Sealed Lips — page 75: what you’re looking at

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

SEALED LIPS, 67 “This is what comes of drinking too much cham- pagne!” said Patrice between his teeth, trying to excuse himself. “No,” insisted the other, “I am the one in the wrong. In my turn I say to you, forgive me and let us part. I prevent you from going your own way in the world. Go; leave me to work like a dog, stupid fool that I am. But at first we must havea settlement; I still owe a largesum of money to Countess O’Farrell’s heir.” Godefroid stopped. He could say nomore. His chest heaved. A coughing fit seized him. Drops of perspiration stood on his brow. He seemed as unhappy and discouraged as a man could be. Patrice was frightened, remembering what the physician had said to him the dav before. He ex- tended his hand in his frank way, and said: “Give me your hand, and may the devil take me if J ever leave your house unless chased out by an officer. Let us forget this villainous morning. Come, old friend, what shall your secretary com- mence his work with?” | “This,” replied Godefroid, opening his arms to O’Farrell. When the hour arrived for the third representa- tion of “Constantin” Patrice excused himself on the pretext that he was too lazy to change his clothes and spend four hours ina theater. He was afraid, by showing so little eagerness, to hurt his friend’s vanity as composer, but it was not so,