The Opposite House: A Novel — page 223: what you’re looking at

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

218 The Opposzte Flouse. of the bird-seller, and a thick layer of dust rested on the book-shelves; but her old friend inthe black frame gazed down at her with the same quiet smile. Ah, did she not suspect how much sorrow her de- scendant had endured during thistimer It cheered Marie to know that she was again near her loyal ancestress. She gazed at the familiar, pallid features of the picture which, through so many long years, had been her sole companion, leaned her head ten- derly against the lifeless breast, and for the first time feltthoroughly athome inhersecluded nook. Alas, it was a sorrowful meeting—very different from the one Marie had imagined at herdeparture. Burning tears coursed down her cheeks and wet Barbara Gerrald’s portrait. | Little Marie had been away many long months. When she left D——, the fierce sun of July was burning in the heavens, and the whole wide world was full of green foliage and blossoms; every breast was stirred with emotions of happiness, and the heart joined exultantly in the love-song of Nature. And now winter had come. All was cold and deso- late, deserted and silent. The wind was tearing the last withered leaves from the trees to the ground, and the snow was falling, covering the bosom of the earth with high white drifts, that the eye might see no trace of former magnificence. Marie went to the window, melted the glittering Comicbook<s