Geoffrey's Victory by Mrs Georgie Sheldon — page 294: what you’re looking at

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

290 MES. MAPLESON’S CONFESSION. has aright to hear my confession, my story, you have,” and at this, Geoffrey turned a startled face upon the man whoiu he had always regarded as honorable and irreproachable—one of ua- ture’s noblemen. “Oh, the curse of gold!” the unhappy woman went on, wildly. ‘What will it not tempt one to do? The love of it blunts natu- ral affection and honor, and warps the reason. It leads one to deceive, to scheme, and to sin for the possession of it. What blind fools men and women are to sacrifice so much—love, a life-time of innocence, purity, and happiness, for the sake of a little paitry yellow dust! if 1 conld but live over my life, how gladly would TL endure poverty, and toil, and self-denial, to secure a quiet con- science and a heart free from its burden of sin and dread! Oh, such a life as I have led is but a miserable failure from begin- ning to end!” Colonel Mapleson began to be alarmed at his wife’s increasing excitement, while her remorse and her ominous allusions drove him almost distracted. Tie arose, and, going to her side, took her trembling hands in his, saying: | ‘Estelle, if you cannot calm yourself, I shall insist upon your going to your room; yon will snrely be ill if you yield so to nervous excitement. Whatever tlis matter is that seems to weigh so heavily upon your mind, I can wait until you are ina better state for its recital. Come, let me take you up stairs,” and he gently tried to force her to rise. But she wrenched her bands from his clasp. “No, no,” she cried, with a shiver; “I will not carry this dreadtul burden on my heart another hour! For more than twenty years I have borne the brand of an inhuman monster on my soul, and [ wonder that it has not transformed me into some- thing so repulsive and loathsome that every one would shrink from me in fear and disgust. I have often looked at myself with amazement to think it was possible for any one to conceal so effectually the corruption and wretchedness and duplicity of one’s nature. I believe I have realized, as no one else ever did, what the Saviour meant by a ‘whited sepulcher full of dead men’s bones.’ William!” turning upon ber husband, with a wild, glittering eye, and searching his face with a glance of piti- ful appeal, ‘‘I expect that you will despise and hate me, that our son will loathe me, when you learn what [ have to tell you.” The scene was becoming very painful, and Mr. Huntress, pity- ing her from the depths of his heart, arose and walked out of her sight, feeling that he conld not look npon her agony, while Geof- frey sat spell-bound, dreading the impending disclosure more. than be could express. Colonei Mapleson, feeling as if he must do something to calm her excitement, went to a closet, poured out a glass of wine, and brought it to her. Ccomiclooolks |