The Argosy — page 183: what you’re looking at

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

168 Court Netherleigh. “No right! After what has passed? Ask your father whether I possess the right, or not,” he added, his voice stern with indignation. ‘* But for my clemency, you might have taken the place from which Charles Cleveland has been released.” ‘Ts that the reason ?” she gasped. “It has afforded the justification for the step. Following on the course of treatment you have dealt out to me for years ——” ‘“‘[T have been very wrong,” she interrupted. ‘‘I meant to have told you so. I have not behaved as—as—I ought to behave for— for a long while; I acknowledge it. Won’t you forgive me?” ‘“ No,” he answered—and his voice had no relenting in it. ‘“T will try and do better; I will indeed,” she reiterated: but not daring now to offer the caresses her imagination had planned out. “Oh, you must forgive me; you must not put me away !” “Lady Adela, but a few days ago, it was my turn to make suppli- cation to you; I did so more than once. I told you I would protect, forgive, shield you. I prayed you, almost as solemnly as I pray to Heaven, to trust me ; to trust me—your husband—as you weshed it to be well with us in our future life. Do youremember how you met that prayer >—how you answered me ?” Ay, she did. And the red colour flushed her face at the remem- brance. ‘As you rejected me, so must I reject you.” ‘Not to separation !” | ‘Separation will be only too welcome to you. Have you not been telling me as much for years P” , ‘But not in earnest ; not to mean it really. I will give up play— I have given it up—believe that. A man may not reject his wife,” she continued, in agitation. ‘He may—when he has sufficient reason for it. Look at the wife you have been to me; the shameful treatment you have per- sistently dealt to me. I speak not now of this recent act of dis- grace, by which you hazarded your own good name and mine—I will not trust myself to speak of it—but of the past. Few men would have borne with you as I have borne. I loved you with a true and tender love: how have you repaid me ?” “Let us start afresh,” she said, imploringly putting up her hands. Indeed this was a most terrible moment for her. “Tt may not be,” he coldly rejoined. ‘‘ My resolution has been deliberately taken, and I cannot change it upon impulse.” ‘“T had meant to pray you to forgive me—for this and for all the past; I had indeed. I had meant to say that I would be different— would try to love you.” *‘’'Too late.” “In a little while, then; later,” she panted, her face working with emotion and the tears starting to her eyes. ‘You will take me back later! Ina week or two.” COPMIECMDOOKS EOL)