I Forbid the Banns! — page 353: what you’re looking at

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

CHAPTER XLVII. ON THE MOMENT AFTER THE PLUNGE. T the door of one of the drawing rooms he was met by Marian Travers, as usual, with a new chaperon—a very decrepit one this time, with shoulder blades and the title of marchioness. She certainly seemed to possess more shoul- der blades than are allowed even to dowager duchesses. “Who is that case of cutlery ?”’ whispered Charlton, when he had pressed Marian’s hand with the utmost tenderness. “Hush,” said she. “Lady Lyonesse has got the quickest ears of any human being.”’ “They are large,” said he. ‘She is the barley crop of the peerage : all straw, beard, and ears.” The appearance of the dowager marchioness might, strictly speaking, have justified this description, for, un- doubtedly, no one acquainted with the proportion of the human frame would look for so noble a frontal bust on a woman whose shoulder blades were developed with such extraordinary emphasis ; and it could not be said that the lady’s chin was perfectly smooth ; but the accuracy of the description did not compensate for its suggestion of vulgar insolence. “We must move away from here if you mean to talk in that strain,’ said Marian, smiling. She perceived in a moment what was Julian Charlton’s mood. She had a faculty for perceiving the varying moods of men and of treating them accordingly. It was her discreet exercise of this faculty that had caused Cyril Southcote to ask her to be his wife. 343 (CORNIECLIOOKS (E(0)