Weaker than a Woman — page 126: what you’re looking at

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

WEAKER THAN A WOMAN. woe eae You stood there, a few short weeks since, with your arm - around my neck; with your hand in mine, swearing to be true tome, saying that you belonged to me; that you loved me. Come away from there if you would not drive me mad.” She returned to him, and they walked some little distance © _ from the lilac bushes. * Violet,” he said, ‘I can hardly believe that our meeting thus is real. I must be in adream, from which I shall soon awake, and laugh-to think that I believed in what was happening. It cannot be that I, Felix Lonsdale, have had to steal under the cover of darkness to meet you, my promised wife, and that you who have loved me, who have kissed me, who have looked on me as your future hus- band, are here to tell me that you are false tome. Stand still, so, and let me look into the face wherein I thought all happiness lay. Now tell me, is it—true?” He held her before him; she felt that his eyes were fixed on her; they seemed to burn to her very heart. “You put things so strangely,” she said. “I hardly know whatanswer to make to you. You are not fair to me. I have found thatmy engagement to marry you is not wise for either of us, and I tell you so. I see no hein- ous crime in that:”’ “You promised to love me, and me alone, until death; do you mean to keep that 3 omise ! ? No prevarication ; ante truthfully, ‘Yes’ or ‘No;’ do yeu mean to keep that promise? Speak, Violet.” But he had to bend low to hear her answer ; it was whis- pered “ No.” “You promised to marry me, to be my wite, to spend your life with me and brighten mine; do you mean to keep that promise? Speak—‘ Yes’ or ‘No.’ ” “No,” she whispered again. * Will you tell me why you refuse, Violet?” Again she took courage at the seeming indifference of his tone. “I cannot, Felix,” she said; “you will find many an- other more suited to be your wife than I am.” “Ido not want any one but you who have promised. | What is there in the life I offer you that you dislike ?” “ All of it, except—that I should like to be with you. I dislike the poverty, the obscurity, the lack of rank and position. I am not so noble as you have always thought me, Felix. I love wealth and luxury, I love magnificence. a4 I should never be content in the little home that you would EGOMmIGDoOo <S 1cO mn