A Struggle for a Ring — page 273: what you’re looking at

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

“MY LOVE IS MY TORTURE.’ 269 ‘<’That makes a most unfortunate combination of mat- ters,” said Lord Carsdale, gravely. » ‘‘I had never thought of that, I had looked upon our marriage purely as a busi- ness transaction; it makes it very awkward, Ailie, if you love me!” She looked up at him. ‘You do not love me, then 2?” she said. ‘“ No, I have never thought of such a thing; it must be fancy. - You cannot really love me, Ailie; you know noth- ing of me—I have been away for five years; it is a fancy that you must forget.” ‘Shall you never try to love me?” she asked. ‘‘T think not,” he replied, thinking of that parting by the sea-shore, and the lovely face that made the very sun- light of heaven for him. ‘‘I think not. You see, Ailie, I cannot acknowledge my marriage; it was a folly, a gen- erous folly, I own, but still a folly. My mother would never enjoy her life one moment after that was known; my father would never hold up his head again; as for my sisters, well, I need not think of them. ‘The fact is, that, until my father and mother are dead, and God send that may be many years hence, I cannot own my marriage. I love them and I cannot wound them.” ‘¢You think it would wound them,” she said. ‘*T tell you honestly, Ailie, I do not think they would ever speak to me again. ‘They would refuse to see me. My mother is a proud woman—very proud—and the one tender place in her heart is mine. She loves me and I could not wound her; so that it will be far better if I do not try to love you; besides, Ailie, throw your thoughts back five years ago—I never spoke of loving you, did te ‘‘No,” she replied, sadly. ‘‘T never did love you. I wasa young man, very sus- _ -_- comicboo <S elo) Nn