The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 68: what you’re looking at

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

THE SCHOOLMASTER 51 indignant, ‘‘ are you the victim of a tyranny so stern as this? ”’ | ‘Hush! for Heaven’s sake, hush!” said Isabella, glancing with renewed apprehension toward the door; and then, as if no longer able to restrain the emotions which were agita- ting within, she burst into tears. “Good God, that I should have made you weep! ”’ cried Christian; and in the excitement, the confusion, and the _ hurry. of his own thoughts and feelings, he seized her small, fair hand. It was, however, instantaneously withdrawn — but not in anger; for the beauteous Isabella flung upon him, through the dimness of her tears, a look which eloquently proclaimed that she comprehended all his generous sympathy and was erateful for it. Then hastily wiping away those tears, she hurried from the room. At the same moment there was a double knock at the door, and Christian retraced his way to his own room. He was in the midst of painful and bewildering conjectures as to the nature of that mystery which enveloped the lovely Isabella, and which seemed to be associated with so much cruel coercion and unnatural tyranny, when the trull of a servant-girl knocked at his door, and throwing it open, said, ‘‘ Here’s a genelman which wants you, Mr. Ashton, and this is his card.” Our hero took the card, and found that it represented the aristocratic though perhaps not very euphonious name of the Chevalher Gumbinnen. The owner of this name had been left standing in the passage by the maid-of-all-work, and Christian, on hurrying forth, was horrified to perceive a mop on his visitor’s right hand, and a pail of dirty water under his very nose. He flung a hasty reproach at the sirl, and began confounding himself in excuses to the cheva- lier, who received them all with a sedate silence and a sort of inane mystification of look, — which indeed was by no means astonishing, when it comes to be considered that the Chevalier Gumbinnen understood not a syllable of English. Christian hastily led the way into his own sitting-room, handed the chevalier a chair, and awaited explanations, although he had no doubt in his own mind that the visit bore reference to the advertisement in the newspaper. The Chevalier Gumbinnen was a little man, with a some- CONNIE DOOKS (FO)