A Heart's Bitterness — page 76: what you’re looking at

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

68 A HEART’S BITTERNESS. ~» | Sitting there in his cloak, his arms folded on his bosom, his eyes on the dark river, with its ripples lit with reflected fire, Leigh heard the steps and trailing of a woman’s gown, but he never moved nor spoke. She went by him and re- : turned, but still his eyes were on the Seine. Then she stopped and held out her hands with a cry as if wrenched _ from her by some mighty throe of agony. | _“ Norman} speak to me!” He turned his face slowly to her. «What is the meaning of all this nonsense—this meet- Mano : cP It means that I must and will see you.” “This all might as well be ended first as last. I had ‘supposed that my marrying would finish your folly.” ‘‘ When one cannot live for love one lives for vengeance.” “That sounds tragic, but it does not: suit the nineteenth century; it belongs to the middle ages and the theater. I met you to-night simply to make you hearsense. You have been resolved tomarry me. You fancied that you could be Countess of Leigh. You see that is forever ended.” **Jf I had only known sooner. If I had not been held _ fast in my bed by fever, you should not have married.” ‘‘T do not think you could have prevented it. But that is all done. Ifit is money you demand, Helen, [am willing .to be liberal, on condition that you keep entirely away from - meand my wife.” “I will not have a penny of your money till I have all you have,” cried Helen Hope, furiously. | ‘That is arrant folly,” said Lord Leigh, calmly. _ “ You may be free again,” panted she; ‘‘ men get free by divorce or by death. You only married for money.” ‘‘That may be. How much I needed money may be known when it outweighed the rank and blood of Clare Montressor, and the beauty of Edna Ambrose.” ‘‘ And for me---did you-never think of me?” she wailed. ae Norman. Norman, no one ever loved you as I ave.”’ He looked in silence at the river. ‘* Tell me---if you were free, would you marry me?” ‘¢ No, I would not.” “Mark my words,” she said, with concentrated fury, — **you shall marry me or die! You shall be mine in life or in death. I will sit by your side as Countess of Leigh, or S) (E(0) EOMIcboo