The Man in Possession — page 277: what you’re looking at

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

272 THE MAN IN POSSESSION. ‘‘T don't doubt it.” ‘‘Oh, Kate, I should like toshake you! For good- ness’ sake get up some enthusiasm—or pretend it.” ‘I fail to see why I should do either.” ‘‘Then you don't believe he loves you—that he is loyal, generous, honest, brave—all that a lover should be! How can you think of him and contrast him with that odious—(I can’t help it, Kate—he zs odious) —that odious little baronet, and not see which of the two men is worthiest to be loved. You are doing Tom Rivers a great injustice. You are laying up for yourself a great unhappiness, and all because of your own foolish, mistaken pride. Have I not suffered—do I not know from what I want to save you? .. . Whyshould you degrade yourself? Why should you wreck an honest man’s life for the sake of ... of an error—an action that I grant you was foolish, but not criminal, and certainly has brought punishment enough with it already.” Her voice trembled, her eyes weresoft and humid. She was really deeply moved. She pleaded for more than Kate realised, because Kate was not fully con- scious yet of all that an unhappy and unsuitable marriage means to a woman. There was a long silence. Then the girl looked up—her eyes still proud and bright, though her face had grown very pale. ‘‘We do not look at this matter quite in the same way, she said gently. ‘‘It does not seem to me an honourable proceeding for a man to make use of op- portunities to find out a girl’s position and humiliate her with benefits—to masquerade under an assumed COMicloe (Sri C(O)