Vashti's Fate — page 213: what you’re looking at

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

TRIBULATION. the meandering passage sounded the screams and cries of one in mortal agony. Vashti turned her calm eyes to the doctor’s face inquir- ingly. ““Go to your bed,” he said, soothingly. ‘‘Your mother’s room is no place for you. ” | | ‘“Were those sounds from her room? I must go to her instantly.” } ‘“You must not.” She looked at him with her deliberate, unmoved eyes. ‘‘T know,” she said, ‘‘you fear any great excitement for me. You think it will precipitate the malady that waits at every turn of our lives like a blood-thirsty wolf greedy to fasten its cruel fangs upon our souls. You see I know all about it, doctor. Your efforts and Margery Gresham’s have entirely failed of keeping the truth from me; but I never in my life was farther from that of which you are thinking. I realize everything with what seems to me pre- ternatural distinctness, but I have no sense of pain con- nected with it. I see my duty too clearly now to be turned aside from it, except by literal force, which I sure you have no idea of employing, as it would be much more danger- ous than to suffer me to have my own way. Thus saying, she went with her usual slow, graceful step to her mother’s room, the astounded doctor offering no resistance, but following her with a terrible misgiving in~ his heart. | Gauss Miss Dale, Nora, Martery, Elise were all there. The bed had been drawn to the center of the room, that they — might get on every side of it. Miss Dale was holding one of the sufferer’s hands, she being for the instant quiet. — She yielded her place to Vashtis peremptory movement i with a startled astonishment too great for words, and her. Ws ihe