Vashti's Fate — page 249: what you’re looking at

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

‘ «? mn” a a. nS >? *Y eh ce — ~ ‘ > e - ; 244 REVELATIONS—DESPATIR: with white hair and a white beard, a kindly but very thoughtful face, and a complexion like snow. He was seated at a table covered with books and papers, and seemed immersed in study. At-his side, nearer the center of the room, on a pile of cushions, something lay in a heap— something that still had shape enough to chill with horror those hearts in the ante-chamber—something that looked like the remnant of a man. ‘There was a pale, pinched face, with sunken, faded eyes, and thin gray locks about it; there were two long, gaunt arms thrust into some sort of a loose garment, two thin white hands, locking and interlocking their fragile fingers, a great, overgrown body— and—and two dangling stumps in place of limbs. ‘‘He is quiet nowadays,” Dr. Gracie said. ‘‘He used to injure himself when he was violent, and in one of his 3 maniac spells, he so nearly destroyed both his limbs that Be they had to be amputated.” ne Frank looked once through the grating, and went stag- * gering away, with his hand in Nora's. ie Even over Vashti’s calm, collected face, swept a ghastlier ee pallor as she looked, and as the miserable shape upon the 3 cushions, by chance lifted its faded, idiotic gaze to the grating where she stood,.and opening its shriveled jaws, gave utterance to a terrible cry, Vashti turned away at last, and left the room with unwavering step. The others fol- lowed quietly. “1 As they crossed the threshold of the ebon-hued door, Vashti said, in her cold, clear tones: ‘‘And that is the inheritance an Everleigh leaves his _ children, is it, Aunt Margery? We have all got to come to that at last, Nora, Frank, and I ?” : Margery caught at the wall for isk: as she said with a