Vashti's Fate — page 214: what you’re looking at

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

TRIBULATION. | 209 wild eyes searched the girl’s pale face with an intensity of inquiry. She had not known till that moment that she had even been sent for. Nora's greeting of her sister was only an eloquent and tearful glance from her to mamma. The poor lady was in a frightful state. The paroxysms were so violent as nearly to throw her from the bed, but for the watchfulness of her attendants; drops of agony stood upon her face, every feature was distorted, and foam flecked her purple lips. Her moans and cries were heart- rending, Yet through it all, Vashti was the same preter- naturally calm and self-possessed being. Margery Gresham looked almost afraid of her; and Nora, at the first oppor- tunity, whispered through white lips: ‘“What ails you, Vashti ?” For the first time her eyes took a sad and stern expres- sion, as she replied: ‘“God has taken away my heart of flesh, and given me a heart of stone. It is a righteous judgment.” | ‘How long can she live, probably?” she asked Dr. Gracie, soon after. © ‘She cannot live the day out if these paroxysms con- tinue,’ was the reply. ‘‘She has no vitality; her consti- tution is entirely sapped by previous illness.” ‘“Will she come to herself sufficiently to know me?” ‘“T cannot tell—it is quite probable ; but she will sink rapidly when these spasms leave her.” All day Vashti never left the bedside for an instant—not to see Frank, not to eat, not to drink. She swallowed several times a cup of strong tea which a servant brought | her, and mechanically ate a piece of bread, without stirring from her mother’s side. As the afternoon waned, the paroxysms grew more and more violent. Nora left the room at intervals, unable to EOMIc (e( 0} cs m1