The Mysteries of the Court of London by Pauline Clarendon — page 310: what you’re looking at

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

MR. PAGE AND HIS WIFE 307 and I held my tongue, suffering you to fancy whatever you chose. Now, then, are we not equal? You married me only because you thought I was wealthy — I married you because I wanted a respectable position.” While she was thus speaking, Julia’s eyes shot forth living fires, her white teeth gleamed between the lips which the habit of dram-drinking had rendered of an unnatural red, and her cheeks, which dissipation had robbed of the hues of health, became flushed with the purple dye of rage. ““ Come, Julia dear — come — J didn’t mean to vex you — I —I[ assure you I did not,’ stammered Page, absolutely frightened by the fiendish countenance that thus glared so menacingly upon him. “ I was wrong —TI know that I was — I[— I beg your pardon, Julia,’ he added, humbly. “Well, you can’t do more than that,’’ said the young woman, instantly becoming pacified; and by the aid of a dram she appeared to relieve her feelings altogether. ‘‘ The only thing you can do, is to make the best of a bad bargain —if you still think it is one. Follow the counsel which my father intended for me in the little scrap of paper scrawled over with a pencil: that is, use the coin wisely, and we shall prosper; use it rashly, and we shall be ruined.” “ By Jove! it is my opinion that we had better not use it at all,’’ exclaimed the ex-traveller. ‘That be hanged! ” responded Julia. “‘ You have already passed away three or four pieces 1n to-day’s purchases; and you saw that on each occasion, when the shopkeepers rang the money on their counters, they were periectly satisfied with it.”’ “True!” observed Page, but not without a shudder at the idea of having passed away no less than four spurious guineas in the caqurse of the day. ‘You need have no fear of detection, if you only act with caution,’ resumed Julia, who possessed no ordinary amount of common sense and sterling judgment. ‘‘ My father was as skilful In coining base money as he was in his chemical experiments. He might have been immensely rich, if he wasn’t so timid. The sordid manner in which he lived was a mere blind, to avert suspicion; and there were times when he enjoyed himself with many luxuries, I can tell you. But it was on account of me chiefly that he would not launch out into a decent way of life. He thought that I was naturally COMIC OOO SS (GO)