A Heart's Bitterness — page 219: what you’re looking at

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

A HEART'S BITTERNESS, , 211 the advertisement in that paper. That put me face to face with my real seif, as ifin aglass. Itook up life where I left it. I got the very kind of dressthat is described, I reported to my attorney, I came back here, to the spot where I and myself parted company for a time, and as I came, and when I came, more clearly | remembered you. You were injured, angry, and needed a helper then; it is the same now— behold me at your orders.” a ‘“When did you come here? How long have you been here?” demanded Helen, uneasily. ‘IT came early before you did. I heard your step below, — and I slid into the closet. JI came here to see Lord Leigh, because lam his mother’s step-son, and so a sort of relation; and I wanted to see him, and see how people of his quality live. Sometimes they are not ashamed of relations such as Iam. I wanted to have a taste of aristocratic life if I could. I did not like to go up to the house at once; it looked so rand, and I had heard servants are stiff to strangers; and I thought | would have alook at the place, and might meet Lord Leigh. So I strolled round and round—I like these — English woods—till I got here, by this queer house.. When I came here first I had some letters of his mother’s, and if — he tried to be proud with me, and not receive me as a step- brother should, I meant to threaten him to make those letters partly public. When I heard you calling for help to avenge yourself on him, I determined to goto your help, and gall him if I could, for he looks a-proud, scornful aristocrat, and I hated him the minute I looked at him. I hate him worse now, since I heard you say you loved him.” | | ‘Go on,” said Helen, averting her face. 3 ‘‘ Well, when about two months ago I came to myseltf, and found that I had been insane, and had not been treated asa gentleman, and kept in a private asylum, with the knowledge of my lawyer, Isaw this proud Leigh hated me, and wanted to hide me, ashamed that I could claim kin with his mother, and I resolved then to show him that trifling with Bart Kemp was as playing with powder. If | had not been shrewd and cunning above most men, would I in twenty years have made twenty thousand pounds? | tell you I have the papers and the witnesses now to bring ~ this Lord of Leigh down to the dust. But stop and think— would you not rather be a rich man’s wife—go, as he sug- Eomicbooks (eo)