A Heart's Bitterness — page 30: what you’re looking at

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

22 A HEART’S BITTERNESS. and be a true, brave, noble, long-suffering woman? Re- member, though we cannot always be happy, by God’s help ave can always be good.” Slowly Violet’s contracted brow relaxed. She drew a deep breath. She looked at her friend; her beautiful eyes were full of tears. ‘T can, I will be good,” she said. ‘God bless you,” murmured Lady Burton, clasping the unhappy girl in her arms. ‘‘I know you will.” «‘T will tell you my trouble,” said Violet, with a sob, ‘and I will be guided by you. You know I have always had a fear, a terrible fear, of marrying a fortune-hunter, of being married for my money, not for love. I accepted Lord Leigh, because I believed that he could not have any base motive in asking for my hand. Lady Burton, within this last hour I have found that I have married not only a man who takes me solely for my money, but he is doubly false in that he forsakes, for my money, one whom he loves.” “Violet!” ««T assure yon it is true.” «Some cruel, officious, jealous scandal-monger has told — you a falsehood. I do not believe this is true.” ‘< Suppose it were true—what should I do then?” ‘<'lhe only thing left you to do, my poor child, would be to act the part of a good wife—to try and win the love of our husband, and make him love and esteem you for the ovely qualities that he sees daily in you. You are still his wife, whether he married you for a good motive or a bad one; whether he loves another or yourself. Neither God nor man, for either plea, would release you from your mar- riage vow.” ‘‘Tt is done,” said Violet, rising to her feet. ‘‘ My heart is broken, my life is death, joy has passed into bitterness. I might have known that no one could love me for myself ! It is not my fate. ‘The only man who pretended to love me, not knowing I was an heiress, abandoned me without regret or explanation.” ‘Violet, what is this? You, child, so young, so guarded, had you ever a lover?” ““T- thought I had,” said Violet, forlornly; ‘‘but he amused himself with making love to me, and left me with- out a word. Since that was in him I am glad he went, for I loved hlm, Lady Burton, and I think it would be harder comicbooks-co