Page:The genius - Carl Grosse tr Joseph Trapp 1796.djvu/393

 —"I dare say," replied I, "and would not care if I knew it myself."

—"There is no telling what it really was, but there are many suspicions?"

—"Oddso!"

—"They say, her spouse is of a wild, fiery temper, and, who knows, what other scenes may have happened in the family!"

Good God! thought I, somebody must have betrayed them.—"Perhaps the Marquis was jealous," answered I, "and if the lady be handsome, I don't see why he shou'dn't?"

—"That's impossible, master. She is the pattern of virtue. Several persons came to visit her here, but she never would see strangers nor speak to them. I rather think it is the Marquis's fault."

Here I breathed more freely. So the honor of my wife was screened, I little cared what the world thought of mine.

—"Very true, sister," cried I, "the marquis is a sad fellow, he has played a thousand strange tricks, and God knows! when he means to leave them off."

—"So you know him?"