Violet Lisle — page 60: what you’re looking at

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

Relies aed seta Soe any answer. I-did not like to go in without your o Lady Darlington was greatly disturbed, ‘but she cone trolled herself, anc said, composedly: _ “T will go to his room. He may have ae some sudden. eal to London, and gone without disturbing me. There. may be a note for me.” She said this to prepare the way for any freak of nis: 1ordship’ s. It was quite conceivable that the boy in his” passion had gone off to the city to plunge into dissipation. That would not have worried her; for she was a woman of the world, and could have found excuses enough for that. sort of thing. She hurried to his rooms with a fear in her heart that she would not give words to. The bed was empty, and had not beer occupied, the rooms were silent with a sort of desolation. In’the dress: ing-room were signs of a hurried sorting of clothing, and on the table was a letter. A glance showed that it was: comb tema to her, and she tore it open and read it. as ane stoo é She read it to the last word, then, for the first tithes, showed the agony it had caused her. She crushed the sheet of paper in her hand, and sank baek into a chair,, crying, as any human mother would have done: “Oh, Guy, Guy !” The note was not a long one, but it told everything the mother had dreaded. ‘Dear Moruer’”’ it ran, “I received a letter this evening from Mr, Lisle, telling me of your visit to him, of his irrevocable refusal of my suit for his daughter’s hand, and of her concurrence with his decision. He said Violet released me from a pledge which had been made with- out the concent of either parent, and that she wished never to see me_ again. Orall this seems to me so unreasonable on your part and on his, that. I have determined to take such steps as will prove that Violet and Ey are not to be molded like senseless putty, nor to be blown about like feathers in the wind. By the time you receive this, Violet and I wilk be married. ‘YT am more sorry than you, in your first anger, will be likely to be=s f lieve, and I shall look forward with the keenest solicitude for the word that Guy had made so little of her spe comicboc from you which will say that you are ready to receive my wife and share with her the great affection which has always been mine. le ingly your son, Guy.” It was the mother who had received the first blow, and it had cut her to the heart to know that her son had done | this thing with no further attempt to win her willingness " put as she thought of it her anger grew, and the fone Se