Weaker than a Woman — page 191: what you’re looking at

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

182 WEAKER THAN A WOMAN. ways intends to be as he is now, so cold, so proud. so uns forgiving.” But it was a far more difficult matter than she had thought. She could not speak to him without attracting observation, unless he either purposely or accidentally found himself near her. Perhaps he would make the op- portunity, she thought—but he did not. He talked a great deal to Lord and Lady Arlington, and at times to Lady Maude, but at last came an opportunity. Some one asked for the old-fashioned glee, “When shall we three meet again?” and Lady Chevenix remembered that she had the music. Felix was to take the tenor part—he had a glorious tenor voice, rich, clear, and ringing. She turned to him with a charming smile: “The music is with some old books of mine in the can- terbury—will you help me to find it?” So, while the room was filled with laughter and song, Lady Chevenix and Felix bent over the old music-books to look for the glee. She turned her head, and said, in a low voice: ‘“T want to speak to you, Felix; will you listen to me for a few minutes?” “If you wish it,” he replied, coldly. “T do wish it. I want to know if all our lives we are to be like this.” ‘Like what, Lady Chevenix?” he asked. “You know what I mean—if our lives are to be so en- tirely apart, if you will always be cold and distant and proud to me—it you will always avoid me and ignore my presence.” He looked at hor 3 in mute wonder. | “Must I remind you of one thing, Lady Chevenix?” he asked. “What is that?” she said. “That it was your hand that separated us—that broke all ties.” “Yes, I know that; but could we not be friends? Could you not come to see us sometimes—talk to me, share our amusements, and be really a friend—could you not do this, Felix ?” | “No,” he said, “I could not.” “Why?” asked the sweet, soft voice. ‘Because I happen to be aman, and not a statue—be- cause I have a human heart, and am not made of marble. Our lives lie apart, Lady Chevenix.” “You might be kinder,” she said, and the beautiful comichc