Show A A LIF Y MARION HARLAN D ja 4 pis IN PRESS association CHAPTER XII CONTINUED constance looked up eagerly he has done nothing and said nothing in consistent with honor and what he owes ou the weakness is all mm the tolly folly the madness and the suffer ing lag he never thought of me excene as a sister surely bis his engagement enga gemen proves this what ahat should your marriage have proved ed her husband sarcas barcas it may be as you say if I 1 believe it it Is not beca ise you sweat it Is the truth but I 1 did not come here to waste time in reproaches there is but one way to put this scan dal down namely to conduct ourselves as if we had never heard of it of course as soon as can be done without exciting remark edward must see seek another home our removal to the country will afford a convenient op port unity tor for effecting this change As to your reputation I 1 charge myself with the care caro of it from this hour my error has been und ie indulgence constance lifted her leaden eyes with a look of utter wretch wretchedness ednes if you would but suffer me to go away and hide myself from all who know my miserable story I 1 would ask nothing else at your hands lou ov would th the L sooner forget the ness brought upon you by the sad farce of marriage in which we have been the actors on my part it has been no farce ed the stern metallic voice I 1 have conscientiously fulfilled the du ties made obligatory upon me by our contract jou 1 ou entered into this volun for what you have termed fol ly IY you have to blame you seem to have been tempted to your unhappy passion by an inherent love of wrong do As ng to your pro dosal of flight and concealment it la is simply absurd in the first place you leave out of view the fact that my fair name would be tarnished by an open separation the infamy you would hide be laid bare to the general gaze see andly you have no decent place of refuge I 1 know your brother sufficient ly IY well to affirm that his doors would be closed against you were you to apply to him for shelter as a repudiated wife and you have no private fortune I 1 shall never again of my own accord allude to this disagreeable subject we understand each other and our mutual position he kept his word to the letter but henceforward his en every ery action and look when she was by reminded her she was in bonds and he was her jailer too broken spirited to re at his will or to cavil at the demands made upon her time and arid self denial by his cold im perlous ness she marched at his chariot wheel a slave in queenly attire whose dreams were no more of freedom to whom love meant remorse and marriage pollution the more hopeless and hateful that the law and the gospel pronounced it honorable in all the end |