Richard Forrest, Bachelor — page 260: what you’re looking at

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

A LIVING SAINT. . 25 L in a tremulous voice, like that of a little child. ‘‘It is wrong of you; ah, you donot understand me yet, I see. Answer me, are we lost?”’ ‘‘And if we are?”’’ he replied, with set teeth. She took his hands and laid her cheek against them in a caressing fashion. ‘‘At least we are together,’’ she murmured, softly, ‘‘and —wait, I can protect you a little, in any event.”’ And with a quick movement, she shook down her splen- did hair until it fell nearly to her knees. ‘‘Hold me quite close now, as lam very cold,’’ she con- tinued, still plaintively; ‘‘cold and warm by turns. They say, do they not, that people become sleepy when they are freezing to death? AndIam so drowsy! Ican no longer see you, either, though my eyes are wide open, but, dear- est, I want to make you happy even now, in this hour of danger, if I can by telling you that had all gone well with us this time, I would not have said no to you again, for I confess that my intention to enter the convent grew out of my utter weariness of life. As the days passed by, one so like the other—dreary, monotonous—haunted by the bitter remembrance that with my own hand I had driven - from me all that could brighten my existence, I became more and more listless and indifferent, so that when Father Moore proposed a life of retirement from the world— peace, I did not discourage him. Now all is changed, you have returned to me, and [realize how welcome your pres- ence is—it is like the oasis in the desert. All recollection of my loneliness vanishes at sight of you, dear. After all,’’ languidly, ‘‘what is life without affection? I love ——”’ * *k * * * * * + ‘ On the brow of a hill, on the outskirts of Wallford, a Gomichookssco im