Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1900 edition. Excerpt: ...answer. Aldewin had tried to set aside bis marriage with her; every word be spoke to her, every time he looked at her, every moment she spent with him, recalled the words of the letter to her mind. Tliey seemed t burn before her. to be written in characters of fire wherever ii.-a gazed. If her husband took their child in his arms, her fiist bitter impulse was to seize her and say: "You do not love either of us! You want to be nee from me!" If hs paid her any little attention--found her a boolc, opened a door for her, brought her flowers--she turned from him with a bitter feeling of despair. Why need he pretend? She knew all about the hypocrisy. He brought her some very choice roses, one day, which he had taken grerst trouble to arrange. She looked at them careleasly, and then laid them down. He stood by her side smiling. "Hy gift does not seem to find favor in your sight," he said "It does not," she replied curtly. She was so sick at heart, so miserable, so unutterably wretchfc_. that they seemed distasteful to her, these trivial acts of attention. What were they compared to her sorrow, which was great as the wide sea? "Elaine," he said, gravely, "you have changed very much to me of late." She looked at him; in those clear, true eves he read unutterable woe. "You have changed very much. You look very ill and very unhappy. Will you tell me what makes you so?" "I cannot," she said, and turned away from him. She Tou'j bear all and keep her secret until she died. So she said, but found that she could not. The idea occurred to her that, if tLo marriage could not be set aside as he had tried, they could bo separated; it would be far mora acceptable than the hourly torturo she...