A Heart's Bitterness — page 131: what you’re looking at

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

om R Yad A a * we Be. A HEART'S BITTERNESS. Shoe. < But since Leigh had fallen back into such furious love for Edna, he was hard as adamant to poor Violet. ‘“When we were married,” he said, ‘‘I thought there were some appearances to keep up. But some women are always bound to find out all that they had better not know. You listened to some gabbler on your marriage day—to old Adam, when he came from Homburg, and to that demon of a girl that you took for embroidery teacher. As far as we two are concerned, the mask has fallen; why put it on again?” | “It is true,” said Violet, deeply stung, “that I am wiser — than I was when I promised to marry you ‘“So? It isa new comment on the bliss of ignorance.” ‘““And that we are wretched, and likely to remain wretched.” s “ * a - 7. qe . be P a Ps -— eel >.) emer 4 tay ‘‘ Like Eve, you have eaten of the Tree of Knowledge, and youreyes have been opened more to evil than good. It remains for you to bear the consequences,” said Leigh, sharply. Violet drew herself up, a crimson flush covered her ~ lovely, sorrowful face. She would not humble herself by further pleading with this hard man, and went to her room, cruelly stabbed by -her husband, in a fashion of which the, law takes no cognizance. | Kate looked at the haggard face and heavy eyes of her little mistress, and shook her head. “You are the sweetest lady——” began Kate, but a knock at the door silenced her, and Mrs. Ainslie entered. The good lady was flushed and worried, and so evidently wished for conversation with her niece that Kate discreetly went away to her sewing. | | ‘‘T think I must take the dear girls away, Violet,” said Mrs. Ainslie. ‘‘I couldn’t think of having Anna get en- gaged to Captain Gore, before she comes out even. With Keith it would have been different; that would have been a triumph! But Gore is getting too devoted. I consider it cruel of you to let Keith go as you did.” ‘‘ Aunt,” said Violet, earnestly, ‘‘put Lord Keith out of — your mind. I tell you, assuredly, that Anna has no’ pros- pect there at all, and Gove is a fine fellow, with enough to — live on.” | ‘Ts Keith engaged?” her aunt demanded. ‘‘ You would know from-his mother.” | Ss col ‘[omichbooks