Witch Hazel; or, The Secret of the Locket — page 375: what you’re looking at

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

with her own cold and unfeeling treatment of Hazel in her recent trouble, and she wept until she had strength to weep no more. “Tam afraid that Mrs. Earlescourt will never for- give me!” she exclaimed, when she could control herself sufficiently to speak. “Why, nmamma! what a speech! What can you mean?” Belle demanded. in surprise, while Marie’s heart sank within her; forshe interpreted Mrs. 8tew- art’s reinark to mean that she intended to claim her, and feared to incur Mrs. Earlescourt’s displeasure for that. She telt that, even if Mrs. Stewart was her own mother, it would be difficult to realize the fact for a long time, for she had not been very much attracted toward the gay woman of fashion, while, on the other hand, she was devotedly attached to her parents by adoption, from whom a separation would canse her keenest pain. “T mean that Lowe Mrs. Earlescourt more than I ean ever repay, for her goodness and love to my ehild and your sister, Belle,” Mrs. Stewart returned, “while I am ecouscious of haying done her and hers a bitter wrong.” Both girls looked surprised at this mysterious as- sertion. “What wrong van you have possibly done, mam- ma?’ Marie, asked, gently. ‘I lave supposed that you were very friendly with each other.” “We have been, and I have greatly admired Mrs. Earlescourt; she is a beautiful example for any wo- wan to follow, and I would not willingly have done anything to wound her; but I have—I have ruth- lessly persecuted and almost made a erimins 1 of her own daughter.” Gommickooksrcom ena - re eS Sa