His Other Wife: A Novel — page 380: what you’re looking at

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

372 “TEARS, IDLE TEARS!” a diversion ; she would rouse him to the startling fact that her brilliant presence in his home was by no. means a fixed fact. She had purposely remained in it long enough to stamp herself upon it, and to breathe about its prim, fresh. chambers a wonderful something of her regal and voluptuous beauty; to fill its atmosphere with the soft, subtle odors that floated ever about her, like the incense around ‘‘the Paphian’s”’ shrines. If he were a man, and not a mere human being with brains, he must have become sensible of all this rich, exuberant charm of her presence. “JT want to talk with you for a minute this evening,” she said, touching Warren’s arm with her fingers as they passed from the tea-table; and then added, shyly, ‘‘that is, if you are not in a very great hurry to get back to your office.” “‘Tam never ‘in a hurry’ when you require my atten- tion,” he said, sweetly, as he drew two chairs to the center-table, where a solar lamp burned softly. ‘ Leda took one, and he placed himself opposite, assum- ing an attentive and interested air. — **T want to consult you on a little matter of business. I have decided to take another room from Mrs. Mackey— the large one adjoining my music-room.” ‘‘What do you want with another?” _ Why, to live in.” _ He seemed in no wise shocked ; but asked, gently; . ‘Are you not comfortable here?” comicbooks-co m