A Silver Brand — page 114: what you’re looking at

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

106 : A SILVER BRAND. is some meaning to it, and I’ll find it out, and Ill get my revenge yet.” CHAPTER X. AUBREY’S STORY. “You are weary and dull. I do not entertain you,” said Lady Theresa, in a tone of deep mortification. ‘“ Indeed, Herr Dalberg, I would I were able to free your pathway this very moment as far as your thoughts were straying.” “| don’t wonder at it. Iam stupid company, I admit,” returned Aubrey Dalberg, coloring faintly. ‘‘I beg your pardon. I suppose you spoke to me, and I did not hear.” ‘‘Not once, or twice,” returned she. ‘‘but pray don’t apologize. It is not your fault, certainly ; éither this en- forced imprisonment, or the dullness of your entertain- ment. But 1am infinitely vexed with myself. I said to you, so arrogantly, that | would make your days here glide by in all pleasantness, and LE have failed so signally. It is not the lack of good will, but sheer stupidity on my part, behieve me. Where lies the fault, I wonder? In out difference of nationalities? I believe I may say, with- out vanity, that the power is given me to enliven, even to fascinate the majority of those of my own countrymen who have been thrown inmy way. But with you I seem to myself insipid and shallow. ‘Tell me how she talks and looks, the lady in your own land, who has pleased you best ?” Aubrey smiled at the earnestness of her tone, the per- plexity of her look. “T am afraid that would be a difficult question to an- swer, Lady Theresa. In the first place, how do you know there is such a one?” “1 do not. | was looking for your face to betray if it was so or not,” she returned, looking -at.him with an arch smile dimpling her red lips, beneath which a slow flush rose to Aubrey’s forehead. She laughed, half-triumphantly, half-angrily. “That is enough, sir lover. The fair American exists.” “TI trust so,” returned Aubrey, more composedly, “and* by the thousand, I hope.” “You do not deceive me. Iunderstand now the languor and indifference which has counteracted all my efforts to please and entertain you, Come, confess, -It will please > ne comicbooks.com