Weaker than a Woman — page 174: what you’re looking at

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

WEAKER THAN A WOMAN, 165 nificent home, with all its attendant luxuries; she was by universal consent queen of the county. Hor some time there was ill-will between herself and Lady Rolfe. She did not wish to ask either that lady or her daughter Lavinia to Garswood, but after a few words from her husband she was compelled to give way. She had the good sense to make the best of it, and Lady Rolfe became a frequent visitor at Garswood. During all this time Violet had never once seen Felix. She had heard of him continually—he was rising rapidly in the world. She heard old Colonel Riddell speak of him one evening when she, with Sir Owen, went over to a for- mal and stately dinner- -party at Lady Rolfe’ S. ‘Mark my words,” said the colonel, “the leading man in this part of the world is, or very soon will be, young Felix Lonsdale, the lawyer’s son. I have watched him with in- terest. He will be a leader yet. He acts as the earl’s agent now, and Lord Arlington has implicit confidence in him. I prophesy that with the earl’s interest he will be returned as member for the borough, and that once in Parliament we shall hear of him.” One or two others agreed with the colonel. The face of Lady Chevenix grew crimson when she heard her husband give a little insulting, sneering laugh. She saw with dread that he had drank too much wine. “IT have beaten him once,” said Sir Owen, “and I will beat him again; if he goes in for one interest I will go in for the other.” For his wife’s sake no one answered him, and Lady Rolfe gave the signal for the ladies to withdraw. “T shall never go out to dine again if I have to meet that man,” said the old colonel, who was an aristocrat de pur sang. “Such men ought all to be shot. What could that lovely woman have been thinking of to marry him ?’—for the colonel was far above the scandal and gossip of the neighborhood, none of it was ever brought to him. So there were times in her brilliant, luxurious life when Lady Chevenix was weary of it all, and longed to see the face of a true friend. She had called on Eve Lester, but Eve had declined to see her, and “Aunt Jane” had been rampant on the occasion. Lady Chevenix sat in the best parlor at the Outlands, looking very lovely, dressed in sheeny silk and marvelous lace, when the elder lady came in to her, more-erect and uncompromising than ever. “My niece declines to see you, Lady Chevenix,” she said, ¢ (Eo paylicel exe\oy <3 (E (0) m