A Final Triumph; or, A Lady Bachelor — page 36: what you’re looking at

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

34 A LADY BACHELOR. mence in your despicable réle? Will you run away and not see her at all?’’ ** That might be the wisest course.’ ** Even a sneak would have no excuse for that; even a sneak owes some obligation to courtesy. You intend to break this girl’s heart! Permit her anguish to be her own secret; do not humiliate her; do not parade her @esertion; at least give her ever so thin a veil under which to hide the mortification. Do not give the world its coveted chance to criticise your infamy at the expense of her pride—the chance to turn the knife in the wounded heart with its falsely worded sympathy. ”’ ** You are turning the knife in my wounds by your bit- ter anf extreme views.”’ Laurence laughed in a derisive manner as he said: ** Poor man!’’ “* You have summed it all up, Laurence, in those words.’? ‘* Oh, no, 1 have not. I said ‘ Poor man!’ im derision. I say ‘ Poor girl! from a heart bleeding with sympathy. George, you are a sensible, clear-headed, observing man; you are discerning, and have considerable knowledge of the world. Stop just one moment, and consider calmly and fairly the disadvantage of a woman under the circum- stances here presented. Consider her utter helplessness. Oh! it’s terrible as if is presented to my mind. She can turn nowhere for diversion. ‘I'o a true, loyal, sensitive woman a position like this is terrible! The agony in her sitrration must be inconceivable. Her sphere is so en- vironed and cireumscribed by the conventional rules of propriety, she can but bear her misery in silence. She can comiecbooks ‘ ’ : : m Ww : : . i , : ry ; if te ts ere eA a ee ee Oe SS ¢ ly, he Rey tae" —¢td time * ,.ti eo Pk