Vashti's Fate — page 69: what you’re looking at

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

64 THE SEARED HEART. affair struck him as supremely ridiculous, and he said, with a light laugh: ‘‘T haven't the least idea what you are raving about, Cousin Margery. I think, as you told me yesterday, you must be ill. You talk like a person ina delirium. You are ill”—taking her hand, which she snatched angrily from him—‘‘your hand is parched now with fever. Come ~ away; come away. You are certainly very ill” — 4 9? ‘T believe Iam,” she said, clasping her head with her two hands; ‘‘my brain seems as if on fire. What was it Se you said about—about a secret?” ) Convinced now that she was talking in the delirium of a fever, Leon again attempted to lead her away; but she flung his hand from her arm more passionately than before. ‘‘T know what you are after,” she cried; ‘‘I know. You want to find out if I have a secret, and then you'll hunt me down. But I am equal to you; yes, I am, sick or well. Let me tell you, sir, I have a secret-—yes, sir; but hands off. It’s hke molten metal; you can’t touch it without getting burned. Ah! woe is me; it sears my heart.” She leaned against the wall, seeming to meditate fora little, and then, sudddenly raising her head, she said, with something of her usual manner: “‘Tam ill; very. Go, quick, and bring sche aes to me. Mind, ci another soul, only Philip.” He was starting away, when she cried : ‘Stay, let me lean on you; I can perhaps get to my own room.’ \ She leaned heavily on his shoulder, directing him by a> : | gesture of her hand which way to go, but when they reached Lf i ¥ vie al - . ; _ - ~ 7 ° ‘> Pa Oe: ; oh oA MEL? i at. on “ * ~~ > - 4 a= ; + J te é . y J “. 8 cx i ow | a | iC © { | BS hI _> L | Md nw i ~ : F ) : - ie: - £ * * + @ ; id ihe ‘eo a 4 ei i : é / J “| fl hel ; . ; = ay we Pat, we be * s - - . oo -