His Other Wife: A Novel — page 378: what you’re looking at

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

370 “TEARS, IDLE TEARS!” Four young ladies, more or less plebeian, but quite able to pay the somewhat expensive price that Warren had affixed to the terms offered by one of the most superb amateur musicians to be found in the whole country, filled up the first day’s list of pupils. At the end ofa week, Leda found that she had as many scholars as she could possibly attend to. Some through pure kindness, others through malice, and others because of self-interest —the townfolks promptly gave their pitronage to the new teacher, of whose unfortunate condition the whole com- munity were gossiping. Leda was thus, almost without an effort of her own will, and certainly without any personal exertion, placed in a position of respectability and independence. Decency should have instructed her that she must not _any longer accept the hospitality of her friends; but she had her reasons for choosing to remain at the cottage. On the second morning of her venture, Warren had said to her: ‘‘T will not wait for you to-day. It may cause un- pleasant remarks for you if Iam your invariable escort to the music-room. You will understand this; but I am always near enough to attend to any business, or render any service that you may require. You see, I want to teach you to be self-reliant at once.” He went away, and, when Leda reached the music-room an hour after, she found a vase of lovely wet roses on the piano awaiting her, Eomicbooks: co