His Other Wife: A Novel — page 366: what you’re looking at

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

358 LEDA’S HOST. Leda had accepted the cordial invitation of the War- rens to bring her faithful Roxana to the asylum which they had offered, as peasants might open their doors toa sovereign. The most deferential kindness from mother and son characterized the hospitality which these simple folk ex- tended to the unfortunate Leda. Naturally she remained in severe retirement during the first weeks of her sojourn at the cottage, never leaving her own room, unless to join her host and hostess for half an hour on the dusky twilit porch. During this period the young lawyer was too feeble for the regular labors of his profession, nevertheless he spent almost the whole of each day in his office, overlooking such papers as related to his connection with his disgraced partner, Mathew Croft, and transacting any pressing busi- ness. | He had a twofold object in thus absenting himself so continuously from his home—a delicate regard for what the neighbors might say if he bestowed much of his pres- ence upon the house inhabited by the beautiful unfor- tunate, and also a mistrust of Leda’s own conduct and feelings toward him. The more he reflected upon the painful scene that had ‘transpired between them the evening before her final and public humiliation the more he shrank from any associa- tion with her, beyond what courteous hospitality and con- siderate kindness demanded of him. Eomicbooks.co mM