Fleming_A_Wonderful_Woman.txt topic ['13', '324', '378', '393']
last person we expect to see is very often the first
person we do see," ' answered, still eminently self-
possessed. " haven't been at , and 'm not going. 1
shall turn my sword into a scythe, my rifle into a plowshare, and
go in for peace, respectability, and pastoral life. have been
out in ."
" ? "
". received a telegram from my grandfather after
leaving here, telling me his wife and son were dead, and re-
questing me to bring back. " went have been
there ever since."
was beginning to recover now. drew a little further
from him, and began tracing figures in the grass with her white
parasol.
" sister is well, hope ? "
" sister is quite well, thank you."
" remains in with your grandfather ? "
" is in , and my gi andfather is dead."
" ." is strangely .\t a loss what to say, something
very unusual with 's high-bred daughter. "
,
541
hope then we will see ' down at
shortly."
", yes. suppose will come. is very anx-
ious toseej'ou. . fact, she wanted to accompany ine on this
occasion, but objected."
" ? "
" preferred to come alone. people may be very
anxious to see you as well as may they not ? you
know never like third persons during my interviews with you."
still looks down at the emerald turf, still traces figures
with her parasol. looks at her, and there is silence.
" have heard of 's marriage ? " she
says at length with a sort of effort are always the
first to break these embarrassing pauses. " doubt he sent
you word ? "
" sent me no word how could he ? thought with
you was in . heard of it from whom do you
think ? mutual friend, ."
" ! ," with a smile ; " he knew your address then ? "
" after six months of , grew sick for news
of and my friends. did not care to write to any of
those friends direct for sundry reasons, so sent a line to
. got all the news wished immediately 's
marriage among the rest. 's a fine fellow, and in spite of
the episode, his wife suits him. suits him
all is said in that, they will be happy."
" hope so," she answered softly.
" father is in , ? "
" is always in of late he seems to make it
his home. papal" sigh.
" you," the blue eyes that can be so keen, so hard, so
steely, so tender, alternately, are watching her with a light she
feels, but cannot meet. " you still reside with your cousin
and . am glad, by the bye, that they are reconciled.
't the life strike you as rather a dull one?"
" particularly. hope have common-sense enough to
know life cannot be all sunshine and rosesfor any of us. -
wood is always a pleasant place, and am too busy to find
much time for idle repinings. is aboon 1 have found
that out am the children's governess, now, you know. ,"
with an effort to change the subject, "you have given up all
thoughts of . will tejoica . ^feas.^ ^ftraw
is . ?"
" well, and strongly inatnmoma&y &esA- " 1 ^ a v
542
.
down with me, and gone to the to see his old
sweetheart. believe a marriage will follow in the fullness of
time. so you are governess to the twins terrible drudgery,
should fancy and practise drawing in the intervals. me
have another look at my portrait clever, perhaps, as a work of
art, but, as said before, absurdly flattered as a likeness.
do think of me then sometimes, ?"
old pet name ! faint rose-pink flush deepened all
over the fair, pearly face.
" think of all my friends what an opinion you must have
of my memory, and have a private gallery of their portraits.
give me my sketch back it is easier for you to criticise
than to do better."
" rule which applies to all criticism, fancy. 'll give you
the sketch back on one condition that may give you myself
with it ! "
" ' "
" ! "
feint carnation was vivid scarlet now. started up,
but he caught both her hands and held her. bright blue
eyes, full of piercing, laughing light, looked up into the startled
brown ones. much fierceness not much sternness there
now.
" do you mean, sir ! me go. come the
children pray; let me go 1 "
" them come ! " cries this reckless young .
" all the world come, if it likes. shall not let you go
until you promise. like me excessively oh ! it's of no
use denying it you know you do y but not one thousandth part
as like you. want you to marry me. will not be
so very much more stupid than vegetating at and
teaching the nine parts of speech to and . ,
! have been in love with each other pretty nearly
seven years. say the certain cure for love is matri-
mony. us try it."
" ', let me go."
" until you promise. , mean it. have come
all the way from to say this. love you be my
wife. you can bear up under the drudgery of a gover-
ness' life, you can endure to be the wife of a poor man.
question is will you try ? "
" would have tried it six years ago, if '
had given me the chance. would have tried it eight months ago,
if his pride had not stood between us. . am not afraid of pov-
,
erty perhaps because was born to it poverty and servi-
tude were my birthright. ' forget
princely blood flows in his veins, and in mine that of a wait-
ing-maid? "
" '['hat is meant as a reproach. , my stiff- neckcdness in
the past deserves it. think again, how you have
been brought up that luxury has been the very breath you
drew think what marriage with a poor man means.
stuffy rooms one grimy maid-of-all-work one silk dress a
year no carriage no opera no society the beautiful and
poetical of life a dream of the past. 1 "
" do think. think you want to talk me into saying no
you fear may take you at your word. well, sir say
it. am deeply honored by your offer, and beg to decline."
drew her to him close, closer. those innocent twins
are anywhere in the visible horizon now, they stand strong
chance of being amazed and scandalized.
" , my darling whom never hoped to hold, to
kiss like this you really love me well enough to endure poverty
and obscurity for my sake. will be my wife and never
repent. will go with me and resign everything?"
" ! , ! shall have you "
then the twins are drawing nearer their howls can be
heard through the trees, has some consideration
for their artless youth, if has none, and
laughing, and blushing, and looking oh ! so lovely withdraws
to the extreme end of the rustic seat.
", '! not one inch nearer insist upon
it ! hearing is excellent any remarks you may have to
make can hear at this distance perfectly well. the other
performance is not necessary. and are coming,
and you know the provert) ' pitchers have great ears.'"
" and , you are sure you
will never repent marrying a penniless soldier of fortune "
" tell you like poverty. stupid some people are
forcing one to repeat the same thing over and over. prefer
it decidedly yes, do don't look like that do."
" ! " ' said, gravely, " am sorry for that.
may be painful for you to hear, , but have had a
fortune left me !"
" ! " starting up, indignantly. " fortune ! "
" , my love don't let your angry $a* tor '". -}*s4.
can help it a fortune. . ii\e& & tooCCM. *s?n
and divided his fortune equally betvieeu " s& *aa- ^ *** s .,
544
.
a fortune of two million dollars. pittance, perhaps, as com-
pared with the inheritance of ; but to
poverty-loving, humble individuals like and
', sufficient for the bread and cheese of
life, a page in buttons, and two silk dresses per annum.
love ! my love ! "
is the distance between them nawt and the twins
are standing petrified, open-mouthed and eyed, at what they
behold not six yards off.
" can give you wealth as well as love. for the
happiness has given me at last "
light fades from the scenes and the faces we know the
hour has come to part by one they glide into the shadowy
distance and are lost to you and me forever. any one who
has followed their fortunes sorry to let them go, wonder to
say forever farewell ?
one last look, before the curtain falls, to rise no more.
and , dragging out their married,
not mated, lives, in the grandeur and dullness of .
, a married man, with " " for his wife,
the prosperous proprietor of a " public." and
his mother, prosperous in , with and his
hopeless love already a dream of the past ,
who hopes very soon to bring home a mistress to
a mistress as yet known as '.
and ', happy beyond all telling of mine
happy in that perfect wedded love rarely found upon earth.
lastly, of and , with the past
but a dark, sad dream they never recall, loving each other,
trusting each other, as great hearts and noble souls do love and
trust. are still abroad, in pleasant wandering through
pleasant lands. day they will return to , and
among all the mistresses that in the last four hundred years
have ruled it in hoary old , none will be more be-
loved, none more worthy of all love and honor, than she who
was once . face floats before me as
write the words, noble, tender, womanly, peaceful, and happy,
at last. the name that began this story end it -
rine.