A Heart's Bitterness — page 173: what you’re looking at

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

A HEART’S BITTERNESS. 165 *¢ And will you tell me your name, my dearie?” ‘‘ Vd rather not—only Violet.” The dame shook her head. ‘My dear, you should go back, and set things right—if not for yourself, for the little child, you know.” ‘ But there isn’t any child!” cried Violet, pettishly. — © But there will be, my dearie, after a little. Surely you think of that! Surely you know that!” — Violet seized her arm. “Tell me! Do you mean—do you think I am to have a ehild?—a little child of my own? Quick—speak!” ‘‘ Why, certainly—sure, you know bs But the little Countess of Leigh had fallen back in her pillows, covered her face with her hands, and burst into a flood of tears. ‘©Oh, what have I done!” ‘* Hush, hush, my dear! Don’t take on so! Oh, pray think of that little child! Becalm, my dear. You are so young, so sweet and pretty, surely you can make it all right. You will go back; you will have justice done to you; you will not bring shame on the little child; you will be married to the father, my dear! Bad man he must be to deceive a child like you!” But Violet had started up in bed, with flaming eyes and a crimson face. She cried out: ‘* How dare you! . What do you mean? Qh, how can you be so wicked! Do you mean to say you think I am not married ?” ; ‘¢You have run away alone,” said the old dame; ‘‘ your hand has no ring on it.” : ‘‘ Judged me by my rings! Oh, you wicked woman, to think ill of me just for that!” cried poor Violet, furiously tearing away in a frenzy at the plush bag, and tossing on the floor the laced night-robe, and the soiled silk hose, and the change of cambric, and a fluff of kerchiefs, and then she shook the bag out and rolled on the counterpane before the amazed old dame, a watch and chain, some sovereigns, a jeweled brooch, and a heap of rings. From these she snatched two, the half-hoop engagement-ring and the un- happy gold shackle that had sealed her bitter fate at St. George’s: and thrusting them on her finger, she held out a little quivering hand, saying: “Now are you satisfied? I took off the hateful things” Gomicboo “S (el @)