Weaker than a Woman — page 217: what you’re looking at

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

208 ‘WEAKER THAN A WOMAN. “Tam very pleased,” he said. ‘Felix is cleverer than | his father, and I like him. See that he has a nice room, and that his comforts are well attended to.” She made some vague reply—it seemed to her that heaven and earth were about to meet. That Felix should ever be under her roof as her guest seemed to her a most wonderful thing. How should she receive him? Would he soften a little in his manner to her? How fervently she hoped that Sir Owen would treat her, if not kindly, at least with some outward semblance of respect before her old lover. She was glad that Marian Hethcote was still with her—it would have been awkward to have met him alone. When Sir Owen had quitted the room Marian placed her hands upon Lady Chevenix’s shoulders and looked into her face. “Tell me,” she said, “do you like this arrangement? Does it please or vex you?” Lady Chevenix met her gaze with a calm smile. “It does neither,” she replied, and then Miss Hethcote understood that the subject of Felix Lonsdale was not to be reopened between them. Lady Chevenix never forgot the evening when Felix came. It seemed to her that everything looked the brighter and the better for his coming. Sir Owen had given orders that the dinner should be delayed until he arrived. Felix Lonsdale and Lady Chevenix met with seeming in- difference. She looked very beautiful; she wore a dinner- dress of white lace, with lilies of the valley in her hair. She held out her hand in greeting to him. “Tam very glad to see you, Mr. Lonsdale,” she said. “I hope you will have a few pleasant days with us.” Miss Hethcote next had something to say to him, and then Sir Owen entered the room. He was most effusive in his greeting. He was delighted to see his guest; he hoped he would make himself quite at home, and enjoy himself as much as possible. Violet could not help contrasting the two men as they stood for that one moment side by side—Sir Owen’s awk- ward figure and coarse face with the grand beauty of Felix Lonsdale, the nobility of the untitled man with the com- monplaceness of the titled one. The contrast was both sharp and strong; she felt it keenly. Then they went in to dinner. Sir Owen was in one of his best humors, and everything went off well. For so much — Lady Chevenix was thankful; every hour spent without an outbreak was a gain to her. ' ~_—_—" y = ; Nad Be RR 7 ~ comicbooks.co *