Beadle's Dime Novels No. 14 — page 74: what you’re looking at

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

79 . THE EMERALD NECKLACE, with it the thought of my selfishness in accepting his proffered hand under such circumstances. : “TJ shall not be able to make him happy,’ I thought. ‘He may think so now, when noble. pity prompts him to believe that he loves me; but he is proud, and a man of the world. ‘He will not like to introduce a mute wife— ” ’ «Phere is where you did him injustice, Clematis. He would be proud to prove, in such a loyal way, his devotion to purity and gentleness.” “Tt was because I loved him go much that I could not bear to purchase my own happiness at the peril of his. I was afraid that I could not be to him the wife that he ought to have; and so I turned away from his offer, while my heart was breaking with its double trouble—not that I felt the loss of my voice as I did of his‘ love. After he left me, I scarcely thought or cared for that, except that it had been the means of part- ing me from him. O Rosalie! he must see that I have suf- fered. It has nearly cost me my life.” “ And all for a foolish scruple. Unless he had the key to your actions, how could he see in your present illness any con- nection with your refusal of him? Why did you not write and recall him after the physicians restored your powers of ‘ speech ?” “ Because I did not know where he was; and I thought—I thought that he had gone away so readily, and never gave me any chance to retract, that perhaps he had discovered that he was mistaken in his sentiments.” 4 “Oh, you little infidel! Pennon would not beg a lady’s love. He has so lofty an ideal, he thinks where there is real union of souls, that the woman will feel it as certainly as the man, and not compel him to beseech her forever.” “JT did not think there might be. But I had seen so little of the world, and was so—so—” “ Such a timid, self-mistrusting little thing. Now, what if you had lost a lover from want of appreciating your own qualities.” : “ Well, I do wonder, even yet, how it is possible that he does not prefer you. You are so queenly; you look so well by his side. Oh, do you know I thought you were his bride when you came on to the boat that day ?” comicloooks.com