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Reade, Charles, 1814-1884

"A Woman-Hater"

What was he
turning his back on? A woman, lovely, loving, and celebrated, who was
very likely pining for him, and would share, not only her winnings at
play with him, but the large income she would make by her talent. What
was he following? A woman divinely lovely and good, but whom he could not
possess, or, if he did, could not hold her long, and whose love must end
in horror.
But nature is not so unfair to honest men as to give wisdom to the
cunning. Rarely does reason prevail against passion in such a mind as
Severne's. It ended, as might have been expected, in his going down to
Vizard Court with Zoe.
An express train soon whirled them down to Taddington, in Barfordshire.
There was Harris, with three servants, waiting for them, one with a light
cart for their luggage, and two with an open carriage and two spanking
bays, whose coats shone like satin. The servants, liveried, and
top-booted, and buckskin-gloved, and spruce as if just out of a bandbox,
were all smartness and respectful zeal. They got the luggage out in a
trice, with Harris's assistance. Mr. Harris then drove away like the wind
in his dog-cart; the traveling party were soon in the barouche.


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