Richard Forrest, Bachelor — page 217: what you’re looking at

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

208 “I CANNOT BE YOUR JUDGE.” possibly have gone far enough to propose marriage to her. So much I admit, but that he acted toward her in the abominable, cowardly fashion of which you accuse him I cannot believe. I would stake my life on his honor.’’ A flame leaped into her eyes. ‘‘Then,’’ she said, deliberately, in a suppressed tone, ‘‘I am to understand that you doubt my word.”’ ‘‘T believe that you have been misinformed as to the true state of the case.’’ ‘“‘Ah!’’ she uttered, in a despairing tone, ‘‘you think I have not considered all that? That Iam not capable of judging truth from falsehood? Have I, do you imagine, spent the best years of my life in chasing a phantom? No, Mr. Forrest, my sister’s whole conduct in this affair has borne testimony to the truth of her statements. I loved her devotedly, but not so blindly as to have been unable to see her faults. She could not have deceived me. ‘‘T am not wordly wise, I grant you, and most of my days have been passed in the companionship of my books, but the child was always my first consideration. I believe no mother could have brought her up more carefully or deli- cately than [ did. I knew her nature, her disposition—al- most her very thoughts, so well; do you then believe she could impose upon me in so serious a matter? It would have been absolutely out of her power, I assure you. ““Concealing my feelings from her, as wellas I cvuuld, then—for I would have died rather than allow her to see how terribly she had wounded me with her insolence—I made my way back here. ‘Yes, with her scornful laugh ringing in my ears, I once more returned to this roof, to the presence I now doubly loathed, to the bread which was ashes in my mouth. Why? Gomichbooks-com