Weaker than a Woman — page 75: what you’re looking at

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

ae | \ Sg fee oir , ae +. 4 fe 4 TRESS Date . ’ : *: /_* ¥7 4. - _" ‘ .» . or a Ke : 66 WEAKER THAN A WOMAN continued, “that I am jealous. Never mind that, sweet. Jealousy is a consuming fire. I could not rest, I could not sleep. I have tasted no food—my very life has seemed to be leaving me. I felt that I must run over, that I must hold you in my arms, kiss your lips, hear you say that you love me, or the fire would destroy me.” Once more his great love mastered her—once more the mighty passion in him seemed to make her strong and ~ noble by example. “Tell me about it, sweet,” he said. Looking into his handsome face, his lovelit eyes, she could not say many words which would hurt him. “There is little to tell you, Felix,” she replied. “I went out soon after twelve; I did not return until after two. Then he was still here. He went away soon afterward.” “Did he talk much to you, Violet?” “No; he talked to my father,” she answered. He drew her nearer to him. ne he | 7 “ He has not taken one thought, one word, one look, one — smile from me, has he, sweet? Oh, my darling, if I could but take you where your beauty could gladden no eyes but my own! It seems to me, Violet, that this fever of long- ing is burning my heart away. Will the longed-for time never come ?” } | ~ Yes, it will come,” she replied ; and this time she did not — add her usual remark—“I have not quite promised, you know.” She was sorry for him. She could not quite understand his feelings, but she had some dim perception of what he suffered, of the torture of his love and jealousy, of the greatness of his love. She saw such pain in his face and in the trembling of his lips that she did what she had never voluntarily done before—she caressed him of her own free will; she laid her hand on the clustering hair, and drew his face down to hers. She turned her sweet lips to him. “ You need not fear, Felix,” she whispered. “I love you —no one but you !” “That was worth walking a hundred miles for,” he said. — “If you are so kind to me, Violet, Iam afraid that I shall run over every night. I would work all day and walk all - night for the chance of hearing such words.” The dew was falling, and the fragrance of the lilac floated round them. | “I must not stay, Felix,” she murmured. , “No; Iwill not ask you. My darling, say only once more