Weaker than a Woman — page 175: what you’re looking at

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

166 WEAKER THAN A WOMAN. “and I think she is quite right. You jilted our best friend, : and, naturally enough, we take his side. Do not call again —Hve does not care to know you.” Perhaps in all her life Lady Chevenix had never felt so humiliated. There was no polite disguise about the re- mark, no conventional vail. “She had jilted their best friend, and they did not care to know her.” EKven Evelyn ~ cried out in wonder when. she heard what her aunt had sald. “No half truths for me,” said that uncompr omising lady. “Tf every one told the truth this would be a different world.” Never had Lady Chevenix felt so humbled; even her magnificent carriage seemed to have grown small and in- significant when she returned to it; while the very ser- vants seemed to know that she had been treated with scorn and contumely. She had hoped to have heard something of Felix from Evelyn, but, if Eve wouid not see her, why, there was an end of it. She had not encountered her old lover once. She wished very much to see him. Why should they not be friends? She had no desire for anything more than the most com- mon form of friendship. She remembered his bright, sunny temper, his sweet smile, his wonderful good humor, his cheerful presence. She felt that it would be a comfort and a pleasure to see him at times after the sullen silence that often lasted for days—to hear a few bright words. She found herself often wondering when and where she should meet him again. At last the time came. Lady Maude Bramber had been absent from home for some few days, and during that time the earl had sent out invitations for a dinner-party. If he and his countess had | heard anything of the love-story of Felix and Violet, they had completely forgotten it. The earl sent out the invita- _ tions, and one went to Garswood for Sir Owen and Lady Chevenix, and one to Felix Lonsdale. Lord Arlington very seldom had a large dinner-party now without inviting Felix; his brilliant conversational powers made him a most welcome guest. “Felix is a host in woasicie, ” the earl would say, laugh- ing! tions, of having done wrong. Lady Maude, to whom Felix had revealed his love- -story, did not return until the day of the dinner-party, and then it was too late to send a note or message anywhere, *on one) " - ate a =, rec »? ¢ re. ™ 4 a »~ ay | a ws “| a, es ~ ee : rs _ , “Y a 7 : y- | He had not the eh idea, when he sent out his invita- ~ ‘des x - ‘ 5 + 7 . = ih > 4 2 mss le cComicbooks.com ie Ph . Ae Eee