Oh, it is too horrible for anything."
Mrs. Arnold now drew her elegant lace handkerchief across her eyes
to arrest the falling tears.
Marguerite was accustomed to her sister's demonstrations, and was
not at all affected as she should be.
"Madge, you are aware, I suppose, of the trouble between mamma and
me, and now I have no one but you to offer any sympathy."
Marguerite looked at her sister in surprise.
"You need not look that way, Madge, I mean it, and when you
have--" Mrs. Arnold checked herself. She was on the eve of a
declaration which she must at all hazards supress. "I say it is
most cruel of mamma to treat me in the way that she does. Really,
Madge, it makes me feel terribly; and oh! poor, dear, papa! I don't
know why it should affect me so strangely, but really, Madge, I
cannot get it out of my head but that papa is going to die."
"Oh, Eve!" cried Marguerite, clinging to her chair for support,
"pray do not say such a dreadful thing."
"Well, you know, Madge, that grief will sap all the vitality of
stronger constitutions than papa's."
Mrs. Arnold sat watching the effect of her words upon her sister,
and tried to be engaged assorting some letters that had been
misplaced in her desk.
Pages:
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360