Vashti's Fate — page 220: what you’re looking at

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

A WOLF IN SHEEP’S CLOTHING, 215 Nora, sitting a few steps away, looked almost dismayed when he took from his pocket a book, and, having first asked permission, began to read without waiting for it to be given. His selection was from Cowper—one of the saddest, — n,ost despairing plaints that he wrote in that memorable, despondent state when he suddenly discovered himself without God in the world. Thorpe read it with an expres- sion that made each word a wail. As he closed the book, Vashti, half rising, cried almost passionately: ‘“What do you read that to me for? Cowper's pain is not to be compared to mine—a miserable, God-forsaken wretch from the hour of my birth—haunted by evil pas- sions, haunted and hunted down !” Nora left her seat and went and stood by her sister, put- ting her hand on her hand, with tears in the brown eyes she lifted to Vashti's face. Vashti flung her hand off, and, still supporting herself ‘ on her elbow, said, bitterly: ‘‘Oh, don’t pity me—I don’t want to be pitied! Hate me rather than pity me.” ‘Oh, sister, sister! don't treat me so; it breaks my heart. JI love you and sympathize with you. Are we not both of the same blood?” said Nora, clasping her hands, and with tears raining down her cheeks. ‘“<Sympathize, indeed! you! Look at her, Professor Thorpe, the bonny, pure-faced, brown-eyed thing, to talk of sympathy for a fiery creature like me! Stand away, Nora; to touch me would defile you.” She spoke even more bitterly than before, and her short, upper lip curled with intensest scorn. Professor Thorpe was surveying her with a painful sem- com re 300 ‘Ss (Gre) t $42 7°> aig eee me —~ Tat i va nae eo iy b al mide * ok _* m 4 » NS. i (a3 WI Oe a OS Fo es ie Paw ag a fe ge mn Nip: © 3: nae i ve, Pn