A Heart's Bitterness — page 63: what you’re looking at

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

A HEART'S BITTERNESS. 56 CHAPTER XIV. ‘*T KNOW HIM OF OLD.” The day after their return to Paris from Sevres, Lord © Leigh had said to Violet: ‘*T hope you will remember to dismiss your embroidery teacher.” _ Violet knew that she would only put herself in the wrong by resisting, so she sent Kate with-a note, inclosing five pounds, and saying: ‘“‘] find I cannot take the lessons. I forgot to ask your price. I hope this will pay for the trouble and the — material.” The second day after, as she was entering her landau, a little boy handed her a note. She opened it, and read: ‘‘Lapy LeiaH: [Iam sorry you cannot continue the lessons. It seems hard that you should be deprived of such a small indulgence as ~ that. I return two pounds ten, which you overpaid me. I am not a pauper, but a gentlewoman, if lam earning my bread, and I did not | expect you would try to make me an object of charity. ButI see the world of fashion is all alike. I shall be thinking of this experience while I am copying some lace patterns at the Hotel de Cluny, where I shall be busy for the next week. HELEN Hops.” Violet was much distressed by this note. It seemed to put her in the wrong. She felt asif she had insulted this lonely lady, and her vivid imagination pictured her brood- ing over her grief, as she worked in the Museum of An tiquities. Hoe Why need she insult and paina sister woman, young, lonely, and poor? Violet was very sensitive to an implied reproach, and the following day she could not resist going to the Hotel Cluny, to find Miss Hope, and beg her not to be hurt; that she had meant no unkindness; to try and ex-— plain away her sudden change about the lessons. It never occurred to her frank mind that this was what Helen Hope had intended as a result of her note. — If Violet had really loved her husband, or felt that he loved her, she would have recognized the royal authority of _ love over her actions, and she would not have reasoned her- self into a step contrary to Leigh’s wishes. Eomicboo S.cO