A Heart's Bitterness — page 181: what you’re looking at

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

A HEART’S BITTERNESS. 173 The tall old dame, clean and smiling, sprang into the door-way, but Edna, with not a look at her, sprang into the room, and toward the bed, where eager arms were held out — to her, and a loved voice cried: “Oh, Edna, dear, darling Edna, have you come to take care of me!” Violet was fondly folded in the arms of Edna. Dame Magery stood looking on. with lifted hands, as if calling down a benediction on the happy scene. Kate dropped herself in a heap on the floor, clasped her hands round her knees, and incontinently burst into tears. This seemed to serve as a signal to the rest, and the four delivered themselves over heartily to the feminine occupation of weeping. | Finally, relieved from a mental strain which had lasted for four days, Edna recovered herself, and tenderly caressing Violet’s pretty head, asked: “‘Oh, my little darling, why did you do it?” ‘‘T was so unhappy,” whispered Violet, hiding her face by putting Edna’s soft, white hand over it. ‘‘I thought — no one loved me, and—and that you had deceived me— about the nanie—and all.” ‘“‘T see my error. J own I was very wrong. I did not mean to be,” said Edna. ‘‘I longed to help you. I have an old sisterly kindness for your husband, and I want him to be a good, happy man, and I saw you, one day last sum- mer, asleep in a hammock, and I fell in love with you at first sight, as they say, and I cannot tell you how dear you are tome, andas you had taken a prejudice against me, in my name, Ambrose, and would not meet me, I wanted to win your lovein a name that has been made my own, and then tell you the truth, and be your sister and friend all your life-long. Say you forgive me, and will be my friend, Violet.” | «There is nothing to forgive, and my friendship is now less than ever worth having. Edna, you see what J have done. I have run away like a foolish or wicked woman, and now every one will condemn me, and I shall be ashamed to show my face anywhere, forever more.” ‘“My dear, you are all mistaken. No person, not even your aunts, knew you had run away. Lord Leigh asserted that you had gone to the Towers for a few days’ rest. Hvyen Kate did not know differently until I told her last night. Eomicbooks: (ee)