A Heart's Bitterness — page 29: what you’re looking at

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

A HEART'S BITTERNESS. 21 public reason to call you mad. If you make a display of these singular feelings, a blight will rest forever on your womanly name.” i 3 ‘“< There is a blight on my heart,” sobbed Violet. “Then bear it bravely in secret. I tell you, when all is lost except honor, one can and must live for honor.” Violet lay back exhausted. Dark circles were under her eyes; her lips were blanched; such a haggard look of woe and despair had fallen over the sweet girlish face that Lady Burton’s heart ached for her. She bent forward to bathe the girl’s brow with fragrant waters, and as she did so a locket slipped from her bosom and fell against Violet’s hand, opening as it*fell. Violet started suddenly, and cried: ‘‘ Lady Burton, who is this?” “It is my son—Lord Kenneth Keith. It was taken several years ago.” — © Your son?” said Violet; ‘‘and what is he like? Is he good?” ; ‘‘ Yes, I believe he is,” said Lady Burton, returning to her corsage the picture of a youth handsome as Antinous. ‘« Like his father, your first husband?” queried Violet. “‘ God forbid,” said Lady Burton. ‘©T can tell you what he is like,” said Violet, fiercely; ‘¢ false, false as Satan—like the rest of men.” CHAPTER V. ‘¢YOU MUST TAKE THE CONSEQUENCES.” After this outburst Violet was quiet, while Lady Burton stood in pained silence. Then once again the lady took courage to speak. ; ‘‘ Violet, the years of your free, happy girlhood lie behind you. Your womanhood has begun. It has opened, I know not how, in tempest and misery. You have been the idol ~ of your family, always indulged, petted. You have many virtues; but also, your life has made you something willful and jealous. Now, will you allow these traits to master you, to make you wretched and grave, until they perhaps make you criminal; or will you rise up nobly to do your duty, to trample temptations and your faults under foot, Gomicboo S)