing to fear; I am by your side; I am ready to die for you. Come along.” She managed with his assistance to walk to the end of the corridor. She did not speak ; she was trembling ter- ribly, Charlie could perceive; and now and again a sob that suggested the approach of hysterics came from her throat. , “Now won’t you pull yourself together?” said Charlie imploringly. ‘ Don’t give these fools around us thechance of talking. You will never be the same to me if you go off ina faint. I'll get you achairand an ice—not pineapple —the vanilla is all right.” He saw where there was a vacant seat—a shell made of » plush—and he had wheeled it to her in a moment. She seated herself, and when he suggested the recuperative possibilities of Neapolitan ices, she laid her hand on his arm, but did not speak. It was some minutes before she was able to say in a weak voice: “Thank you, Charlie ; you are my best friend. If you -would only find Julian and tell him that I wish to be taken home.” “Dare I leave you?” asked Charlie with the air of an amateur lady nurse. “ You have made up your mind not to faint ?”’ ‘You may trust me,” she said. ‘I promise you not to faint.” ‘On those conditions I will go,” said he. He hurried off to the music room and was fortunate © enough to be just in time to hear Mr. Monomime’s account of the dialogue on the stairs of Mrs. Butterfly’s mansion (EOMMICLYOOlKS (EC) m