A Struggle for a Ring — page 178: what you’re looking at

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

74 ee ALMOST FORGOTTEN. loud voice of Frank—she longed for all that to cease, that the burning head might grow cool, that the tired eyes might rest. It seemed long in coming, that rest and silence; carts with heavy wheels rolled down the street, men with hoarse voices called out to each other, while Alice lay sick unto death with despair. Hettie was almost frightened; the wild pain in the sad eyes, the constant trembling of the pale, sweet lips—she could never forget them. — At length the desire of her heart came; night brought silence and rest, the pupils went home one by one; the fiddle was put away; Frank went to his room, and the house lay dark and silent. Mrs. Derwent looked in to see if Alice would like more tea; she talked in her faint, languid style, of bearing patiently all the troubles that of necessity followed married life. ‘And after all, Alice,” she said, ‘‘you are a very for- tunate girl; it isa sad thing, of course, that your husband has had to leave you; but, my dear, you are mercifully spared a great deal. Men makea great deal of work ina house, and give a great deal of trouble. You will have plenty of money to live on, and nothing to do, as it were. I think you are really fortunate. You can enjoy yourself nicely while your husband is away.” This was well-meant comfort and consolation, but it did not produce much effect upon Alice; she listened, and murmured something unintelligible. Mrs. Derwent went away quite satisfied that she had administered words of wisdom and comfort. Then night began. There have been some strange nights in this world. ‘That was one when the German lady watched the dying agonies of her husband under the starry sky; that was another when the attendants of Jane comicbooks nm.