I Forbid the Banns! — page 379: what you’re looking at

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

ON PARLIAMENT AND THE PADDED ROOM. 369 in regard to the nature of the insult that Mr. Betstein had offered to Bertha, though he had had no special information on either subject. What he knew specifically was that he had been on a seat near the screen under the Seaforth palm in Lady Ash- enthorpe’s house on the previous night when Julian Charl- ton had brought the ill-treated wife to the divan in the picturesque nook; that he had then gone in search of Bertha to bring her to the seat beyond the screen whence she might overhear whatever Julian might say to the lady whom he was entertaining among the cushions; that, on returning with Bertha on his arm, he had found Julian Charlton’s place taken by another and more entertaining man, who had speedily moved away, allowing Julian Charl- ton with Marian Travers to occupy the cushions. All this Sir Ecroyd knew; and he was also aware of the fact that Bertha had overheard the words that Julian Charlton had spoken to Marian. That, he believed, was how the separation had been brought about. Whether it had occurred with the accom- paniment of a scene, or in the silent watches of the night, ‘he did not know, nor did he greatly care. It was enough for him to feel that his plans had succeeded, only it had been rather a mistake to offer Cyril Southcote the appoint- ment in order to leave Marian free for Charlton. Sir Ecroyd had hitherto devoted himself to the science of annexation ; but his success in an entirely different field convinced him that his adroitness was not subject to any narrow limitations: he could separate as well as annex. Then he reflected upon his adroitness in dealing with the man who threatened to be troublesome. He had simply been frank with him. There are occasions when it is to the advantage of a cabinet minister to be straightforward. He was invariably straightforward on such occasions. He had been straightforward. The man had got into a pas- CORNIECLIOOKS (C0)