The Man in Possession — page 242: what you’re looking at

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

THE MAN IN POSSESSION. 237 bad, and the history of civilisation is not encour- aging. Whether the fault lies with individuals or the masses, it is hard to say.” ‘‘The sweeping reform you advocate would only be the work of time,” said Tom thoughtfully. He was interested in his companion’s views—sufficiently so to push aside his own personal trouble for the time being. The resolutions and enthusiasms of the past throbbed with returning life. He had laid them aside, been content to forget them for the sake of a girl—a girl who cared nothing for him—who could pass calmly and coldly on to the altar of her fate regardless of the sacrifice of his crushed and broken heart. Better, far better, to fling love aside ! Its soft deceits, its perfidies and beguilements. Better, far better, to live for nobler and wider ambi- tions! Was not love aptly described as a thing apart from man’s life? . . . He would proveitso.... She should see what she had lost. . . Sheshould learn to be proud of him. She should be forced to contrast him with the silly, witless, aimless fool whom she had selected as her husband. . . . Sheshould—well, there's no knowing how far he might have run on had not the voice of his new friend recalled him to the narrow boundaries of the present. ‘‘You are thinking,” he said, ‘‘of the woman who in her secret heart will be proud of you. It is not a very noble motive to work upon, but it’s better than none. But if she doesn’t care for you, per- sonally, she won’t be proud. She'll only be gra- ciously indifferent. I suppose you are sure she doesn’t care. It’s not—pique?” ECOMNCE OOO SS) (SO