A Struggle for a Ring — page 218: what you’re looking at

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

214 A SURPRISE. Ailie looked up at him with eyes that were dim with tears. She longed to tell him that looking at those dark eyes, which held all heaven for her, had made her strength fail her. She thought to herself that if the sight of his portrait touched her so, what would happen if she saw himself. However, that question could not be entertained now. Lord Waldrove had rung the bell, and a maid entered, who picked up the roses; and the countess, with an injured face, said : ‘‘If you have quite recovered, Miss Derwent, and have any opinion at all to give on this matter, I shall be glad to hear it.” Ailie, trying to steady her trembling limbs, looked at the picture. Oh! beautiful eyes, if they could but.close or turn from her, or do anything except gaze at her with that fixed, cold brightness. She conquered herself at last, and spoke without any seeming effort. **T think it would be far better facing the west,” -she said; ‘‘the sunbeams would certainly brighten and beau- _ tify it.” Yet as she spoke she thought to herself that nothing on earth could add to the beauty of that face; it wanted. neither sunlight nor anything else in her eyes. So it was settled that the portrait of Vivian, Lord Cars- dale, the one idol of his mother’s heart, the one love of his father’s heart, the heir of Roseneath, the hope and pride of his ancient race, that his portrait should face the west, where the sunbeams would die away while lighting to greater beauty the splendor of his face. 3? ‘‘T hope,” said the countess, as Ailie left the room, ‘that after all my hopes, desires, and wishes, Miss Der- comicbooks.co