Weaker than a Woman — page 113: what you’re looking at

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

en : a / 104 - WEAKER THAN A WOMAN. Felix was seated in his office. It was too warm for busi- ness—no one came in. There’ were no messages, no inter- views—he had nothing professional to do. The clerk was busy copying a deed, and Felix was making the most of his time by writing an essay upon the “Inequalities of British Law.” suddenly the postman’s knock was heard in the quiet street, where on that scorching day even the very houses seemed to sleep. The sound did not interest Felix; he ex- pected no letter. Violet seldom sent him a little note ; when she did so it was like the finest cordial to him—he worked the better for it—he was happier and brighter. Perhaps, if she had known how happy those letters made him, she would have written oftener. Presently, to his surprise, came the sharp sudden knock of the postman at his own door. ‘The clerk quickly dis- appeared, and then returned and placed a letter in his hands—a lady’s letter, with a faint odor of violets. He opened it and looked at the signature—" Martha Haye.” It was from Violet’s mother. What could she have to say to him? It was an invitation probably. He put aside his essay, and began to read the note. ‘My Dear Freurx :—That which I have to say will pain you, I know; © but I connot help it—it must be said. The engagement between you and my daughter must come to an end. The circumstances under which I gave my consent were quite different from those existing at present. Your prospects have quite altered. If you marry my daughter now, you cannot keep her in anything like the position in which she lives even at present; and I am not willing to see her become a mere domestic drudge. Mr. Haye and myself wish the engagement to end at once, as under no circumstances could we consent to the marriage. Violet sends her love, and desires me to say that all this is written by her wish, and that she hopes always to be your friend, She is going away on a long visit to one of her relatives. Hoping you will see the necessity for this step, I am yours very sincerely, ‘Manrea Haye.” He read it through, at first with the feeling and convic- tion that it must be a practical joke, then with a deadly as- surance that they were going to take Violet from him. The handsome, worn face grew deadly pale; a dazed, dim look came into his eyes; a great, tearless, voiceless sob rose to his lips; the sunlight seemed to change to a blood-red mist, and a sound like the roar of distant waters filled his ears. He sat with the letter open in his hand, dazed as a man who had received a terrible blow. How long he sat he never knew; it seemed to him that years of agony, years of torture, rolled over his head. He > * e ; » a a — > oe ~ ae °z* 7 “ ‘ = : » . s ~ - ‘ ~ é . 2 a “ie i . x aes a a com < om ) a” | F’ 7 Dp < ~ * ‘ 4 oe ~~ C, Oh a eee Phi ty = a ae i* re ay = s mm ee ee: : ae