Should She Have Left Him? — page 236: what you’re looking at

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

230 SHOULD SHE HAVE LEFT HIM? were these two people, still smarting under stings, and whose backs were yet raw with the lashes which had been laid on by society, employing with Hilda the very same arguments that had been used against them. Mrs. Courtenay could not have placed the awful frowns of society and the terrible consequences of the avertance of its countenance before her sister, any more forcibly than did dear little Dorothy. Her arguments were to me the strongest assurance that Dorothy was secure in the faith that the life she was living was just and moral. Hilda, whose ability to follow the argument was somewhat obstructed by considerations of Dorothy’s own doubtful relations, and yet unable to combat them, reluctantly yielded. When she left her home the previous night it was with the belief that the hateful bonds were severed for all time. Though she had failed in courage to carry out her purpose, the thought of returning was distressing. Asa con- cession to society and the sacred Courtenay family only would she go back, and if she did, it must be with the distinct understanding that if not an apparent, a virtual separation from Waldemar should result, with a separate allowance, and no intercourse with her husband except in public and for the sake of propriety. Only on these conditions would she return. Trescotte engaged to undertake this enter- prise, and so Hilda went back to her home, and Wal- demar arose at noon unaware that his wife had not spent the night under his roof. Comicboolkkxs C@ 5}