Lady Evelyn — page 255: what you’re looking at

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

248 -~=s After Twenty Years.” Rory Desmond’s blue eyes opened wide at this declara- tion. He almost laughed aloud. | “Pardon me, Lady Inez, but really, that is hard to be- lieve. You marry my rival—the man I have every reason to hate—because you love me! Sounds rather like a par- adox, does it not?” “Nevertheless, it is true. I can never tell you what I felt, what I suffered, in those first dreadful days when we all thought you murdered. I only wonder now I did not die or gomad. But [ lived on, ina stupor of anguish, un- der the blow which killed your father. Ah! he was hap- pier far than I. And on his death-bed he called me to his side and begged me-to be Gerald Desmond’s wife.” ~My father did this?” “He did. Do not blame him now;; he did it for the best. Gerald Desmond did with him as he willed; and I—oh, Rory! could I refuse your father anything in that supreme hourr You were dead, I thought, and it mattered little what became of me. Besides, I hoped my life would be but for a few months at best; I thought I could not live in such utter desolation as that.’ But, ah, how strong I was! I lived on and on—a living death—abhorring the man who was my husband—seeing my folly too late— ever, ever mourning for you. I[f you can not forgive me, try, at least, and think less hardly of me, now that my days are numbered, for the sake of my daughter, whom you love!” _ ‘He listened in pale amaze. Then all else was lost in a great and deep compassion for this frail, pale creature, — who in heart had been true, after all—whose sufferings _had been so much greater than his own. “It is | who must ask forgiveness, Lady Inez,” he said in a tone infinitely gentle and sweet, “not you; for I have greatly wronged and misjudged you all these years. If _ you think there is anything to pardon, then I pardon it freely, God knows! I see it all now. You have been far _more sinned against than sinning. Yes, Inez—my sister —I forgive all out of my inmost heart.” — He kissed the pale, transparent hands reverently; he looked with pitying tenderness into that pallid, wasted,’ worn face. Yes, her womanly martyrdom had been long _ and very hard to bear. | | co ¥ ~ St chooks. * re a J, a yo tee Pee ‘afl. 1 ee