Weaker than a Woman — page 205: what you’re looking at

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

ud ae | Rabe a. “Visa: L * \ ofa, ? “at oe oa” is § ee le eat ewe OAS L a > ear, , ee ee’ - ss & Lod 5 *\ - r. ih iJ eT S cin a 1 : o ' TS im > _. 4 ad ron wae ' ae Ve mes = Ss ‘ “ \ oe ar ot as i ee : Ye ae My J i C. ae sy \ . + ae A ee _ ts # a . ey eo wy b . 7 fo Oyo) 5% Ay > + rr ae Pat PL LE an | a foe ABA a . i >» Oo . » » ! ‘ > 3 est oe J wh ~ «3% ae ee ee “ ’ 4, Pin eg § Ft og 4 ie Ne s é Oo is a es as a al 7 ° ‘ ‘ a S! ~*, aX ‘ ™ » . . - ‘ bd s . 4 * - - » oi . . ‘ ' “ , * 196 WEAKER THAN A WOMAN. notin the best of humors. He was a discontented man by - nature. The first thing that always occurred to him was to complain, to find fault—never to praise. If he saw clear soup he was cross because it was not thick ; if it were thick he wanted thin. If one dish were placed before him he was quite sure to complain because it was not another. On this particular day he was very much annoyed be- cause some of his favorite fish was not cooked as he liked it. In vain Lady Chevenix, seeing a storm brewing, tried to avert it; the more amiable and complacent she looked the biacker and angrier he grew. An uncomfortable silence fell over the guests. Felix did his best; he tried to make conversation, but it was difficult with those muttered growls running on like an under-current. At last some other dish raised Sir Owen’s ire, and he exclaimed : “If I had married some one who understood these things IJ should have been better off.” The guests saw Lady Chevenix’s face grow as pale as the pearls she wore. Her silence irritated her husband, for he cried out angrily against her, with a word so coarse and insulting that there was nota man present who did not long to horsewhip him. She rose with quiet grace and dignity to quit the room; she felt that she owed it to her own self-respect not to remain. No sooner did he see her do so than he sprang from his seat and cried : “Go back to your seat, my lady—do not show any of your airs here.” The gentlemen arose quickly, but she mastered herself with an effort, for which they commended her. She re- pressed the hysterical cry that arose to her lips, smiled, and went back to her chair. ‘Sir Owen does not always choose his jests wisely,” she said, and order was at once restored. They admired her more than they could say—it was im- possible to help it. Her grace, her beauty, her self- possession, her self-contol, her tact, all struck them. There was no one present who did not think highly of her for her behavior through so trying a scene. Sir Owen tried to laugh it off. He made some awkward apologies about having been annoyed by horses, dogs, and servants; never- theless the incident left two disagreeable reminders for him. Darcy Lonsdale told him that same evening that the next time he insulted Lady Chevenix in his presence he ~ must seek another adviser. Captain Hill did better. “T want to say a few words to you, Sir Owen,” he began, when on the point of departure, ‘ You invite gentlemen to — comicbooks.com