Weaker than a Woman — page 27: what you’re looking at

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

“<— a the oe 18 WEAKER THAN A WOMAN. you spend your life among all kinds of bright pretty things. You shall do the same then. No shadow of care shall come near you. You shall know no trouble. You shall be one of the most worshiped as you will be one of the most beau- tiful of wives.” “But, Felix,” she said, slowly, with an air of perplexity on her beautiful face, ‘ it seems to me that marriage is the end of everything. Once married, there is nothing for one to look forward to, nothing, as it were, to hope for; itis the beginning of a dull, eray, monotonous stretch of life.” “You will not always say so, Violet,” Felix laughed. “You must marry—you love me. Promise to marry me.” She was looking away beyond the green trees, as though she were trying to peer into some far-off future. “I do love you,” she returned, thoughtfully. ‘Iam sure that I love you—but there seems to be something more wanting. I cannot think this is all that life holds for me; yet I cannot tell what it is I want.” “You love me,” said Felix. “I am quite content. The rest is nothing but the natural fear that a young girl has of a new life. Tell me again—my heart hungers for the words—that you love me, Violet.” Slowly she turned her eyes from the distant hills; slowly she raised them to her lover’s face. Love him? Certainly she did. His ardent young face had some of the proud stern beauty that immortalized the Greek heroes. There was none like him in Lilford. Certainly she loved him very much. Why hesitate to say so? She spoke slowly, in a sweet, clear voice. * Most surely, Felix, I love you’’—and the words seemed to fill him with delight. He took the soft white hands in his, and held them while he made her repeat again and again that she loved him. “You can never go back from your word, Violet. No human ear hears us; but behold the great broad sky. Your vow is made to me, darling, before Heaven.” “TI have made no vow, Felix.” “You have said that you love me. Violet, make me quite happy now. Already I am so happy that the air seems to intoxicate me. Say you will be my wife.” She was thinking again, with the same far-off look in her eyes, and she said, suddenly : “A cottage orne. Do you mean that pretty villa where the Hendersons staid ?” The question seemed to him almost decisive. She would not have asked it had she meant to refuse him. He could comicbooks.co +. lh ae a + to =} —~-* rr we . *.* -- —s,