FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168  
169   170   171   172   173   174   175   176   177   178   179   180   181   182   183   184   185   186   187   188   189   190   >>  
ceived." "Mr. Curtis couldn't have known of this when he was here, little more than half an hour ago." "He knew it two hours ago. Not only he, but Mr. Steingall knew it. Did neither of them tell you?" In utter despair, broken-hearted now not by reason of her own plight, but rather because of a shattered faith, Hermione appealed to the Earl. "Father, is this true?" "Absolutely true, every syllable. I really think you ought to confirm Mr. Schmidt's statement by inquiry at the Central Hotel." "And publish my unhappy story more widely! . . . Will you kindly leave me now? I must think, and act." "One word, your ladyship, and I have done," said the lawyer, speaking with a slow seriousness that could not fail to be convincing. "The mischief is not irreparable--at present. But you must not remain here. You are registered in the books of the hotel as the wife of John Delancy Curtis, and, if I may say it with respect, your own sense of what is right and proper will forbid the notion that you can abide in the hotel until to-morrow. I pledge my reputation that it will immensely facilitate the legal steps necessary to secure the annulment of the marriage if you dissever yourself from your so-called husband at the earliest moment after you have discovered his tort." Hermione was not the type of woman who faints in an emergency, though gladly now would she have found in unconsciousness a respite from the bitter pain that was rending her innermost fiber. "I think--I understand," she said brokenly. "Will you please go?" "But will you not come with me, Hermione?" said her father. "I give you my word of honor there will be no recriminations." "I must be alone--to-night," she cried, flaring into a passionate vehemence. "Marcelle and I will return to my apartment. You know where it is. Come there in the morning, at any hour you choose, but go now, this instant, or I shall refuse to leave the hotel, no matter what the consequences." Her voice rose almost to a scream, and Schmidt, a profound student of human nature, realized that any extra pressure would be fatal. He had succeeded. This girl would keep her promise, of that he was well assured, but if her high-strung temperament was subjected to undue force she would put her back against the wall and defy law and convention alike. "Come," he said to the Earl, and, with a courteous bow to Hermione, he literally pulled her father from the room. Hermi
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168  
169   170   171   172   173   174   175   176   177   178   179   180   181   182   183   184   185   186   187   188   189   190   >>  



Top keywords:

Hermione

 

Schmidt

 

father

 
Curtis
 

passionate

 

flaring

 

Marcelle

 

moment

 

discovered

 

vehemence


rending
 

innermost

 

brokenly

 
understand
 

return

 

bitter

 
emergency
 

recriminations

 

faints

 

gladly


respite

 
unconsciousness
 
subjected
 
temperament
 
strung
 

promise

 

assured

 

literally

 
pulled
 

courteous


convention

 
succeeded
 

refuse

 

matter

 

consequences

 

earliest

 
instant
 

morning

 

choose

 

realized


pressure
 

nature

 

scream

 

profound

 
student
 
apartment
 

respect

 
Absolutely
 
syllable
 

Father