J. S. Le Fanu's Ghostly Tales, Volume 1 by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu (reading well txt) 📕

sum invalue five times the fortune which she has a right to expect from herhusband. This shall lie in your hands, together with her dowry, and youmay apply the united sum as suits her interest best; it shall be allexclusively hers while she lives: is that liberal?"

Douw assented, and inwardly acknowledged that fortune had beenextraordinarily kind to his niece; the stranger, he thought, must beboth wealthy and generous, and such an offer was not to be despised,though made by a humourist, and one of no very prepossessing presence.Rose had no very high pretensions for she had but a modest dowry, whichshe owed entirely to the generosity of her uncle; neither had she anyright to raise exceptions on the score of birth, for her own origin wasfar from splendid, and as the other objections, Gerald resolved, andindeed, by the usages of the time, was warranted in resolving, not tolisten to them for a moment.

"Sir" said he, addressing the stranger, "your offer is liberal, andwhatever hesitation I may