Lady Evelyn — page 254: what you’re looking at

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

. ter , , . . - >i . ny to ap ay SA * Vie Sm é +. * ~ a S Vie y Kae SP a ee Fouls te.3¢ oc . ye +i : . tras 7 “uw ota ' : ese dé ‘ an ‘ > aa Hea A ae ae ae ssitagt Fader ristealy Years, la ant 247 oa “Oh, ee me! I was false and base! You dee ee me, and I deserve it! I wedded him. No scorn you can. feel for me can be half so bitter as that I feel for myself, And yet, if you knew all, you might try at least to for- give!” ae He smiled a little as he listened—a smile that had a _ world of bitterness in it. It was almost easier to forgive the kinsman who would have foully slain him than the woman he had loved and trusted. See “There need be no talk of forgiveness between us. You lost me, Lady Inez, and you married another man— not at all an uncommon case. Pray, do not plead to me. I think I woutu rather not hear it. You did as most ~ women would have done. I have no right to complain— nothing to pardon. Iam only sorry you did not marry a better man.” She covered her face with her hands, her tears falling like rain. _ “Cruel—cruel! But I deserve it all. And yet I, too, have suffered—oh, my God, so bitterly, so long! Rod- erick, by the memory of the past, be merciful—speak one kind word to me! Listen whilst I tell you all!” She stretched out her hands to him in an agony of sup- plication. He bowed low before her, but he would not touch those extended hands. All that passionate pleading only seemed to harden his heart, only seemed to remind «~~ him that through her he had lost faith in man, trust in woman—that through her he had been an exile and an Bs alien all those years. ta “T listen, Lady Inez,” he said, gravely; “but once more I repeat, it is unnecessary. Let the dead past stay dead— the suffering and misery have gone by. If it gives you pain, I do not ask you to speak one word.” “It is your coldness, your sternness, your cruel indiffer-. ence that gives me pain. Ah! you are very unlike iis ae Roderick Desmond of twenty years ago!”’ i He smiled again. vas “Very unlike, my Lady Inez. You can hardly wonder at that,”’ eRe “No; your lot has been cruelly hard—your exile long Ra and terrible. And I seemed so false, so base, so heart- less. And yet it was for love of Nah I wedded Gerald aay tis hy CNT PUG tanh a Ne SN - comicboo Ks.com ‘ * ’ 3 ~ s , . Mi ‘ ' ae se NS bs deat Pao at hal, rs eh: ign? ed ee od Lo ee en