Lady Evelyn — page 148: what you’re looking at

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

— ae _ “Not in the least too late, my dear. A young lady’s first ‘no’ means nothing, as so clever a fellow as Tre- vannance fully understands.» He shall speak again, and you shall say ‘yes.’ ”’ She sat still as death, pale as death, in her chair, her hands folded, her eyes fixed on the cold November sky, on the worried trees rocking in the high autumnal gale. “As for love and that sort of thing, it is very pretty in little books bound in blue and gold; and one likes to hear of ‘two souls with but a single thought, two hearts that ‘beat as one,’ from a box in the grand tier of Her Ma- jesty’s; but in real life, my dear, it isn’t practicable. Mr. Trevannance is sincerely attached to you, I am positive, very proud of you, and will be as devoted after marriage as is consistent with public duties; and you will esteem him and do honor +o his choice, and be as happy as is at all necessary or customary. It is an eminently suitable match.” Was it a smile that dawned®so faintly over the pale, proud face as she listened, a smile like the reflection of his own—cold, disdainful, cynical? But she never spoke; she sat still as stone. , “In the land where vou were born, in the convent where you were educated, young girls are not permitted to choose in these matters for themselves. ‘Their parents or guardians do it for them. You have seen your com- panions taken from their convent-school to the bridal- altar, without any option on their part, and thought it all right. It 1s your turn now.’ Still blank silence. Pale and cold she sat, rigid as marble, her eyes fixed on that lowering sky, that dreary, darkéning -prospect. “T have seldom interfered with you, Evelyn, or asserted my paternal authority before. I do most emphatically assert it now. You must promise me to marry Vivian Treyannance.’ She turned and tagleed at him; once again his eyes shiited and fell before hers. “Do you want me to go to him and offer myself, papa? I see no other way in which my mistake of to-day is to be rectified.” “Nonsense! of course not. .Rest easy; he shall repeat _ his proposal.” “A Marriage of Convenience.” 141 comicbooks.co - - > e > - ] z % . = 2 . ~ ~*~ =~ bg . - ~ ,? 3 no 2. a + - ’ ~ ' . : “e , . Ss he Tt - : PP as “To A