Bret Harte

Clarence Bret Harte

Book Excerpt: ...loser to them in this controversy, --that she depended upon them for her intelligence and information rather than upon him, --he had awakened to the reality of his situation. He had borne the allusions of her brother, whose old scorn for his dependent childhood had been embittered by his sister's marriage and was now scarcely concealed. Yet, while he had never altered his own political faith and social creed in this antagonistic atmosphere, he had often wondered, with his old conscientiousness and characteristic self-abnegation, whether his own political convictions were not merely a revulsion from his domestic tyranny and alien surroundings. In the midst of this gloomy retrospect the coupe stopped with a jerk before his own house. The door was quickly opened by a servant, who appeared to be awaiting him."Some one to see you in the library, sir," said the man, "and"-- He hesitated and looked towards the coupe."Well?" said Clarence impatiently..