A Struggle for a Ring — page 352: what you’re looking at

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

348 ADMIRATION IS NOT LOVE, But she did not seem to have heard him. She stood by his side, looking at him intently, as though life or death depended on his words. She took his hand; he could not refuse her. ‘«Poor, gentle child,” he thought. ‘‘ It is almost for the last time.” ‘‘What are you going to say to me, my love?” said Ailie. ‘‘ See how the leaves there tremble and shudder in the wind, yet they do not tremble asI do. You look so grave, I am afraid, sorely afraid.” ‘« Listen to me, Ailie,” he said, ‘‘and believe me that I hate myself as I speak—that I would give the world, were it mine, to free myself from the odium that must cling to me. I—I am not what people call a religious man; but I beg pardon of God, and of you, Ailie—of you ‘‘T have nothing to forgive,” she said. ‘‘ You have been all that was most generous and noble to me.” ‘‘T must go back to the beginning of our acquaintance- ship,” he said, ‘‘to make my story clear. Ailie, the day that I went suddenly to the housekeeper’s room and saw you was an unfortunate day for us both.” ‘‘Not for me, love,” Ailie said, gently; ‘‘not for me.” ‘‘For us both, Ailie; had we never met, you would have loved and married some one who would have made you a far better husband than I have ever done.” ‘‘T would rather have misery from your hands than hap- piness from another,” she said. ‘*You know, Ailie, that after all there has been no de- ceit. That day when I saw you first, I thought you the prettiest girl I had ever seen. I—you know it, so I need not tell you—-I did not love you. I have never loved you, Ailie, but I admire you. I admired you that moment, (E(0) aalie JOO <=) (E(0) m