Penny Blood Serial Fiction — page 304: what you’re looking at

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

LOVE - AFFAIRS 287 explained to me, and which have not only brought him already in collision with her, but now threaten to make a still wider breach between them. These circumstances relate to his nephew Lord Harold, and to Mr. William Deverl, whom you have often seen, and who is coming to dine here to-day.” ‘“ But no matter for the circumstances, my dear sister,”’ exclaimed Frank, impatiently, ‘“‘ so long as our father has not placed his negative — ”’ “No, my dear brother, I have already assured you to the contrary. Now listen to what the marquis says. He himself has experienced too bitterly the fatal effects of thwarting the heart’s affections to entertain the slightest idea of attempting a similar coercion with either of his children. No, no, he will not do that,—not for worlds would he adopt a course by which he himself and our dear mother were rendered such cruel sufferers. He would rather strain many a point, rather make much sacrifice of feeling as a parent, than practise such tyranny, such cruelty. This therefore does he propose, that you shall put Juliana Fare- field’s love to the test; he himself will suggest the means, and sketch forth the plan to be adopted, and in three or four days shall you repair into Lincolnshire for the pur- pose.”’ “Oh, that condition I cheerfully accept!’ exclaimed Frank, “ and I feel deeply grateful to our father, deeply orateful to you also, my dearest sister — ”’ “ No gratitude to me, Frank,” interrupted Elizabeth. “Heaven grant that the result of the test, whatsoever it may be, shall prove in accordance with your hopes and aspirations! The reason that made me so long ere I rejoined you here was because our father — after he had heard all that I had to say, both on your account and my own — pro- ceeded to the drawing-room to consult our mother. Ah! you may suppose that during the twenty minutes I was left alone in the library, I endured some degree of suspense both for your sake and mine. And yet hope preponderated above fear, for the marquis had listened to me with so much benevolence, with so much paternal kindness, he had en- couraged me in such gentle and soothing terms to proceed each time I hesitated, — in short, I saw full well that he would do all in his power to minister unto our happiness.”’ CONnNIEDOOKS (FO)