diff options
Diffstat (limited to '38084-h')
| -rw-r--r-- | 38084-h/38084-h.htm | 7286 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 38084-h/images/c01.jpg | bin | 0 -> 18507 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 38084-h/images/c01e.jpg | bin | 0 -> 2794 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 38084-h/images/c02.jpg | bin | 0 -> 19391 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 38084-h/images/c02e.jpg | bin | 0 -> 5933 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 38084-h/images/c03.jpg | bin | 0 -> 16040 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 38084-h/images/c03e.jpg | bin | 0 -> 1832 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 38084-h/images/c04.jpg | bin | 0 -> 21602 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 38084-h/images/c04e.jpg | bin | 0 -> 7191 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 38084-h/images/c05.jpg | bin | 0 -> 18502 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 38084-h/images/c05e.jpg | bin | 0 -> 4463 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 38084-h/images/c06.jpg | bin | 0 -> 23413 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 38084-h/images/c06e.jpg | bin | 0 -> 5566 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 38084-h/images/c07.jpg | bin | 0 -> 15888 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 38084-h/images/c07e.jpg | bin | 0 -> 3167 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 38084-h/images/c08.jpg | bin | 0 -> 18507 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 38084-h/images/c08e.jpg | bin | 0 -> 2648 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 38084-h/images/c09.jpg | bin | 0 -> 16798 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 38084-h/images/c09e.jpg | bin | 0 -> 7191 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 38084-h/images/c10.jpg | bin | 0 -> 18744 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 38084-h/images/c10e.jpg | bin | 0 -> 1832 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 38084-h/images/c11.jpg | bin | 0 -> 19391 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 38084-h/images/c11e.jpg | bin | 0 -> 5933 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 38084-h/images/c12.jpg | bin | 0 -> 21698 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 38084-h/images/c13.jpg | bin | 0 -> 15888 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 38084-h/images/d-i.jpg | bin | 0 -> 3023 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 38084-h/images/d-m.jpg | bin | 0 -> 2867 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 38084-h/images/d-p.jpg | bin | 0 -> 2911 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 38084-h/images/d-r.jpg | bin | 0 -> 2829 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 38084-h/images/d-w.jpg | bin | 0 -> 3131 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 38084-h/images/logo.jpg | bin | 0 -> 6005 bytes |
31 files changed, 7286 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/38084-h/38084-h.htm b/38084-h/38084-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..9e322be --- /dev/null +++ b/38084-h/38084-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,7286 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.1//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml11/DTD/xhtml11.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> + +<head> + + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> + + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of A Mere Chance, Vol. 2, by Ada Cambridge. + </title> + + <style type="text/css"> + + body { + margin-left:10%; + margin-right:10%; + } + + .booktitle { + letter-spacing:3px; + } + + .center { + text-align:center; + font-weight:bold; + } + + div.center { + text-align:center; + } + + div.center table { + margin-left:auto; + margin-right:auto; + text-align:left; + } + + .dropimg { + float:left; + margin-right:.5em; + margin-bottom:0; + } + + .figcenter { + padding:1em; + text-align:center; + font-size:0.8em; + border:none; + margin:auto; + text-indent:1em; + } + + .h1 { + font-size:2em; + margin:.67em 0; + } + + .h1, .h2, .h3, .h4, .h5 { + font-weight:bolder; + text-align:center; + text-indent:0; + } + + h1, h2, h3, h4, h5 { + text-align:center; + } + + .h2 { + font-size:1.5em; + margin:.75em 0; + } + + .h3 { + font-size:1.17em; + margin:.83em 0; + } + + .h4 { + margin:1.12em 0 ; + } + + .h5 { + font-size:.83em; + margin:1.5em 0 ; + } + + hr.chap { + margin-top:6em; + margin-bottom:4em; + } + + p { + text-align:justify; + margin-top:.75em; + margin-bottom:.75em; + text-indent:0; + } + + p.quote { + float:left; + margin-right:.2em; + margin-top:-.1em; + } + + p.spacer { + margin-top:2em; + margin-bottom:3em; + } + + .pagenum { +/* visibility:hidden; remove comment out to hide page numbers */ + position:absolute; + right:2%; + font-size:75%; + color:gray; + background-color:inherit; + text-align:right; + text-indent:0; + font-style:normal; + font-weight:normal; + font-variant:normal; + } + + .poem { + margin-left:10%; + margin-right:10%; + margin-bottom:1em; + text-align:left; + } + + .poem .stanza { + margin:1em 0em 1em 0em; + } + + .poem p { + margin:0; + padding-left:3em; + text-indent:-3em; + } + + .poem span.i0 { + display:block; + margin-left:0em; + padding-left:3em; + text-indent:-3em; + } + + span.hide { + display:none + } + + .tdl { + text-align:left; + } + + .tdr { + text-align:right; + padding-right:1em; + } + + .tdrfirst { + text-align:right; + padding-right:1em; + font-size:60%; + } + + </style> + +</head> + +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of A Mere Chance, Vol. 2 of 3, by Ada Cambridge + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: A Mere Chance, Vol. 2 of 3 + A Novel + +Author: Ada Cambridge + +Release Date: November 22, 2011 [EBook #38084] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A MERE CHANCE, VOL. 2 OF 3 *** + + + + +Produced by Darleen Dove, Shannon Barker, Matthew Wheaton +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images +generously made available by The Internet Archive/American +Libraries.) + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<h1 class="booktitle">A MERE CHANCE.</h1> + +<p class="h3">A NOVEL.</p> + +<p class="h4">BY</p> + +<p class="h3">ADA CAMBRIDGE,</p> + +<p class="h4">AUTHOR OF "IN TWO YEARS TIME," &c.</p> + +<p class="h3">IN THREE VOLUMES.<br /> +VOL. II.<br /></p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/logo.jpg" width="140" height="160" alt="" /> +</div> + +<p class="h3">LONDON:<br /> +RICHARD BENTLEY AND SON,</p> + +<p class="h5">Publishers in Ordinary to Her Majesty the Queen,<br /> +NEW BURLINGTON STREET.<br /> +1882.<br /><br /> +<i>Right of Translation Reserved.</i></p> + +<p class="spacer"> </p> + +<p class="h3">CONTENTS OF THE SECOND VOLUME.</p> + +<div class="center"> +<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary="TOC"> + <tr> + <td class="tdrfirst">CHAPTER</td> + <td class="tdl"> </td> + <td class="tdrfirst">PAGE</td></tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_I">I</a>.</td> + <td class="tdl">Another Rash Promise</td> + <td class="tdr">1</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_II">II</a>.</td> + <td class="tdl">The Beginning of Troubles</td> + <td class="tdr">23</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_III">III</a>.</td> + <td class="tdl">"Where there was never Need of Vows."</td> + <td class="tdr">40</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_IV">IV</a>.</td> + <td class="tdl">After the Ball</td> + <td class="tdr">66</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_V">V</a>.</td> + <td class="tdl">Rachel's First Visit in Melbourne</td> + <td class="tdr">92</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_VI">VI</a>.</td> + <td class="tdl">In Mrs. Hardy's Store-room</td> + <td class="tdr">111</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_VII">VII</a>.</td> + <td class="tdl">"He Has Come Back"</td> + <td class="tdr">131</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_VIII">VIII</a>.</td> + <td class="tdl">"The Light that never was on Sea or Land"</td> + <td class="tdr">151</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_IX">IX</a>.</td> + <td class="tdl">Eleven p.m.</td> + <td class="tdr">169</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_X">X</a>.</td> + <td class="tdl">Mrs. Reade's Advice</td> + <td class="tdr">191</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_XI">XI</a>.</td> + <td class="tdl">Until Christmas</td> + <td class="tdr">228</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_XII">XII</a>.</td> + <td class="tdl">"The Ground-Whirl of the Perished Leaves of Hope"</td> + <td class="tdr">248</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_XIII">XIII</a>.</td> + <td class="tdl">Rachel on the Philosophy of Marriage</td> + <td class="tdr">268</td> + </tr> +</table></div> + +<p class="spacer"> </p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p class="h2">A MERE CHANCE.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum">[1]</span></p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/c01.jpg" width="600" height="136" alt="" /> +</div> + +<h2 id="CHAPTER_I">CHAPTER I.</h2> + +<p class="h3">ANOTHER RASH PROMISE.</p> + +<p><img class="dropimg" src="images/d-m.jpg" alt="M" height="96" width="80" /> + <span class="hide">M</span>R. KINGSTON, as soon as he +received Mrs. Thornley's invitation, +sent a telegram to her +nearest post-town, to tell her he would +start for Adelonga on the following +day, and await at the inn where he left +the railway the buggy she was kind +enough to say should be sent to meet him.</p> + +<p>There was much amusement at<span class="pagenum">[2]</span> +Adelonga over this unwonted promptitude +on the part of an idle and self-indulgent +man, who had never been known +to hurry himself, or to go into the +country willingly; and Rachel was teased +in fun and congratulated in earnest on +the strong hold she had gained upon +his erewhile erratic affections.</p> + +<p>The buggy was ordered at once—Mr. +Thornley's own pet Abbott buggy, +that floated over the rough roads—and +a pet pair of horses were harnessed +into it, and another pair sent +forward to change with them on the +way, and Mr. Thornley himself set forth +to meet his guest.</p> + +<p>Next day Lucilla ordered one of +her best rooms—usually reserved for +married ladies—to be prepared for +him, and had great consultations with<span class="pagenum">[3]</span> +her cook on his behalf; and at +about five in the afternoon he arrived, +wrapped in a fur-collared overcoat, like +a traveller in bleak and barren regions, +and had a royal welcome.</p> + +<p>Lucilla, followed by her mother, went +out to the verandah to meet her old +friend—though, indeed, she never willingly +omitted that graceful act of +hospitality, whoever might be her guest—and +was delighted to receive again +the same old compliment on her charming +appearance that had pleasantly +befooled her in her maiden days. Mrs. +Hardy was likewise greeted with effusion, +and responded cordially; and then +they all looked round.</p> + +<p>"Where is Rachel?" inquired Mr. +Kingston, with anxious solicitude; "isn't +she well?"</p><p><span class="pagenum">[4]</span></p> + +<p>Rachel was found in the drawing-room, +nervously rearranging the cups and +saucers that had just been brought in for +tea. Lucilla ushered him in with a smile, +and discreetly retired with her mother, +upon some utterly unnecessary errand.</p> + +<p>The lovers met in the middle of the +room, and Rachel went through the +ordeal that she had been vaguely +dreading all day. It was worse than +she had expected, for she felt, by +some subtle, newly-developed sense, +that she had been greatly missed and +ardently longed for, and that they +were truly lover's arms that folded her, +trembling and shrinking, in that apparently +interminable embrace.</p> + +<p>She had not yet come to realise +the magnitude and the ignominy of the +wrong that she was doing him, but a<span class="pagenum">[5]</span> +pang of remorseful pity did hurt her +somewhere, through all her stony irresponsiveness, +for the fate that had driven +him, the desired of so many women, to +set his heart at last upon one who did +not want it.</p> + +<p>For a brief intolerable moment she +felt that she had it in her to implore +him to release her from her +engagement, but—well, she was a +little coward, if the truth must be told.</p> + +<p>And, moreover, she had not quite come +to the point of giving up her pink +boudoir, and her diamond necklace, +and all her other splendid possessions +in prospect, because she could not love +the contingent husband as was her duty +to him to do.</p> + +<p>She did not know as yet that she +loved another man.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[6]</span></p> + +<p>"And you never came to meet me?" +said Mr. Kingston, with tender reproach, +as he led her by one reluctant hand to +a sofa that was wheeled up comfortably +to the fireside. "And I was straining my +eyes all across the paddock, to see you on +the verandah looking out."</p> + +<p>"I was looking out," said Rachel; "I +saw the buggy before it reached the +woolshed. But——"</p> + +<p>"But you thought it would be nicer +to have our meeting here, with no +one to look on? So it is, darling; +you were quite right. I could not have +helped kissing you, if all the servants on +the place had been standing round; and +one doesn't like to make a public exhibition +of one's self. Oh, my pet, I <i>am</i> so +glad to get you again! And how are +you? Let me have a good look at you.<span class="pagenum">[7]</span> +Oh, if you are going to blush, how am I to +tell whether you are looking well or +not?"</p> + +<p>"I am not going to blush," +said Rachel; "and I am quite +well. I never was better. The +country air is doing me ever so much +good."</p> + +<p>"I am not so sure of that," rejoined Mr. +Kingston, rather gravely, stroking her +soft cheek. "You look fagged, as if +you had been knocking about too much. +I didn't like your going to those rubbishy +little races—I told Thornley so. Have +you been sitting up late at night?"</p> + +<p>"No—I have been doing <i>nothing</i>," +pleaded Rachel; "I am really as well as +possible. How is the house getting on?"</p> + +<p>"The house is not doing much at +present. They are still pottering at the<span class="pagenum">[8]</span> +foundations, which seem to take a frightful +lot of doing to. Not that they have +had time to make much progress since you +were there—it is not much over a +fortnight yet, you know. Oh, but it has +been a long fortnight! Rachel, now I +have got you, I don't mean to lose +sight of you again."</p> + +<p>"How did you leave Beatrice?" inquired +Rachel, hastily.</p> + +<p>"Beatrice is quite well—as sprightly +as ever. I told her I meant to bring +you back to town, by force of arms if +necessary, and she said I was quite right. +We can't do without you in Melbourne—I +can't, anyhow; and what's more, I +don't mean to try."</p> + +<p>"How is Uncle Hardy?"</p> + +<p>"Uncle Hardy? I'm sure I don't +know—I was very nearly saying I don't<span class="pagenum">[9]</span> +care. Of course he is quite well; he +always is, I believe. Is there anybody +else you are particularly anxious about, +Mademoiselle?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," said Rachel, smiling and blushing; +"I am anxious about Black Agnes. +How is my dear Black Agnes? <i>Does</i> +William attend to her properly?"</p> + +<p>"I don't leave her to William," said +Mr. Kingston. "I have taken her away +to my own stables. And there she is +eating her head off—wanting you, like the +rest of us. If you have no more +questions to ask, I'll begin; may I? I +have some <i>really</i> important inquiries to +make."</p> + +<p>Rachel gasped. But to her immense +relief Lucilla was heard approaching, +talking at an unnecessarily high pitch of +voice to her mother, who responded with<span class="pagenum">[10]</span> +equal vigour; and the two ladies entered, +followed by Mr. Thornley, all wearing a +more or less deprecatory aspect.</p> + +<p>The men and the matrons grouped +themselves round the fire, and plunged +into an animated discussion of the latest +Melbourne news. Rachel poured out the +tea, and insisted on carrying it round to +everybody, regardless of polite protests; +which charmed her lover very much.</p> + +<p>He was rather cold, and a little stiff +and tired after his unwonted exertion; +his seat was soft and restful; and he liked +to see the slender creature gliding +about, with her sweet face and her +deft hands, and picture to himself with +what meek dutifulness she would serve +her lord and master when the time +came.</p> + +<p>Rachel hoped they were in for a<span class="pagenum">[11]</span> +pleasant gossip till dinner time, but she +was much mistaken.</p> + +<p>"I must go and see after my baby, +Mr. Kingston, if you will excuse me," +said Lucilla at the end of half-an-hour, +setting down her empty but still smoking +teacup, and rising with an air that +implied a pressing duty postponed to +the very last moment. Mr. Kingston +expressed an ardent desire to make the +baby's acquaintance, which flattered the +young mother greatly, but otherwise +led to nothing. Lucilla went out, +promising to introduce her son under +favourable auspices in the morning; +and as she disappeared, Mrs. Hardy +jumped up and followed her with apparently +anxious haste.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Lucilla, I <i>quite</i> forgot that +aconite for Dolly's cold!" she exclaimed;<span class="pagenum">[12]</span> +"shall I come and look for it +now?"</p> + +<p>Mr. Thornley, left behind, stood on +the hearthrug, shifting uneasily from +one leg to the other. He cleared his +throat, remarked that the days were +lengthening wonderfully, moved some +ornaments on the chimney-piece, and +looked at his watch.</p> + +<p>"Dear me," he muttered briskly, as +if struck with a sudden thought, "a +quarter to six, I do declare! Excuse +me a few minutes, Kingston."</p> + +<p>"Certainly," replied Mr. Kingston. +And then <i>he</i> went out.</p> + +<p>"How stupid they are!" cried poor +Rachel to herself, almost stamping her +foot with vexation. But there was no +help for it. The affianced couple were +once more left to themselves—as affianced<span class="pagenum">[13]</span> +couples should be, and should like to be—in +the pleasant firelight and no less +pleasant twilight shadows that were +filling the quiet room.</p> + +<p>Mr. Kingston rose, took his reluctant +sweetheart's hand, and led her back +to the sofa by the hearth.</p> + +<p>"What time do they have dinner +here?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"Seven o'clock," said Rachel, with a +sinking heart.</p> + +<p>"Then we shall have nearly an hour +to ourselves, shan't we? Come then, +and let us have a good long talk. +But first, I've got something for +you."</p> + +<p>He began to fumble in his pockets, +and presently drew forth a little square +packet, neatly sealed up in paper, +which he laid on Rachel's knee. Wise<span class="pagenum">[14]</span> +man! he had not had his long and +varied experiences for nothing.</p> + +<p>The girl in smiling perplexity turned +the mysterious parcel over and over, +broke first one seal and then another +with much delicate elaboration; cautiously +stripped off the paper wrappings, +and revealed, as she expected, a morocco +jewel-case.</p> + +<p>"Oh, how kind!" she murmured, +stroking it caressingly with her white +fingers.</p> + +<p>"Open it before you say that," said +he; "you don't know that there is +anything in it yet."</p> + +<p>"Ah, but I know your ways," she +rejoined; "I know it is sure to be +something lovely." And then she lifted +the lid, and exclaimed "O-o-oh!" with +a long breath. There lay, on a bed of<span class="pagenum">[15]</span> +blue velvet, a beautiful little watch, +thickly set on one side of the case +with tiny diamond sparks, which on +examination proved to illuminate the +flourishes of a big R; and a chain +of proportionate value was coiled around +it.</p> + +<p>Rachel was in ecstacies. She had +longed for a watch all her life, and +had never yet had one, except an old +silver warming-pan of her father's, +which would not go into a lady's +pocket.</p> + +<p>It was only lately that Mr. Kingston +had discovered this fact; and he had +immediately had one prepared for her, +such as he considered would be worthy +of her future position in society, and +of his own reputation for good taste. +He felt himself well repaid for his<span class="pagenum">[16]</span> +outlay at this moment. Of her own +accord she put up her soft lips and +kissed him, pouring out her childish +gratitude for his thoughtfulness, and +his kindness, and his goodness, in +broken exclamations which were charmingly +naïve and sweet.</p> + +<p>"You are always giving me things," +she murmured, shyly stroking his coat +sleeve.</p> + +<p>"Dear little woman!" he responded, +with ardent embraces, from which she +did not shrink—at least, not much; "it +is my greatest pleasure in life to give +you things."</p> + +<p>And from this substantial base of +operations the astute lover opened +the campaign which was to deliver +her, a helpless captive, into his +hands.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[17]</span></p> + +<p>"And now," he said, when the watch +having been consigned to its pocket in +her pretty homespun gown, and the +chain artistically festooned from a +button-hole at her waist, a suggestive +silence fell upon them—"now I want +to know what you mean by saying +you won't be married till next year? +Naughty child, you made me very +miserable with that letter. Though to +be sure it was better than the other +one, which was so horribly, so really +brutally, cold that I had to go to the +fire to get warm after reading it. Oh, +Rachel, you are not <i>half</i> in love yet, I +fear!"</p> + +<p>"Don't say that," she murmured, with +tender compunction.</p> + +<p>"And I believe that is why you wish +to put off our marriage."</p><p><span class="pagenum">[18]</span></p> + +<p>"Oh, don't say that!" she repeated, +weakly anxious to re-assure and conciliate +him, and to postpone unpleasantness—woman-like, +afraid of the very +opportunity that she wanted when she +saw herself unexpectedly confronted +with it. "I don't wish to put it off—only +for a little while."</p> + +<p>"Do you call till next year a little +while? Because I don't."</p> + +<p>"Of course it is. Why, here is +August!"</p> + +<p>"And there are five long months—double +the time we have been engaged +already. And it wouldn't be comfortable +to be travelling in the hot +season."</p> + +<p>"You said spring would be a nice +time," suggested Rachel. She was +touching his sleeve with timid, deprecatory<span class="pagenum">[19]</span> +caresses, and she was desperately +frightened and anxious.</p> + +<p>"Yes; <i>this</i> spring—not twelve months +hence. Oh, my pet, <i>do</i> let it be this +spring. There are three lovely months +before us, and I should like to get +that Sydney house. I have the offer +of it still for a few days; I got them +to keep it open till I could consult +you. You <i>must</i> remember that I am +not as young as you are, Rachel; a year +one way or the other may be of no +account to you, but it is of very great +importance to me."</p> + +<p>There was a touch of impatience +and irritation in his voice, which helped +her to pluck up courage to cling to +her resolve.</p> + +<p>At the same time she heard the soft +ticking of that precious watch at her<span class="pagenum">[20]</span> +side; her heart was touched and warmed +by what she called his "kindness;" +and she was anxious to do anything +that she <i>could</i> do to please him.</p> + +<p>"Won't it do when the house is +built?" she asked, in a wheedling, +cowardly, coaxing tone, as she laid her +cheek for a moment on his shoulder. +"I will come back to Melbourne as +soon as you like—I can stay with +Beatrice, if aunt likes to remain here. +We can be together almost as if we +were married. We can ride together +every day, and watch how the house +goes on; and you know aunt doesn't +mind <i>how</i> much you are with us at +Toorak. Only if you would consent to +put off the wedding till then—"</p> + +<p>"Will you promise to marry me then?" +he asked quickly.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[21]</span></p> + +<p>"Yes, I will, really," she replied, +without any hesitation, thankful for the +reprieve, which she had been by no +means sure of getting.</p> + +<p>"As soon as the house is built?"</p> + +<p>"As soon as the house is finished."</p> + +<p>"No—not finished; that mayn't be +next year, nor the year after. As soon +as the roof is on?"</p> + +<p>Rachel paused.</p> + +<p>"How long does that take?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, a long time—ever so long."</p> + +<p>She paused again, with a longer pause. +And then,</p> + +<p>"Very well," she sighed, resignedly.</p> + +<p>"It is a bargain? You promise +faithfully? On your solemn word of +honour?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, don't make such a terrible +thing of it!" she protested, with a rather<span class="pagenum">[22]</span> +hysterical laugh, that showed signs of +degenerating into a whimper. "I <i>can</i> +only say I will."</p> + +<p>"And that is enough, my sweet. I +won't require you to reduce it to +writing. Your word shall be your bond. +It is a long while to wait, but I must +try to be patient. At any rate, it is +a comfort to be done with uncertainty, +and to have a fixed time to arrange +for. And now, perhaps, we ought to +go and dress. Tell me how much it +wants to seven, Rachel; you have the +correct Melbourne time."</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/c01e.jpg" width="150" height="55" alt="" /> +</div> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum">[23]</span></p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/c02.jpg" width="600" height="127" alt="" /> +</div> + +<h2 id="CHAPTER_II">CHAPTER II.</h2> + +<p class="h3">THE BEGINNING OF TROUBLES.</p> + +<p><img class="dropimg" src="images/d-i.jpg" alt="I" height="96" width="80" /> + <span class="hide">I</span>T was in the afternoon that +Lucilla again expected her +guests, on the day of the +ball given at Adelonga in honour of +the coming of age of her absent stepson; +and the hospitable arrangements +characteristic of bush households on +such occasions, were made for their +reception on the usual Adelonga scale. +All the visitors were to be "put up" +of course; and from the exhaustless<span class="pagenum">[24]</span> +piles of material stowed away in the +ample store-rooms, bed-rooms were improvised +in every hole and corner, and +beds made up wherever beds could +decently go—in the store-rooms themselves, +in the school-room, in the +laundry, in the gardener's cottage, as +well as in the numerous guest-chambers +with which this, in common with other +Australian "country seats," was regularly +supplied.</p> + +<p>Bright log fires burned on every +hearth; bright spring flowers adorned +all the ladies' dressing-tables; stupendous +viands piled the pantry shelves and +filled the spacious kitchens with delectable +odours.</p> + +<p>Servants bustled about with a festive +air.</p> + +<p>Mr. Thornley, in shirt sleeves, brought<span class="pagenum">[25]</span> +forth treasures from the remote recesses +of his cellar that no one but he was +competent to meddle with.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Thornley moved complacently +about her extensive domain, regulating +all these exceptional arrangements with +that housewifely good sense and judgment +which distinguished all Mrs. Hardy's +daughters.</p> + +<p>Rachel found her sphere of action in +the ball-room, where with Miss O'Hara +and the children, a young gardener to +supply material, the station carpenter +to do the rough work, and Mr. +Kingston to look on and criticise from +an arm-chair by the fire, she worked +all day at the decorations, which had +been designed in committee and partly +prepared the day before. The great +Japanese screens had been carried away<span class="pagenum">[26]</span> +(to be made very useful in the construction +of bed and bath-rooms) and +the carpets taken up; and now she +feathered the great empty room all +about with fern-tree fronds—hanging +them from extemporised chandeliers, and +from wire netting stretched over the +ceiling, and from doorless doorways, +rooted in masses of shrubs and blossoms +that made a bower of the whole place. +It was just such a task as she delighted +in, and she was considered to have +completed it successfully at four o'clock, +when she put her finishing touches +to a trophy over the chimney-piece, +which, though rather complicated as +to symbolism, being arranged on a +foundation of breech-loaders and riding-whips, +had a bold and pleasing +effect.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[27]</span></p> + +<p>At four o'clock the guests began to +arrive. She was directing her attendants +to sweep up the last of her litters from +the newly-polished floor, when the Digbys' +waggonette drove in at the wide-standing +garden gates, and rattled up +to the house.</p> + +<p>After them came other buggies in +quick succession. Grooms and house +servants poured out to receive them; +doors banged; confused voices and +laughter rose and fell in waves of +pleasant sound through the maze of +passages intersecting the rabbit-warren +of a house.</p> + +<p>Rachel ran to a window and looked +out in time to see Lucifer led off to +the stables blowing and panting, and +jangling his bridle, but stepping out +still with unconquered spirit, as became<span class="pagenum">[28]</span> +a brave old horse of noble lineage, whom +such a master owned.</p> + +<p>Mr. Kingston, the only other person +just then in the room, came behind her +and laid his hands with the air of a +proprietor on her shoulders.</p> + +<p>"Whose hack is that?" he inquired, +with languid curiosity. "Looks a good +sort of breed, something like your mare +in colour, only much bigger."</p> + +<p>"Mr. Dalrymple's," murmured Rachel.</p> + +<p>"Dalrymple?—that brother of Mrs. +Digby's you spoke of? I've heard of +that fellow. I was curious to know +who he was, and I made inquiries at +the club. He is a rather considerable +scamp, if all tales are true."</p> + +<p>"All tales are not true," replied the +girl, with majestic calmness.</p> + +<p>"And pray how do <i>you</i> know?" he<span class="pagenum">[29]</span> +retorted quickly, a little amused and a +great deal irritated by her highly indiscreet +behaviour. "I don't suppose +that you have heard all that I have—at +any rate, I <i>hope</i> not."</p> + +<p>"I know enough," she stammered +hurriedly; "I know the worst anyone +can say against him."</p> + +<p>"I hope not," repeated Mr. Kingston, +with ominous gravity.</p> + +<p>"And I know he has done wrong—done +very wrong, indeed; but he +has had such terrible provocations—he +has been, oh, so dreadfully unfortunate!" +she went on, wishing heartily +that she had not undertaken her new +friend's defence, yet finding it easier +to go through with it now than to +turn back and desert him. "And, +whatever he may have been once, he<span class="pagenum">[30]</span> +is doing nothing to harm anybody +now; and it is cruel of people to be +always raking up the past, when it is +done with and repented of, and throwing +it in his teeth. Any of us would +think it hard and unfair—you would +yourself."</p> + +<p>"Never mind me, my dear; my past +is not being called in question that I +am aware of."</p> + +<p>Mr. Kingston's not very placid temper +was rising.</p> + +<p>"He is doing nothing wrong now," +she repeated, frightened but reckless; +"if he were, Mr. Thornley would not +invite him here—he said so himself. +And Lucilla, though she does not like +him—nobody likes him, indeed—says +he would never do a mean action, +and that he has perfect manners,<span class="pagenum">[31]</span> +and that he is a thorough gentleman +every way. I think they all agree about +<i>that</i>."</p> + +<p>"And yet don't like him. That is +rather inconsistent. And what about +yourself, Rachel? If it is not a rude +question—are you an exception in this +respect, or not?"</p> + +<p>He had taken his hands from her +shoulders, and was standing sideways +in the embrasure of the window, so +that he could see her face; and he +was smiling in a most unpleasant +manner.</p> + +<p>Rachel had never seen him like this +before, and the first seed of active +dislike was sown where as yet there +had been nothing worse than indifference. +The familiar colour rose and +flooded her white brow and her whiter<span class="pagenum">[32]</span> +throat. She clenched her hands to still +the flutter of her heart. She shut her +teeth and struggled in silence against +an ignominious impulse to cry.</p> + +<p>But Mr. Kingston continued to watch +her with that sardonic curiosity; and +presently, like the traditional worm, she +turned on him.</p> + +<p>"Yes," she said, "I am an exception. +I like Mr. Dalrymple very much—what +little I know of him. I have seen no +reason to do otherwise. I do not pay +any attention to vulgar gossip."</p> + +<p>A timid woman, trying to be defiant, +generally fails by overdoing it; and so +did she, poor child. Mr. Kingston heard +the emphasis of strong emotion, that +she would have given worlds to keep +back, vibrating through her tremulous +accents, and it drove him beyond those<span class="pagenum">[33]</span> +considerations of policy and politeness +which he made a boast of as his rule +of life and action—especially in his +dealings with women. Rachel, however, +in the category of women, was exceptionally +placed with respect to him; and +I suppose one must do him the justice +to concede that this was an exceptional +emergency.</p> + +<p>"I'll tell you what," he said, +smiling no longer, and speaking with +a rough edge to his voice that betokened +the original rude nature, +usually so carefully clothed, and that +she instinctively resented as an indignity, +"Thornley can do as he likes +about the people he brings here to +associate with his wife, but I won't +have you making acquaintance with a +vagabond like that."</p><p><span class="pagenum">[34]</span></p> + +<p>"I have already made his acquaintance," +she said quietly.</p> + +<p>"Then I beg you will break it +off."</p> + +<p>"How can I break it off while he +is in the same house with me?"</p> + +<p>She was surprised to find how +strong she was to withstand this +incipient tyranny; and yet her heart +contracted with a pain very like despair.</p> + +<p>"There will be so many people +that one—and he a man—may be +easily avoided, if you wish to avoid. +And you <i>will</i> wish to do what would +please me, wouldn't you, dear?" he +demanded, perceiving that he was +bullying her, and trying to correct +himself.</p> + +<p>"Yes," she replied; "certainly. But<span class="pagenum">[35]</span> +I hope you will not ask me to be +rude to one of my cousin's guests. I +don't mind what else I do to please +you. And when I am married, I will +of course know nobody but the people +you like."</p> + +<p>"You are as good as married to +me already," he said, putting his arm +round her shoulder as she stood before +him, with all sorts of changes +and revolutions going on within her. +"And of course I don't want you to +be rude—I don't want you to be +anything. Simply don't take any notice +of Dalrymple—he will quite understand +it; don't dance with him, or have anything +to do with him."</p> + +<p>"Not dance with him!" she broke +out sharply.</p> + +<p>Her evident dismay and disappointment,<span class="pagenum">[36]</span> +together with her unconscious +efforts to evade his embrace, exasperated +his already ruffled temper +afresh.</p> + +<p>"Certainly not," he said, with angry +vehemence. "I shall be exceedingly annoyed +and vexed if I see you dancing +with that man."</p> + +<p>Rachel did not know until now +how much she had secretly set her +heart upon doing this forbidden thing; +as her exigent lover did not know +until now that he had it in him to be +so horribly jealous.</p> + +<p>"He will be sure to come and ask +me," she said, with a despairing +sigh.</p> + +<p>"Very well. If he does, I beg you +will refuse him."</p> + +<p>"Then I must refuse everybody."</p><p><span class="pagenum">[37]</span></p> + +<p>"Not at all. He will quite understand +that there are reasons why he +should be exceptionally treated."</p> + +<p>"And do you think I will make +him understand <i>that</i>?" she burst out, +with pathetic indignation that filled +her soft eyes with tears. "Do you +think I would be so—so infamously +rude and cruel? Oh, Mr. Kingston"—she +never called him "Graham" +except in her letters, though he tried +his best to make her—"you don't +want to spoil all my pleasure to-night, +which was going to be such a happy +night?"</p> + +<p>"Your pleasure doesn't depend on +dancing with Mr. Dalrymple, I <i>hope</i>."</p> + +<p>"No—no; but may I not treat him +like all the rest, for Lucilla's sake—for +common politeness' sake?"</p><p><span class="pagenum">[38]</span></p> + +<p>"No, Rachel. I don't want to be +unkind, my dear, but you must remember +your position, and that now +you belong to me. A lady who understands +these matters can quite easily +manage to get off dancing with a +man if she wishes, without being rude. +You must learn those little social +accomplishments, and this is a very +good time to begin. Now let us +change the subject. Kiss me, and +don't look so miserable, or I shall +begin to think—but that it would +be insulting you too much—that you +have fallen in love with this disreputable +ruffian."</p> + +<p>Mr. Kingston tried to assume a +light and airy manner, but his badinage +had a menacing tone that was very +chilling.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[39]</span></p> + +<p>Rachel, strange to say, did not +blush at all; she quietly excused herself +on the plea that she must go +and arrange her dishevelled costume, +and (having no private bedroom to-night) +went a long way down the +garden to a retired harbour for half +an hour's meditation.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/c02e.jpg" width="150" height="132" alt="" /> +</div> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum">[40]</span></p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/c03.jpg" width="600" height="114" alt="" /> +</div> + +<h2 id="CHAPTER_III">CHAPTER III.</h2> + +<p class="h3">"WHERE THERE WAS NEVER NEED OF VOWS."</p> + +<p><img class="dropimg" src="images/d-w.jpg" alt="W" height="96" width="80" /> + <span class="hide">W</span>hen Rachel came back to the +house it was nearly five +o'clock.</p> + +<p>There was to be a great high tea +at six, for which no dressing was +required, in place of the ordinary +dinner; and as she did not feel +inclined to meet the crowd of company +that was assembling in the drawing-room +sooner than was necessary—to +tell the truth, she had been<span class="pagenum">[41]</span> +crying, and her eyes were red—she +returned by a back way +to the ball-room, which she knew +would be to all intents and purposes, +empty.</p> + +<p>As an excuse for doing so she +carried in her arms some long wreaths +of spiræa which she had discovered +on a bush at the bottom of the +garden, with which she intended to +relieve the masses of box and laurestinus +that made the groundwork of +her decorations.</p> + +<p>Lightly flitting up a stone-flagged +passage at the rear of the house, she +suddenly came upon Mr. Dalrymple. +He emerged from the door of the +laundry, which had been assigned to +him for sleeping quarters, just as she +was passing it.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[42]</span></p> + +<p>"Oh!" she cried sharply, as if he +had been a ghost; and then she +caught her breath, and dropped her +eyes, and blushed her deepest blush, +which was by no means the conventional +mode of salutation, but more +than satisfied the man who did not +know until this moment how eagerly +he had looked for a welcome from +her.</p> + +<p>"How do you do?" he said, clothing +the common formula with a new +significance, and holding her hand in +a strong grasp; "I was wondering +where you were, and beginning to +dread all kinds of disasters. Where +are you going? May I carry these +for you?"</p> + +<p>He saw by this time the traces of +her recent tears, and the cheerful<span class="pagenum">[43]</span> +cordiality of his greeting subsided to a +rather stern but very tender earnestness.</p> + +<p>Silently he lifted the white wreaths +from her arm, and began to saunter +beside her in the direction of the +ball-room, much as he had led her +away into the conservatory on that +memorable night, which was only a +week, but seemed a year ago.</p> + +<p>All the time she was thinking of +Mr. Kingston's prohibition, and dutifully +desiring to obey him; but she +had no power in her to do +more.</p> + +<p>They passed through the servants' +offices, meeting only Lucilla's maid, +who was in a ferment of excitement +with so many ladies to attend to, and +had not a glance to spare for them;<span class="pagenum">[44]</span> +they heard voices and footsteps all +around them as they entered the +house; but they reached the ball-room +unperceived and unmolested, and +found themselves alone.</p> + +<p>The great room, with its windows +draped and garlanded, was dim and +silent; the gardener's steps stood in +the middle ready for the lighting of +the lamps; nothing but this remained +to be done, and no one came in to +disturb them.</p> + +<p>For ten minutes they devoted themselves +to business. Mr. Dalrymple +mounted the steps, and wove the +spiræa into whatever green clusters +looked too thin or too dark; he +touched up certain devices that seemed +to him to lack stability; he straightened +some flags that were hanging<span class="pagenum">[45]</span> +awry; and Rachel stood below and +offered humble suggestions.</p> + +<p>When they had done, and had +picked up a few fallen leaves and +petals, they stood and looked round +them to judge of the general effect.</p> + +<p>"It is very pretty," said Mr. +Dalrymple; "and it makes a capital +ball-room. I have not seen a better +floor anywhere."</p> + +<p>"It was laid down on purpose for +dancing," said Rachel, who knew she +ought now to be making her appearance +elsewhere, yet lingered because +he did.</p> + +<p>"Are you fond of dancing?" he +asked abruptly.</p> + +<p>"Yes," she said; "very."</p> + +<p>"Will you give me your first waltz +to-night?"</p><p><span class="pagenum">[46]</span></p> + +<p>He was leaning an elbow on the +piano, near which he stood, and looking +down on her with that gentle +but imperious inquiry in his eyes, +which made her feel as if she had +taken a solemn affidavit to tell the +truth.</p> + +<p>"I—I cannot," she stammered, after +a pause, during which she wondered +distractedly how she could best explain +her refusal so as to spare him +unnecessary pain; "I am very sorry—I +would, with pleasure, if I +could."</p> + +<p>"Thank you," he said, with a slight, +grateful bow. "Well, I could hardly +hope for the first, I suppose. But I +may have the second? Here are the +programmes," he added, fishing into a +basketful of them that stood on the<span class="pagenum">[47]</span> +piano, and drawing two out; "let +me put my name down for the +second, and what more you can spare; +may I?"</p> + +<p>She took the card he gave her, +opened it, looked at the little spaces +which symbolised so much more than +their own blank emptiness, looked up +at him, and then—alas! She was a +timid, tender, weakly creature when +she was hurt, and she had not yet +got over the effect of Mr. Kingston's +harshness; and she had been crying +too recently to be able to withstand +the slightest provocation to +cry.</p> + +<p>She tried to speak, but her lip +quivered, and a tear that had been +slowly gathering fell with an audible +pat upon the piano. He drew the<span class="pagenum">[48]</span> +card from her in a moment, and +at the same time swept away any +veil of decorous reticence that she +might have wished to keep about +her.</p> + +<p>"What is the matter?" he asked, +with gentle entreaty, which in him +was not inconsistent with a most +evident determination to find out. "<i>I</i> +am not distressing you, asking you to +dance with me, am I?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, no—it is nothing! Only +please <i>don't</i> ask me," she almost +sobbed, struggling against the shame +that she was bringing on herself, and +knowing quite well that she would +struggle in vain.</p> + +<p>He watched her in silence for half +a minute—not as Mr. Kingston had +watched her, though with even a<span class="pagenum">[49]</span> +fiercer attentiveness, and then he said, +very quietly,</p> + +<p>"Why?"</p> + +<p>But he had already guessed.</p> + +<p>"Because—because—I have promised +not to."</p> + +<p>"You have promised Mr. Kingston?"</p> + +<p>Scarlet with pain and mortification, +in an agony of embarrassment, she +sighed almost inaudibly,</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"Not to dance with me? or merely +not to dance waltzes?"</p> + +<p>"Must I tell you?" she pleaded, +looking up with appealing wet eyes +into his hard and haughty face.</p> + +<p>"Not unless you like, Miss Fetherstonhaugh. +I think I understand perfectly."</p><p><span class="pagenum">[50]</span></p> + +<p>"Oh, Mr. Dalrymple, I want to tell +you about it, but I cannot. I am saying +things already that I ought not to +speak of."</p> + +<p>"I don't think so," he replied +quickly, suddenly softening until his +voice was almost a caress, and set all +her sensitive nerves thrilling like an +Æolian harp when a strong wind +blows over it. "It is in your nature +to be honest, and to tell the truth. +You are not afraid to tell the truth +to me?"</p> + +<p>"I would not tell you an untruth," +she murmured, looking down; "but +the truth—sometimes one must, sometimes +one ought—to hide it. And I +hoped you would not need to know +about this."</p> + +<p>"Why, how could I help knowing<span class="pagenum">[51]</span> +it? Did you think it likely I might +by chance forget you were in the ball-room +to-night?"</p> + +<p>What she thought clearly "blazed +itself in the heart's colours on her +simple face." But she did not lift her +eyes or speak.</p> + +<p>"I am very glad I know," he continued, +in a rather stern tone. "If +you had done this to me, and never +told me why——"</p> + +<p>"I should have trusted to you to +guess that it was not my fault, and +to forgive me for it," the girl interposed, +looking up at last with a +flash in her soft eyes that, as well +as her words, told him a great deal +more than she had any idea +of.</p> + +<p>"It was really so?" he demanded<span class="pagenum">[52]</span> +eagerly. "It was not your own desire +to disappoint me so terribly?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, <i>no</i>."</p> + +<p>"If you had been left to yourself +you would have danced with +me?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, of course."</p> + +<p>"Quite willingly?"</p> + +<p>"You <i>know</i> I would!"</p> + +<p>Mr. Dalrymple drew a long breath. +It was rather a critical moment. +But he was no boy, at the mercy +of the wind and waves of his own +emotions, and Rachel's evident weakness +of self-control was an appeal +to his strength that he was not the +man to disregard. Still it was wonderful +how actively during these last +few minutes he had come to hate +Mr. Kingston, whom he had never seen.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[53]</span></p> + +<p>"I suppose," he said presently, "I +must not ask the reason for this preposterous +proceeding?"</p> + +<p>"Do not," she pleaded gently. +"There is no reason, really. It is but +Mr. Kingston's whim."</p> + +<p>"And are you determined to sacrifice +me to Mr. Kingston's whim?"</p> + +<p>She did not speak, and he repeated +his query in a more imperious +fashion.</p> + +<p>"Are you really going to throw +me over altogether, Miss Fetherstonhaugh? +I only want to know."</p> + +<p>She looked up at him piteously, and +he softened at once.</p> + +<p>"Tell me what I am to do," he +said, in a low voice. "<i>Do</i> you wish +me not to ask you for any dances? +It is a horrible thing—it is enough<span class="pagenum">[54]</span> +to make me wish I had gone to +Queensland on Monday, after all—but +I will not bother you. Tell me, am I +not to ask you at all?"</p> + +<p>"If you please," she whispered +with a quick sigh, full of despairing +resignation. "I am very sorry, but it +is right to do what Mr. Kingston wishes."</p> + +<p>"That is not my view in this +case. However, it is right for <i>me</i> +to do what <i>you</i> wish. And I will, +though it is very hard."</p> + +<p>Here Rachel, feeling all her body +like one great beating heart, moved +away to the door, driven by a stern +sense of social duty.</p> + +<p>Her companion did not follow her, +and she paused on the threshold, +turned round, and then suddenly +hurried back to him.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[55]</span></p> + +<p>"Mr. Dalrymple," she said, putting +out her hand with an impulsive +gesture, "do not wish you had gone +to Queensland instead of coming here +to-night. If you do I shall be <i>miserable</i>!"</p> + +<p>He seized her hand immediately, and +stooping his tall head at the same +moment, brushed it with his moustache. +Then, looking up into her scared face, +he said—like a man binding himself by +some terrible oath:</p> + +<p>"<i>That</i> I never will."</p> + +<p>Once before in that room they had +touched the point where not only mere +acquaintance but warmest friendship +ends. Then it had been to her a new, +incomprehensible experience; now she +could not help seeing the reason and +the meaning of it, though, perhaps, not +so clearly as he.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[56]</span></p> + +<p>In a moment she had drawn her +hand away, and like a bird frightened +from its nest, had vanished out of his +sight, leaving him—thoroughly aroused +from his normal impassiveness—gazing +at the empty doorway behind her.</p> + +<p>When they met again, ten minutes +afterwards, it was in the drawing-room, +which was crowded with people; and +through all the crush and noise, she +was as acutely conscious of his presence +as if he alone had been there.</p> + +<p>She moved about with tremulous restlessness +and downcast eyes; afraid to +look at him—afraid he should look at +her; paying her little civilities mechanically, +and conducting herself generally, +to her aunt's extreme annoyance, more +like a bashful schoolgirl and a poor +relation than ever.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[57]</span></p> + +<p>Mr. Kingston, doing his best to fascinate +Miss Hale, who stood beside +him, giggling and simpering and twiddling +her watch-chain, looked anxiously +at his little sweetheart when she entered, +thought he saw signs of his own +handiwork in her disturbed and downcast +face, called her to him, and until +the great tea-dinner was over, and they +all had to disperse to dress, compassed +her with devout attentions, intended to +assure her of his royal forgiveness and +favour.</p> + +<p>But he did not remove the prohibition, +which made her more and more +resentful as she continued to think +about it, and less and less responsive +to his ostentatious "kindness;" and he +treated Mr. Dalrymple—when he condescended +to acknowledge his presence<span class="pagenum">[58]</span> +at all—with a supercilious rudeness +that Mr. Thornley, in conjugal confidence, +declared to be "very bad form," +and that prompted the gentle Lucilla +to be "nicer" to the younger man than +Rachel had ever seen her. He was +so open in his hostility that it +was generally noticed and talked of +(and the cause of it more or less +correctly surmised).</p> + +<p>The only person who seemed absolutely +indifferent to it and to him was Mr. +Dalrymple himself; and in his secret +heart he was much more glad than +angry to have earned such pronounced +dislike from such a quarter, though as +impatient of what he called "impudence" +as anybody.</p> + +<p>That Adelonga ball was a memorable +event to most of the people that it<span class="pagenum">[59]</span> +gathered together—as what ball is not? +Mr. Thornley celebrated the coming of +age of his son and heir, to begin with. +Mrs. Thornley appeared for the first +time, "officially," after the birth of her +baby, who was the hero of all occasions +to <i>her</i>, and inaugurated a great "county" +reputation as a charming hostess and +woman.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Hardy got her best point lace +irretrievably ruined by catching it on +an unprotected corner of the wire-netting +upon which Rachel had worked +her decorations; and she also saw the +lamentable frustration of several wise +plans that she had made.</p> + +<p>Two young people became engaged; +others, male and female, fell in love, +or began those pleasant flirtations which +led to love eventually.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[60]</span></p> + +<p>Miss Hale on the other hand, quarrelled +with Mr. Lessel, who took upon +himself to object to her extravagant +appreciation of Mr. Kingston's rather +extravagant attentions; and their engagement +was broken off.</p> + +<p>Mr. Lessel at the same time captivated +the fancy of a charming young +lady, only daughter of the Adelonga +family doctor, resident in the township +close by, who was destined in less +than twelve months to be his +wife.</p> + +<p>Mr. Kingston, surfeited with balls, +had a deeper interest in this one than +in any of the hundreds that he had +attended in the course of a long and gay +career.</p> + +<p>Never before had he admired a pretty +woman with such ferocious sincerity as<span class="pagenum">[61]</span> +he admired his little Rachel to-night; +never before had he used such rude +tactics to make the object of his affections +jealous—thereby to subdue rebellion +in her; never before had he been so +defied and circumvented by a being in +female shape as he was to-night by this +presumptive little nobody, whom he had +singled out for honour, and who was +bound to honour him, and his lightest +wish.</p> + +<p>As for Mr. Dalrymple and Rachel—they +must be classed together in this +catalogue of special experiences, for they +shared theirs between them—the Adelonga +ball marked a new and very memorable +departure in the history of their lives. +For half the evening they danced +decorously apart.</p> + +<p>Mr. Dalrymple justified Mrs. Thornley's<span class="pagenum">[62]</span> +expectations, of course, and distinguished +himself above all the dancing men assembled; +Rachel, who had had but +little teaching, was a dancer by nature +and instinct, as light and effortless, as +airy and graceful as a bit of wind-blown +thistle-down.</p> + +<p>She loved it, as she loved all pleasant +and poetic things; and though she could +not have the partner she wanted, and +had to take whom she could get, she +felt to-night, and more and more as +the evening wore away, that she had +never heard and felt, in the strains of +mere senseless instruments and in the +thrill of responsive pulses, music of +mundane waltzes and galops of such +inspired and impassioned beauty.</p> + +<p>There was a young artist from Melbourne +who played lovely airs on a<span class="pagenum">[63]</span> +violin to a piano accompaniment, and +he seemed literally to play upon her, +spiritually sensitive as she was to-night +to the lightest touch of that divine +afflatus which makes poetry of certain +passages in the most prosaic lives.</p> + +<p>Now rapturously happy, now tragically +miserable, and tremulously fluctuating +up and down between these two +extremes, she was blown about like +a leaf in autumn wind by the subtle +harmonies of that magical violin. At +least she thought it was the violin. +We know better.</p> + +<p>At about twelve o'clock she went into +the house on an errand for Lucilla, +and came back by way of the conservatory, +as the first bars of a +Strauss waltz were stealing through +the fern-roofed alleys, with nameless<span class="pagenum">[64]</span> +tender associations in every liquid +note.</p> + +<p>For a few seconds she paused in +the shadowy doorway, a slight, white +figure against the dim background, with +hair like a golden aureola, and milk-white +neck and arms—a gracious vision +of youth and beauty as prince could +wish to see.</p> + +<p>But the Sleeping Princess now was +acutely wide awake; the life that ran +in her quickened pulses was almost +more than she could bear. Her eyes +shone restlessly, her breath fluttered +in her throat, her heart ached and +swelled with some vague, irresistible +passion, as the waves of that delicious +melody flowed over her, like an enchanter's +incantation.</p> + +<p>A few paces off, within the ball-room,<span class="pagenum">[65]</span> +Mr. Dalrymple stood with his back to +the wall watching her; his dark face +was lit and transfigured with the same +kind of solemn exaltation. She turned +her head, and they looked at one +another, mutually conscious of the +supreme moment that had unawares +arrived.</p> + +<p>He held out his hand—she almost +sprang to meet him; and then, oblivious +of betrothals, and promises, and houses, +and diamonds, she floated down the +long room, under the very noses of +her aunt and Mr. Kingston, lying in +a reckless ecstasy of contentment in +her true love's arms.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/c03e.jpg" width="150" height="48" alt="" /> +</div> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum">[66]</span></p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/c04.jpg" width="600" height="132" alt="" /> +</div> + +<h2 id="CHAPTER_IV">CHAPTER IV.</h2> + +<p class="h3">AFTER THE BALL.</p> + +<p><img class="dropimg" src="images/d-w.jpg" alt="W" height="96" width="80" /> + <span class="hide">W</span>HATEVER might have been +Rachel's confusion of mind as +to the nature and consequences +of her escapade, Mr. Dalrymple, from +the moment that he took her in his +arms, understood the situation perfectly. +It was sufficiently serious to a man in +his position, who, whatever his faults, +was the soul of honour; but it was +never his way to dally with difficulties, +and he left himself in no sort of<span class="pagenum">[67]</span> +suspense or uncertainty as to how he +would deal with this one.</p> + +<p>Whether right or wrong, whether +wise or foolish, in any sudden crisis +requiring sudden choice of action, he +obeyed his natural impulse, subject +to his own rough code of duty only, +without an instant's hesitation, and +followed it up with unswerving determination, +totally unembarrassed by any +anxiety as to where it might lead or +what it might cost him, or as to +any ultimate consequences that might +ensue.</p> + +<p>In nine cases out of ten a man of +honour, placed as he was now, would +have regretted an unconsidered act of +folly, and have cast about for means +of extricating himself and the girl who +was behaving badly to her affianced<span class="pagenum">[68]</span> +husband from the position into which +it had led them—even, perhaps, to +the extent of using</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"Some rough discourtesy<br /></span> +<span class="i0">To blunt or break her passion."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>But he was the one man in ten who, +equally a man of honour, felt himself +under no obligation to do anything of +the kind. If she loved him—and now +he knew she did; if he loved her, or +was able to love her—and he allowed +himself no doubt upon that point +from this moment of her self-revelation, +though he had not <i>meant</i> to permit +anybody (least of all a mere child like +this) to supplant the dead woman on +whom the passion of his best years +had been spent—then the thing was +settled. They might waltz together till<span class="pagenum">[69]</span> +daylight, and no one would have any +right to interfere.</p> + +<p>The social complications that surrounded +them, and which a conventional +gentleman would have considered +of the last importance, were +to him mere matters of detail. They +must manage to get out of them as +best they could.</p> + +<p>So he carried her round and round +the room, the most perfect partner +he had ever danced with, who moved +so sympathetically with all his movements +that she might have been his +shadow—but for the electric current +of strong life that her hand in his, +and her light weight on his shoulder, +and the subtle sense of her emotion, +sent thrilling through his veins; and +in the teeming silence his brain was<span class="pagenum">[70]</span> +busy making rapid plans and calculations +for effectively dealing with the many +difficulties that would come crowding +upon both of them as soon as this +waltz was over.</p> + +<p>Clearly, the first thing to do was +to dispose of ambiguities between +themselves.</p> + +<p>"Come into the conservatory," he +said, in a quick under tone, when five +silent, delicious minutes had passed; +"I want to say something to you +before these people begin to spread +all over the place again."</p> + +<p>But even as he spoke, as if a spell +had been broken, the light and rapture +died suddenly out of her face, her +limbs relaxed, her airy footsteps faltered, +she seemed to melt away in his +arms.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[71]</span></p> + +<p>"Oh," she whispered, looking up +at him with tragic eyes, full of fear +and despair, "how wicked I have been! +What <i>will</i> he say to me?"</p> + +<p>"Never mind <i>him</i>," replied Mr. +Dalrymple; "you must not let him +have any right to dictate to you any +more—you must break off your engagement +at once, and get out of his +hands. Wicked!—the only wicked +thing would be to deceive him any +longer. You <i>know</i> you don't love him. +Come into the conservatory, and let us +talk about it. <i>Do</i> come—there is nobody +there now!"</p> + +<p>But Rachel, being a woman, and a +coward, and only eighteen years old, +would not come. She knew what she +wanted, but she dared not do it—she +dared not even think of it.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[72]</span></p> + +<p>"I must not—I must not!" she +protested, in a childish panic of terror. +"Let me go, Mr. Dalrymple, <i>please</i>—I +have done very wrong—I am afraid +to stay——"</p> + +<p>And slipping out of his arms, which +did the utmost that courtesy permitted +to hold her, she fled through a doorway +near and disappeared; and thus +threw away an opportunity the loss of +which was to cost them both long +days and nights of suspense and +suffering—as she foresaw with agonies +of regret, even while she did it.</p> + +<p>Mr. Dalrymple danced and talked, +and sauntered about, proud and cool +as usual to the superficial observer, +but raging with impatience in his +heart, and watched for her return; +but he saw her no more until supper<span class="pagenum">[73]</span> +time, when she was led into the +dining-room, looking very pale and +quiet, on Mr. Kingston's arm.</p> + +<p>The whole night passed, and he +never had a chance to get near her +again; though as may be supposed, it +was from no lack of effort on his +part; and he went to the laundry at +last, hours after she had gone to bed, +to change his clothes preparatory to +taking a morning walk up the hills, +without even having had the satisfaction +of one look from her eyes, +which, however timid and terrified, +he felt sure would have told him the +truth.</p> + +<p>She did not come into the drawing-room +before breakfast; and at that +irregularly conducted meal she sat +again by Mr. Kingston's side, the<span class="pagenum">[74]</span> +whole table's length from him. But +glancing round her as she took her +seat, she met his fixed gaze, and +bowed with a subtle, wistful impressiveness +that reassured him completely +as to the state of her mind towards +him, let her outward actions be what +they might.</p> + +<p>It was very tantalising; all his +habitual calmness was upset; his very +hand trembled as he took his coffee +from Lucilla, and once when his +gentle hostess spoke to him, he did +not hear her.</p> + +<p>The fret of this state of things, +it is needless to say, chafed his +incipient passion into flame; and the +flame was kept up thereafter, at a +more or less fierce heat and brightness, +by the winds of adversity that<span class="pagenum">[75]</span> +ought to—and in nine cases out of +ten would—have put it out.</p> + +<p>After breakfast the company began +to disperse in a desultory manner +by installments. Some of the guests +lingered until the afternoon; some until +the next day.</p> + +<p>The Digbys were the first to leave—partly +because they had so far to +go, partly because Mrs. Digby was +anxious about her children—and of +course Mr. Dalrymple had to go with +them.</p> + +<p>He hunted in vain for Rachel when +the breakfast party broke up. She +<i>knew</i> he was hunting for her, and she +longed to go to him, and therefore +as a matter of course, she hid +herself.</p> + +<p>Only at the last moment, as he<span class="pagenum">[76]</span> +was about to ride gloomily away, she +appeared on the threshold of one of +the inferior front doors, pale and +shrinking, but desperate with vague +despair—thinking to solace herself with +one more glimpse of him when he +would not know she was looking. +But he saw her in a moment, flung +himself from Lucifer's back, and +caught her before she could steal away +again.</p> + +<p>It was not the sort of farewell he +had hoped for—several of the ladies +came straggling about them before +they could exchange half a dozen words—but +it was infinitely better than +none.</p> + +<p>"Are you going to Queensland?" +Rachel asked, in a tone which said plainly—"Are +you going away from me?"</p><p><span class="pagenum">[77]</span></p> + +<p>"I must go," he replied; "but I +shall not stay—I shall come back as +quickly as possible. And you—what +will you do?"</p> + +<p>She flushed scarlet and dropped her +eyes, and her lips began to quiver. +The rustle of Mrs. Hardy's majestic +skirts was heard approaching. It was +too late for confidences.</p> + +<p>"I hope, when I come back, I shall +find you free," he whispered hurriedly, +emphasising the significance of the +words with the crushing clasp of his +hand over hers and the eager desire in +his eyes; and then he took off his cap, +included all the ladies in one last +silent adieu, remounted his horse, and +departed.</p> + +<p>As he rode through the bush this +lovely spring morning, near enough to<span class="pagenum">[78]</span> +the waggonette to open the gates for it, +but far enough away to indulge in his +meditations undisturbed, he pondered +many things; and particularly he +wondered, with a devouring anxiety, +what Rachel had been doing and thinking +of since she left him so abruptly +at midnight, after practically giving herself +to him.</p> + +<p>If he could have known it is doubtful +if he would have felt so certain +of her as he was, though nothing would +have deterred him now from making +the best fight in his power for the +possession of her.</p> + +<p>When, in terror of the consequences +of what she had done, she broke +away from him and escaped out of +the ball-room, she rushed to her own +room, forgetting until she dashed into<span class="pagenum">[79]</span> +the middle of an untidy litter of open +boxes and portmanteaus which Miss +Hale had left on the floor, that it was +not hers to-night; and then she turned +and sped down one of the innumerable +passages into the quiet starlight outside, +and sought refuge in that lonely arbour +at the bottom of the garden, which +already, not many hours before, had +given sanctuary to these new emotions.</p> + +<p>That she courted bronchitis and +consumption, exposing her bare warm +arms and bosom to the chill of a frosty +night, was a trivial circumstance quite +unworthy of consideration.</p> + +<p>In this arbour she abandoned herself +to the full luxury of that passion +which was neither joy nor grief, and +yet had the pain and ecstasy of both +in the sharpest degree.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[80]</span></p> + +<p>She knelt on the damp floor, +and leaned her arms on the dusty +bench, regardless of panic-stricken +ants and enterprising black beetles, +and she shook from head to foot with +sobs.</p> + +<p>"Oh my love!" she murmured to +herself. "Oh, my love!"</p> + +<p>And then presently lifting herself up +and appealing to the star-worlds far +away, and the immutable universe in +general:</p> + +<p>"Oh, what shall I do? Oh, what +can I do?"</p> + +<p>By and bye she sat down on the +bench, clasped her hands on her +knees, and tried her best to compose +herself.</p> + +<p>The keen air made her shiver, +and perhaps it did something to cool<span class="pagenum">[81]</span> +her agitation and brace her nerves as +well.</p> + +<p>Slowly she gathered her wits together, +made tremulous efforts to +school herself to be womanly and +courageous, and at last crept back +to the lighted and crowded house, +hugging a brave but terrible resolution.</p> + +<p>She went to the nearest fire to +warm herself. It was in a little room +adjoining the dining-room, where the +last preparations for supper were going +on.</p> + +<p>As she knelt on the hearthrug, +extending her white arms to the +blaze, Mr. Kingston came behind her +and laid his hands on her shoulders, so +silently and unexpectedly that she gave +a little startled cry.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[82]</span></p> + +<p>"Did I frighten you, my pet?" +said he, gaily; "I beg your pardon. +I couldn't think where you were +gone to. I am afraid you are tired. +You have been waltzing too much. +That fellow Dalrymple does go round +at a killing pace with his long legs. +Poor Miss Hale couldn't stand him +at all—she nearly fainted. Ah, naughty +child! Didn't I tell you not to dance +with him? And you never paid the +least heed! If this is how you defy +me now, what am I to expect after +we are married, eh?"</p> + +<p>She looked up in his face with +guilty, bewildered eyes. He was not +by any means so cool as he assumed +to be, but it was evident that +he intended to ignore her offence, +and was not going to scold her.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[83]</span></p> + +<p><i>He</i> was not young and rash, if +she was; and the few minutes he +had taken for reflection, during her +absence in the garden, had shown +him where the path of wisdom lay. +Her first sensation was one of extreme +relief; and then she became slowly +conscious of a vague sinking at her +heart.</p> + +<p>Once more she sighed to herself—feeling +discouraged and overpowered, +and unequal to the formidable vastness +of her resolution—"Oh, what shall +I do?"</p> + +<p>It would have been much better—much +easier—if he had scolded +her.</p> + +<p>Before the revels of the night were +quite over, Mrs. Hardy sent her to +bed, noticing that she was looking<span class="pagenum">[84]</span> +unusually quiet and pale. She was +very glad to go, and made haste to +hide herself in the little impromptu +nest that had been prepared for her +on a couch in her aunt's room, before +that lady should require the use of +her apartment.</p> + +<p>She was wide awake, however, when +Mrs. Hardy joined her, and too restless +to disguise it; and the elder +woman, who knew nothing of the +girl's entanglements with her two +lovers—who had, indeed, congratulated +herself on the prudent abstinence +which had been unexpectedly practised +with reference to "that objectionable +young man" who was such a dangerously +delightful dancer—gossiped and +grumbled over the little events of the +evening, chiefly of the accident to her<span class="pagenum">[85]</span> +lace and the absurdities of Miss Hale +and Mr. Lessel, who were publicly +known to have had a serious misunderstanding, +unaware of her listener's +pre-occupation, until the candles were +finally extinguished.</p> + +<p>About an hour later, as she was +anxiously cogitating what steps she +should take towards the repairing of +her own mishap, Mrs. Hardy thought +she heard a suspicious sound in the +silence of the room.</p> + +<p>"Rachel," she called, softly; "is +that you, child?"</p> + +<p>No answer. Only a rustle of drapery, +indicating that Rachel had turned over +in her bed. She listened a few +minutes, and the suspicious sound +was repeated. Raising herself on her +elbow, she called more loudly.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[86]</span></p> + +<p>"You are not <i>crying</i>, Rachel, are +you?"</p> + +<p>The girl flung herself out of bed, +ran across the room, a little white +ghost in the faint dawn, and threw +her arms round her aunt's neck. She +had no mother, poor little thing, to +tell her troubles to; and she wanted +a mother now.</p> + +<p>"Oh, dear Aunt Elizabeth," she +sobbed passionately, "do help me—I +am so miserable! I don't want to +marry Mr. Kingston! I don't love +him—I have made a mistake! I didn't +think enough about it, and now I +know we should never suit each +other. Won't you tell him I was too +young, and that I made a mistake? +Won't you—oh, please do!—help me +to break it off?"</p><p><span class="pagenum">[87]</span></p> + +<p>On what a mere chance does destiny +depend.</p> + +<p>If Mrs. Hardy's evening had been +triumphant and prosperous—if she had +not torn her best lace, and torn it in +consequence of Rachel's carelessness—she +would probably have received the +girl's touching confidence as a tender +mother should. As it was, she felt that +after all her fatigues and worries, this +was really too much.</p> + +<p>"What nonsense are you talking, +child?" she exclaimed angrily. "Is it +any fault of Mr. Kingston's if Miss +Hale behaves like an idiot? She is +nothing but a vulgar flirt, and he +knows it as well as you do—only +it is his way to be attentive to all +women."</p> + +<p>"Miss Hale!" repeated Rachel vaguely;<span class="pagenum">[88]</span> +"I'm not thinking of Miss Hale. +I am not blaming anybody—only myself. +I was very wrong to accept Mr. +Kingston at the first—oh, aunt, you +<i>know</i> we are not suited to each other! +He ought to marry somebody older and +grander, and I—I thought I should +like to be rich, and to live in that +house—and I thought I should come to +love him in time; but now I know it +was all a mistake. Do—do let me +break it off before it goes any further! +Let me stay with you—I shall be <i>quite</i> +happy to stay with you and Uncle +Hardy, if you'll only let me!"</p> + +<p>"You are dreaming," replied her +aunt, giving her a slight shake in the +extremity of her dismay and mortification; +"you talk like a baby. Do you +think a man is to be taken up one day<span class="pagenum">[89]</span> +and thrown away the next? And it is +worse than that to jilt a man—and Mr. +Kingston of all people—after being +engaged to him for months, as you +have been, and after leading him into +all sorts of preparations and expense. +The bare idea is monstrous! And all +for nothing at all, but some ridiculous +sudden fancy! You may have seen +things of that sort done amongst the +people you have been brought up +with, but no <i>lady</i> would think of +disgracing herself and her family by +such conduct."</p> + +<p>"Oh, aunt!" moaned Rachel piteously, +as if she had had an unexpected +blow.</p> + +<p>"I don't like to speak harshly to +you, my dear," Mrs. Hardy proceeded, +in a rather more gentle, but still irritated<span class="pagenum">[90]</span> +tone. "Only you <i>must</i> not vex +me with such absurd and childish +notions. I know it is only a passing +whim—you are over-tired, and you are +hurt because Mr. Kingston paid Miss +Hale so much attention, though it is +only what he does to all women, without +meaning anything whatever; but still +it is a serious and horrible thing—breaking +an engagement, a really happy +engagement, as yours is—jilting a kind, +good man, after giving him every +encouragement—even to <i>think</i> of! Don't +let me hear you mention it again, +unless you want to break my heart +altogether. And after all I have done +for you—I don't want to boast, but I +<i>have</i> been a good aunt to you, Rachel, +and you would have been in a poor +place but for me—the least you can do<span class="pagenum">[91]</span> +is to respect my wishes, especially as +you know I wish nothing but what is +for your real good and welfare."</p> + +<p>Rachel wandered back to her bed, +laid her head gently on the pillow, and +closed her eyes. Mrs. Hardy in the +dead silence that presently ensued, was +relieved to think that she had "settled +off" at last; but it was not sleep that +kept her so quiet—it was the calmness +of defeat and despair.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/c04e.jpg" width="150" height="185" alt="" /> +</div> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum">[92]</span></p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/c05.jpg" width="600" height="130" alt="" /> +</div> + +<h2 id="CHAPTER_V">CHAPTER V.</h2> + +<p class="h3">RACHEL'S FIRST VISIT IN MELBOURNE.</p> + +<p><img class="dropimg" src="images/d-i.jpg" alt="I" height="96" width="80" /> + <span class="hide">I</span>N the last week of August, +when the place was looking +its loveliest—the rustic gables +of the pretty house all hung with +wistaria, and the shrubberies full of +fragrant bushes of purple and white +lilac—Mrs. Hardy, Mr. Kingston, and +Rachel took their departure from Adelonga. +It was to one of them a truly +heart-breaking business.</p> + +<p>Rachel stood on the verandah while<span class="pagenum">[93]</span> +the horses were being put to, clasping +Lucilla and the baby alternately to her +heart, and wept without restraint, until +her eyes were swollen, and her delicate +colour resolved into unbecoming +red patches, and there was scarcely a +trace of her beauty and brightness +left.</p> + +<p>No one but herself was at all able +to realise what this moment cost her. +She was not only leaving a place where +she had spent the happiest period of +her youth; not only parting from +friends with whom she had established +the most tender and sympathetic relations; +she was closing a chapter, or +rather a brief passage, which was the +one inspired poem of her life; and she +was saying good-bye to Hope.</p> + +<p>As long as she was at Adelonga,<span class="pagenum">[94]</span> +there was the chance that Mr. Dalrymple +might come back—at any rate, notwithstanding +the Queensland arrangements, +there was a constant impression that +he was near. And as long as she was +at Adelonga she had felt bold to strive, +by various feeble and ineffectual devices, +to extricate herself from her engagement.</p> + +<p>Now she was going where it seemed +to her her lover would never be allowed +to reach her, and where in a hard +world of money and fashion, and under +the terrible dominion of "the house," +she would be a helpless victim in the +hands of Fate.</p> + +<p>"Good-bye, darling Lucilla!" she +sobbed; "thank you so much—I have +been so happy here—I am so sorry to +go away!"</p><p><span class="pagenum">[95]</span></p> + +<p>The gentle woman was inexpressibly +touched, and of course cried for company. +Mrs. Hardy had her own maternal +reluctance to face an indefinite term of +separation from her daughter. And +altogether Mr. Kingston was not without +justification for his unusually irritable +frame of mind.</p> + +<p>He did not like to see women crying; +he was particularly annoyed that Rachel +should exercise so little command over +herself, and that she should have red +eyes and a swollen nose; and he was +uneasy about the untoward episode +which had been the first hitch in the +smooth current of his engagement, and +wondered whether it could be possible +that a lingering fancy for that Dalrymple +fellow was making her so unwilling to +return to her Melbourne life.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[96]</span></p> + +<p>Moreover, he hated country travelling—long +drives over rough bush roads, +and bivouacs at country inns, where the +food was badly cooked and the wine +detestable; and he was suspicious about +the behaviour of the Adelonga horses, +whose little traits of character came +out rather strongly in the invigorating +air of spring; and he had a nasty +touch of gout.</p> + +<p>However, the day was fine, and the +drive was lovely. As she was carried +along, with the soft air blowing in her +face, full of the delicious fragrance of +golden wattle, Rachel ceased to cry—becoming +calm, and pensive, and pretty +again—and took to meditation; wondering, +for the most part, what Queensland +was like, and how it was she +could ever have thought Melbourne, as<span class="pagenum">[97]</span> +a place of residence, preferable to the +bush.</p> + +<p>They passed a charming little farmhouse, +more picturesque in the simple +elegance of its slab walls and brown +bark roof than any Toorak villa of +them all, set in its little patch of +garden, with fields of young green corn +and potatoes, neatly fenced in, behind +it. It had its little rustic outbuildings, +its bright red cart in the shed, +its tidy strawyard, its cows and pigs +and poultry feeding in the bush close +by.</p> + +<p>The farmer was working in his garden; +the farmer's wife, on her knees beside +him, was weeding and trimming the +borders of thyme that ringed the little +flower beds. They both paused to gaze +at the imposing equipage crashing<span class="pagenum">[98]</span> +along with its four strong horses, and +at the ladies and gentlemen perched so +high above them; and Rachel, looking +down from her box-seat, thought she +had never seen such a picture of rural +and domestic peace. She had suddenly +ceased to regard material wealth and +splendour as in any way essential to +happiness.</p> + +<p>To live in some such home as this +(provided one had enough to live on +and to pay one's way), working +with one's own hands for the man +one loved—that seemed to her at this +moment the ideal lot in life.</p> + +<p>Having started from Adelonga an +hour before noon, the horses were taken +out at two o'clock to be fed and +watered, and the little party camped +beside a shady water-hole for lunch.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[99]</span></p> + +<p>Lucilla had put up a bounteous +basket of good things, and all the +materials for afternoon tea; and the +fun of arranging the grassy table first, +and of making a fire and boiling the +kettle afterwards—not to speak of the +very satisfactory meal that intervened—had +its natural effect upon our impressionable +heroine of eighteen.</p> + +<p>Her <i>fiancé</i>, much revived by a tumbler +of dry champagne, carefully cooled in +the water-hole, was also in improved +spirits and temper, and he set himself +to be very kind to his little +sweetheart, and forgave her all her misdeeds.</p> + +<p>Between three and four, having had +their tea, the horses were put to, and +they started on their way again; and +just at nightfall they arrived at the<span class="pagenum">[100]</span> +railway, and at the inn where they were +to spend the night.</p> + +<p>Here they found dinner awaiting them, +of which Rachel partook in sleepy +silence; and she went to bed soon afterwards, +and slept too soundly even to +dream of trouble.</p> + +<p>In the morning they parted from Mr. +Thornley, and started by the first train +to town; at noon they lunched in a +railway refreshment-room; and in the +middle of the afternoon they found themselves +once more in Toorak, being helped +out of the family brougham by good-natured +Ned, and welcomed into the +green satin drawing-room by his bright-faced +wife.</p> + +<p>"And so you are back again at +last!" exclaimed Beatrice gaily, as she +took her young cousin into her arms.<span class="pagenum">[101]</span> +"And how are you, dear child? Why +you look quite pale. Take off your hat +and sit down at once, and have some +tea. Mr. Kingston, I don't think this +country air that they talked so +much about has done anything very +wonderful after all. Rachel is not +looking so well as she was when she +left."</p> + +<p>Rachel blushed a lovely rose-colour +immediately, of course, and Mr. Kingston +looked up at her with vague +anxiety.</p> + +<p>"I don't think she is, myself," he +said; "I noticed it as soon as I got up +there. But she will be all right now she +is home again."</p> + +<p>"I am only tired," murmured +Rachel.</p> + +<p>"A girl like you has no business to<span class="pagenum">[102]</span> +be tired," retorted the little woman +brusquely.</p> + +<p>It did not escape her sharp eyes +that something was the matter, and +she determined to take the earliest +opportunity to find out what it +was.</p> + +<p>"I do hope to goodness," she said +to herself, "that it is not her engagement +that she is tired of—and everything +going on so nicely!"</p> + +<p>And then she took off Rachel's sealskin +cap and jacket, settled her by +the fireside, furnished her with a cup +of fragrant tea and some thin bread +and butter, and left her to herself +while she attended to her mother's +wants.</p> + +<p>Beatrice and her tea had a generally +cheering and invigorating effect.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[103]</span></p> + +<p>Mr. Kingston, making himself comfortable +in a very easy chair, grew +talkative and witty upon the news of +the day and the latest items of fashionable +gossip; in the society of this +charming little woman of the world—<i>his</i> +world—the satisfaction of being in town +again began to creep over him pleasantly.</p> + +<p>He stayed for half an hour—outstaying +Ned, who retired modestly at +the end of twenty minutes; then +he led Rachel into the hall, kissed +her, told her to go to bed early +and come out with him for a ride +in the morning, and went off to +his club—sorry to leave his little +lady-love, but glad to be able to +get his letters, to hear what was +going on in Melbourne, and to read his<span class="pagenum">[104]</span> +"Argus" on the day of publication +again.</p> + +<p>After his departure Mrs. Hardy and +Beatrice plunged fathoms deep in talk. +Mrs. Hardy wanted to know how her +husband and her servants, and her +neighbours and her friends, had been +conducting themselves during her absence, +and Beatrice wanted minute particulars +about Lucilla and the baby.</p> + +<p>Rachel had no occasion to feel herself +<i>de trop</i>; at the same time she +saw she was not wanted. She sauntered +softly round the room, laid some +music scattered about over the piano +in a neat pile, re-arranged some yellow +pansies that were tumbling out of a +green Vallauris bowl, and then stole +noiselessly into the hall and out of the +house.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[105]</span></p> + +<p>The grounds of the Hardy domain +were more beautiful with flowers +now than she had ever seen them; +but she did not stay amongst the +flowers. She went down little lonely +paths, intersecting vegetable beds +and forcing-frames, to a gate at +the bottom of the kitchen-garden, +where she was within speaking +distance of the workmen engaged +on the new house, with nothing +to impede a full view of their +operations.</p> + +<p>She was feverishly anxious to know +how they were going on—whether they +were still "pottering at the foundations," +or whether the stage of walls had set +in.</p> + +<p>The working day was not yet over, +and the well-known chinking and clinking<span class="pagenum">[106]</span> +of the stonemason's implements smote +her ear. She thought, when she began +to count them, that there were a great +many more men than there used +to be, and she wondered why this +was.</p> + +<p>The young man who was sent out by +the architects to supervise the builders, +and whose acquaintance she had made +with Mr. Kingston, was walking about +the dusty enclosure, and presently +recognising her, he lifted his hat, +and then seeing that she still lingered, +came up to the gate to speak +to her.</p> + +<p>"How are you getting on, Mr. Moore?" +she asked pleasantly. "Are you still +doing the foundations?"</p> + +<p>Mr. Moore assured her that they +had completed the foundations, and<span class="pagenum">[107]</span> +that they were getting on splendidly.</p> + +<p>"Won't you come out and have +a look at what has been done?" he +inquired.</p> + +<p>She thanked him and said she would; +and he opened the gate with alacrity, +and escorted her through a labyrinth +of bricks and stones, over ground +strewn thickly with sharp-edged chips +that cut holes in her boots, very well +pleased to be the first to show her +the progress that had been made in her +absence.</p> + +<p>She could see for herself that a great +deal had been done. The trenches were +filled up; great square blocks of stone +ridged the outlines of the ground-floor +rooms—little bits of rooms they +looked, and not at all like the stately<span class="pagenum">[108]</span> +and spacious apartments of the architect's +design; but it seemed to her that what +had been done could not be a tenth or +twentieth part of all that there was to +do.</p> + +<p>"I suppose," she said, "it takes a +long time to build the walls and make +such a quantity of windows?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, dear, no," responded Mr. Moore +cheerfully. "All the worst of the work +is over now, as far as the shell is +concerned; the walls will run up in +no time. It is a big house, but there +are plenty of men on it, and all +materials ready. It is after the shell +is done that the real tedious work commences."</p> + +<p>"You mean after the roof is +on?"</p> + +<p>"Yes. The interior decorations are<span class="pagenum">[109]</span> +the chief thing about this house. The +outside is not much."</p> + +<p>"When do you expect the shell will +be finished?" asked Rachel, in fear and +trembling.</p> + +<p>"Some time in the course of the summer—within +the next two or three months +probably."</p> + +<p>"And the roof on?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes; of course the roof on," he +replied.</p> + +<p>There was a pause; and then she said +in a very small, thin voice:</p> + +<p>"Thank you, Mr. Moore. I think I +must go back now."</p> + +<p>He escorted her back to the garden +gate, lifted his hat, and bade her good +evening; and it struck him suddenly—with +far more force than it had +struck Beatrice—that she was looking<span class="pagenum">[110]</span> +extremely unwell, and not at all like +the bright and blooming creature that +she was when she went away.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/c05e.jpg" width="150" height="167" alt="" /> +</div> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum">[111]</span></p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/c06.jpg" width="600" height="133" alt="" /> +</div> + +<h2 id="CHAPTER_VI">CHAPTER VI.</h2> + +<p class="h3">IN MRS. HARDY'S STORE-ROOM.</p> + +<p><img class="dropimg" src="images/d-r.jpg" alt="R" height="96" width="80" /> + <span class="hide">R</span>ACHEL was very young, no +doubt, but she was growing +rapidly. To all intents and +purposes she was at least five years +older when she came home from +Adelonga than she was when she went +there; and the process of development +by no means ceased or slackened at +that point.</p> + +<p>The blossoming of her womanhood +had come suddenly, like the blossoming<span class="pagenum">[112]</span> +of the almond trees, in one warm +burst of spring; but the inner heart, +that budded in secret, continued to swell +and ripen, in spite of—perhaps because +of—the absence of sunshine in her +spiritual life.</p> + +<p>The physical change in her was noticeable +to everybody. Her constitution +was much too sound to be easily +injured by mental wear and tear; but +her health was necessarily affected in +a greater or less degree, temporarily, +for the better or for the worse, by +the more powerful of those mental +emotions to which her body was +peculiarly sensitive and responsive at all +times.</p> + +<p>So she lost some of her delicate +pinky colour, and her large eyes grew +heavy and dreamy, and she looked<span class="pagenum">[113]</span> +generally faded and altered, in the +dulness of these empty days. She had +no more enthusiasm for Toorak life +and Melbourne dissipations. She went +into no raptures over jewels and +dresses, or any pretty things; she had +none of the old zest for operas and +balls.</p> + +<p>She was quiet, and silent, and preoccupied, +moving about the house with +a strange new dignity of manner +(resulting from the total absence of +self-consciousness), a sort of weary +tolerance, as if she had lived in it all +her life, and was tired of it.</p> + +<p>After watching her for a few days, +secretly, and in much perplexed anxiety, +Mrs. Reade made up her mind that +something was seriously wrong, and +that it was time for her to interfere<span class="pagenum">[114]</span> +to set it right. She went to her +mother in the first place for information.</p> + +<p>It was eleven o'clock in the morning, +and Mrs. Hardy was in her store-room, +counting out the day's allowance of +eggs to an aggrieved and majestic +cook.</p> + +<p>The little woman stood by silently, +watching the transaction with a smile +in her brilliant eyes, thinking to herself +what a great mistake it was, if +poor mamma could but see it, to insist +on an inflexible morality and economy +in these petty matters; and when it +was completed, after a little acrimonious +discussion, she quietly shut the door, +and addressed herself to her own business +in her customary straightforward +way.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[115]</span></p> + +<p>"I want to know what is the matter +with Rachel," she began, spreading +her handkerchief on a keg of vinegar, +and sitting down on it deliberately.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Hardy mechanically sought repose +in the one chair of the apartment, +which stood in front of the little table +where she was in the habit of making +out her accounts.</p> + +<p>"I'm sure that is more than I can +tell you, my dear. What an insolent +woman that is!—if she thinks I am +going to let her have the run of my +stores, as Mrs. Robinson did, she is very +much mistaken."</p> + +<p>"Something is wrong with Rachel," +proceeded Mrs. Reade calmly; "and I +want to find out what it is."</p> + +<p>Mrs. Hardy made an effort to smooth +her ruffled feathers down.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[116]</span></p> + +<p>"I think the child must be fretting +for Lucilla and the baby, Beatrice. She +and Lucilla were bosom friends, and she +just went wild about the baby—it +was quite ridiculous to see her with +it. And when she left them she cried +as if she were completely heartbroken; +and she has never been like herself +since. I can't think what else ails her—unless +she is out of sorts, and wants +some medicine. I did give her some +chamomilla yesterday, but it does not +seem to have done her any good."</p> + +<p>"No," said Mrs. Reade, with a sudden +smile, "I don't think it is a case for +chamomilla. She is not ill; she is unhappy—anyone +can see that. <i>You</i> can +see it, can't you?"</p> + +<p>"I'm sure no girl has less cause to +be unhappy," protested Mrs. Hardy<span class="pagenum">[117]</span> +evasively, in a fretful and anxious tone. +"It is very ungrateful of her if she is."</p> + +<p>"But what can have caused it? She +was all right when she went to Adelonga. +Something must have happened while +she was there. She is not merely +fretting after Lucilla and the baby—oh, +no, it is a deeper matter than +that. I am afraid—I really am seriously +afraid, by the look of things—that it +has something to do with Mr. Kingston." +Her mother, though silent, was so obtrusively +conscious and uneasy that she +felt assured, the moment that she looked +at her, of the correctness of her surmise. +"Oh, do tell me what has happened!" +she continued, eagerly. "Something has, +I know. It is what I have been +dreading all along—with these tiresome +delays! They ought to have been<span class="pagenum">[118]</span> +married out of hand, and then there +would have been no trouble."</p> + +<p>"If there <i>is</i> anything wrong between +them," Mrs. Hardy reluctantly admitted, +"it is—I must say that for Rachel, +though she is very trying with her +silly childishness—it is Mr. Kingston's +doings."</p> + +<p>"Of course," assented Mrs. Reade, +promptly.</p> + +<p>"It was on the night of the ball. +He rather neglected Rachel—the first +time I ever knew him to do it—and +he flirted in that foolish way of his—with +Minnie Hale. You know Minnie +Hale?—a great, fat, giggling creature—quite +a common, vulgar sort of girl—not +in the least <i>his</i> sort, one would +have imagined. I don't wonder that +Rachel was offended; I was extremely<span class="pagenum">[119]</span> +vexed with him myself, for he did it so +openly—everybody noticed it. It was +so bad, really, that the man that horrid +girl was engaged to, Mr. Lessel, broke +off with her on account of it. That +will show you. She was a great deal +worse than he was, of course. But he +went great lengths. Perhaps he had +been taking too much wine," she sighed, +plaintively.</p> + +<p>"No," said Mrs. Reade. "He has +plenty of faults, but <i>that</i> is not one of +them."</p> + +<p>"Rachel was deeply hurt and shocked," +Mrs. Hardy proceeded. "Naturally, for +it was not a thing she had been used +to, poor child. She took it very much +to heart—so much that she wanted, +like Mr. Lessel, to break off her engagement +there and then." Here Mrs. Hardy<span class="pagenum">[120]</span> +went into details of poor Rachel's unsuccessful +struggle for deliverance. "But +of course I reasoned with the foolish +child," she added conclusively; "I talked +her out of <i>that</i>."</p> + +<p>Mrs. Reade sat very still, tracing +patterns on the floor with the point of +her parasol.</p> + +<p>"And did they have a quarrel?" she +asked, vaguely. She was evidently thinking +of something else.</p> + +<p>"No. There was a coolness, of course, +but—oh, no, I am sure they did not +quarrel. He has seemed anxious to +make up for it, and she has not shown +any temper or resentment. But things +have been uncomfortable if you can +understand—very unsatisfactory and +uncomfortable—ever since. I think she +was disappointed in him, and cannot<span class="pagenum">[121]</span> +get over it. I have been hoping that +it was all right, and that she was +only unsettled and dispirited about +leaving Adelonga. But now you mention +it—yes, now I think of it—I'm +afraid she is brooding over that other +trouble still. Foolish child! she lives +in a world of romantic ideals, I suppose."</p> + +<p>"<i>Why</i> did Mr. Kingston flirt with +Minnie Hale?" asked Mrs. Reade, +looking up at her mother impressively.</p> + +<p>"Oh, my dear, you know him as +well as I do."</p> + +<p>"You think he was worn out with +being good?"</p> + +<p>"He <i>has</i> been good, Beatrice—very +good—ever since his engagement."</p><p><span class="pagenum">[122]</span></p> + +<p>"Yes, he has. But if he had had +a mind to misbehave, I don't think +his duty to Rachel would have stopped +him. The fact is, since his engagement +he has never wanted anyone +but her. I have watched him closely, +and wonderful as it seems, he has +never shown the slightest disposition +to flirt beyond the stage of pretty +speeches—not even when she was +away—not even with Sarah Brownlow."</p> + +<p>"It is a great pity," sighed Mrs. +Hardy. "I wish they were safely +married."</p> + +<p>"And at the worst of times," the +younger lady proceeded thoughtfully, +regardless of the interjection, "he +was fastidious in his choice—he liked +someone who was either pretty or<span class="pagenum">[123]</span> +clever, or decidedly attractive in some +way. I never knew him take any +notice of a girl of <i>that</i> sort before."</p> + +<p>"There is no accounting for men's +tastes, my dear."</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes," Mrs. Reade replied +promptly; "I know that Minnie Hale +is not <i>his</i> taste. I know he did not +go on with her as you say he did, +merely for the pleasure of it to himself. +I think it must have been to +spite Rachel."</p> + +<p>"Beatrice!"</p> + +<p>"Yes, mother—that is what I think. +It is the only reasonable motive he +could have had."</p> + +<p>"But why on earth should he wish +to spite Rachel?"</p> + +<p>"That is what I want you to tell<span class="pagenum">[124]</span> +me. You were in the house with +them—try and think of all that happened +just before the ball. I'm +certain something was wrong between +them, to begin with. Perhaps you did +not notice it at the time, but you +might remember little circumstances—" +Mrs. Reade broke off, and watched +her mother's disturbed face with +bright attentiveness. "<i>Rachel</i> did not +flirt with anybody, did she?"</p> + +<p>"Now, my dear, you know the +child is incapable of such a thing."</p> + +<p>"Oh, I don't mean deliberately, of +course. But she might do it accidentally, +with those sentimental eyes +of hers. And she <i>is</i> so charmingly +pretty!"</p> + +<p>"No, she certainly did not flirt," +said Mrs. Hardy; "she has never<span class="pagenum">[125]</span> +given him any uneasiness on that +score, pretty as she is, and never +will, I am quite sure. But there was +a man——"</p> + +<p>"Ah!" sighed Mrs. Reade, laying +her parasol across her knees, and folding +her hands resignedly.</p> + +<p>"Why do you say 'ah,' Beatrice, +before you hear what I am going to +tell you? There was a man there +whom Mr. Kingston disliked very +much. He gave himself airs, and they +somehow came into collision, and Mr. +Kingston was in rather a bad temper. +That was all that went wrong before +the ball, and Rachel had nothing to +do with that."</p> + +<p>"Do you think so? I am certain +she had," the young lady replied +deliberately.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[126]</span></p> + +<p>"Well, if you think you know better +than I do, who was there to +see——"</p> + +<p>"Go on, dear mamma. Tell me all +about him. Who was he? What was +he like?"</p> + +<p>Mrs. Hardy, pocketing her dignity, +proceeded to describe Mr. Dalrymple, +with great amplitude of detail, as +he had appeared from her point of +view.</p> + +<p>The result was a kind of superior +Newgate villian, of good birth and +distinguished presence, whom Mrs. +Reade regarded with a sinking +heart.</p> + +<p>"Oh, dear me!" she sighed, blankly, +"what a pity! What a grevious +pity!"</p> + +<p>"I <i>can't</i> see why you should look<span class="pagenum">[127]</span> +at it in this way, Beatrice. I tell +you she had little or nothing to say +to him, and she only danced with +him once the whole evening. I took +care to point out to her the kind of +man he was, and to warn her against +him."</p> + +<p>"You ought not to have done +that."</p> + +<p>"My dear, you will allow me to be +the best judge of what I ought to +do. She was very good and obedient, +and she acted in every way as I +wished her."</p> + +<p>"But she liked him, didn't she?" +asked Mrs. Reade.</p> + +<p>"Yes," Mrs. Hardy admitted, with +evident reluctance, "I am afraid she +did like him."</p> + +<p>"I am sure she did," said Mrs.<span class="pagenum">[128]</span> +Reade, decisively. "And there is more +than liking in the matter, unless I +am much mistaken. I have never +been in love myself," she remarked +frankly, "but I fancy I know the +symptoms when I see them. I feared +from the first that it was something +of that sort that was the matter with +her. At any rate—" putting up her +hand to stay the imminent protest on +her mother's lips—"at any rate, if +he has not made her love him, he +has made her discontented with Mr. +Kingston."</p> + +<p>"Well, Beatrice," the elder woman +exclaimed, with an impatient sigh, +rising from her chair, "if such a +thing should be—if such a misfortune +should have happened after all my +care—we must only do the best<span class="pagenum">[129]</span> +we can to mend it. Thank goodness +he's gone. He is not at all likely +to give her another thought. If he +does—" Mrs. Hardy shut her mouth +significantly, and her Roman nostrils +dilated.</p> + +<p>"You can't help his thinking what +he likes," said Mrs. Reade, with a +gleam of mockery in her bright +eyes.</p> + +<p>"I can help his doing anything +further to disturb her. I can see +that he never meets or speaks to her +again."</p> + +<p>Mrs. Reade continued to smile, looking +at her majestic mother with her +bird-like head on one side.</p> + +<p>"I hope so," she said. "I'm sure +I hope so, if you can do it without +her knowledge. But if you should<span class="pagenum">[130]</span> +have to act, whatever you do, don't +make martyrs of them."</p> + +<p>"Don't talk nonsense," retorted Mrs. +Hardy.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/c06e.jpg" width="150" height="147" alt="" /> +</div> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum">[131]</span></p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/c07.jpg" width="600" height="130" alt="" /> +</div> + +<h2 id="CHAPTER_VII">CHAPTER VII.</h2> + +<p class="h3">"HE HAS COME BACK."</p> + +<p><img class="dropimg" src="images/d-m.jpg" alt="M" height="96" width="80" /> + <span class="hide">M</span>RS. READE, being satisfied +that she had found out +Rachel's complaint—as indeed +she had—put her under treatment +without delay.</p> + +<p>On the very day of her interview +with her mother in the store-room, +she sought and obtained permission to +take the patient home with her for a +week's visit, in order to try the experiment +of change and a new set of<span class="pagenum">[132]</span> +dissipations, and to make her preliminary +investigations undisturbed.</p> + +<p>She had a charming house of her +own at South Yarra, which she "kept" +admirably, and where, in an unpretensious +manner, she had established a +little <i>salon</i> that was a fashionable head +centre in Melbourne society, and well +deserved by virtue of its own legitimate +merits to be so.</p> + +<p>She was not severely orthodox in +these matters, like Mrs. Hardy, who +weighted her entertainments with any +number of dull people, if they only +happened to be in the right set; though +she was quite ready to acknowledge +the propriety of her mother's system in +her mother's circumstances.</p> + +<p>There was no want of refinement in +her hospitality, but there was a delicate<span class="pagenum">[133]</span> +flavour of Bohemianism that, like the +garlic rubbed on the salad bowl, was +the piquant element that made it +delightful—to those, at any rate, who +were sufficiently intelligent to appreciate +it.</p> + +<p>If men and women were uninteresting, +she could have nothing to do with +them, though they were the very "best +people;" that is to say, she limited her +intercourse to those ceremonial observances +which rigid etiquette demanded.</p> + +<p>If they were clever and cultured, and +otherwise respectable and well-behaved, +and were capable of being fused harmoniously +into the general brightness +of her little circle, she was inclined to +condone a multitude of sins in the +matter of birth and station.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[134]</span></p> + +<p>Artists of all sorts, travellers and +politicians, distinguished members of +every profession (so long as their own +merits and accomplishments distinguished +them) were welcome at her house; +where they would be sure to meet the +most interesting women that a judicious +woman, superior to the petty +weakness of her sex, could gather together.</p> + +<p>So it was that Mrs. Edward Reade's +afternoons and evenings were synonymous +with all that was intellectually +refreshing and socially delightful to +those who were privileged to enjoy +them.</p> + +<p>But so it was, also, that Rachel, in +consideration of her youth, her impressionable +nature, and what were supposed +to be her democratic tendencies, had<span class="pagenum">[135]</span> +not been allowed to know much about +them hitherto.</p> + +<p>"Now, however, the case is different," +said Beatrice, authoritatively, as she +sat in her little pony carriage at the +front door, waiting for her cousin to +come down stairs. "It will do her +good to shake up her ideas a little, +and draw her out of herself. And if +she does take an undue interest in +people of the lower orders"—looking +at her mother with mocking bright eyes—"it +will be so much the better. +Perhaps Signor Scampadini, with that +lovely tenor of his——"</p> + +<p>"Oh, no, Beatrice. Mr. Kingston +would very much dislike anything of +that sort."</p> + +<p>"Anything of what sort?" laughed +Mrs. Reade. "Mr. Kingston can trust<span class="pagenum">[136]</span> +me, mamma. And we must counteract +Mr. Dalrymple somehow."</p> + +<p>"Mr. Kingston himself ought to +counteract him—if there is any counteracting +necessary."</p> + +<p>"Ah!" sighed Mrs. Reade, shaking +her head slightly. She said no more, +but in her own mind she put that +argument aside as useless.</p> + +<p>There had been a time, indeed, when +she had believed Mr. Kingston sufficient +for all purposes, on the basis of +Rachel's apparently modest spiritual +needs; but now she knew she had been +mistaken.</p> + +<p>The girl had grown and changed +since then, and the old conditions no +longer fitted her. The little woman was +disappointed, but she was too wise to +make a fuss about it. Difficulties had<span class="pagenum">[137]</span> +come that she ought to have foreseen +and provided for, but since they had +come, they must be dealt with. "Ah!" +she said, with a sigh and a smile; and +that was the extent of her lamentation.</p> + +<p>So Rachel went away with her to +South Yarra, and had a brilliant week +of it. The weather was warm and +lovely, and the soft air full of the +delicate intoxication of spring time, to +which she was peculiarly susceptible.</p> + +<p>She basked in sunshine as she rattled +about Melbourne streets and suburbs in +Beatrice's little basket-carriage, and as +she sat in Beatrice's bow-windowed +drawing-room, gossiping over afternoon +tea.</p> + +<p>She had a month's allowance of society +dissipation of the most seductive description<span class="pagenum">[138]</span> +in that week—music, dancing, +<i>tableaux vivants</i>, dressing, shopping, +sightseeing, swarms of gay and witty +company from noon till midnight, every +conceivable kind attention from her +cousin, and the most flattering homage +from everybody else—all in an easy and +cosy way that was very charming and +luxurious. It certainly cheered her up +a great deal.</p> + +<p>We <i>do</i> get cheered, against our intention +and desire, against our belief +almost, by these little amenities that +appeal to our superficial tastes, even +when we seem to ourselves to be full of +trouble.</p> + +<p>It is well for us that we are so +susceptible to light impressions, to the +subtle influences of the daily commonplace, +which are like delicate touches to<span class="pagenum">[139]</span> +a crude picture in their effect upon our +lives; if we were not, our lives would +hardly be worth having sometimes, +crippled as they are with great sudden +griefs and disappointments, and wasted +with the lingering paralysis of spiritual +loss and want.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Reade, watching the effect of +her prescription day by day, thought +things were going on very nicely, and +took great credit to herself. She could +plainly perceive that the disturbing +element in the family arrangements was +no trifling ball-room fancy; but she had +great faith in the girl's youth and +gentle character, and in the efficacy of +judicious treatment, and it seemed to +her that her faith had not been misplaced.</p> + +<p>At any rate, she justified her reputation<span class="pagenum">[140]</span> +as a clever woman by the tact she +displayed in the management of her +self-imposed task. No one could have +done more, under the circumstances, to +further the desired end. She did not +have Mr. Kingston about her house +too much; she thought Rachel would +appreciate him more if she had time to +miss him a little. Nor did she force +the girl's confidence with respect to +Mr. Dalrymple, or even invite it in any +way—that is to say, not in any way +that was apparent to <i>her</i>.</p> + +<p>She took no notice of the obvious +indications of her cousin's anxiety to +extricate herself from her engagement, +though secretly they caused her acute +uneasiness. She was a kind little soul, +and though quite content with a <i>mariage +de convenance</i> herself, did not like to<span class="pagenum">[141]</span> +see another woman driven into it against +her will.</p> + +<p>It was for Rachel's good that she +should be tided over those temptations +to squander a substantial future for a +romantic present, which were peculiarly +dangerous to a girl so undisciplined in +worldly wisdom as she, and it was absolutely +necessary to guard her against +the machinations of profligate spendthrifts; +but if she <i>could</i> have fallen in +with the excellent arrangements that +had been made for her, without repugnance +and suffering, what great cause +for thankfulness there would have been!</p> + +<p>So, although she never wavered in +her determination to do what she considered +her duty, she did it, not only +with judgment, but with the utmost +gentleness and consideration.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[142]</span></p> + +<p>She took Rachel to call on certain +shabby and faded women who had made +rash marriages with poor or unsteady +men, that she might see the consequences +of such imprudence in the +sordid tastelessness of their dress and +their household furniture.</p> + +<p>She likewise presented to her notice +the charming spectacle of a young bride +of fashion, as she "received" on her +return from her honeymoon, surrounded +by all the refinements of wealth +and culture in a perfectly-appointed +home.</p> + +<p>She spoke incidentally, but often, of +the habits and customs of fast young +men, in general and in particular, +drawing picturesque illustrations from +her own experience, which tended to +show that they invariably made love to<span class="pagenum">[143]</span> +every girl they came across, and forgot +all about her the moment her back was +turned. She showed her poetic photographs +of foreign cities; she taught +her the value of old lace and china.</p> + +<p>And by these and other insidious +devices, she really contrived to do something +towards weakening the impression +that Mr. Dalrymple had made, and +strengthening the antagonistic cause.</p> + +<p>But when the week was over, and she +took her young charge back to her +mother, intending to apply for an extension +of leave, that she might pursue +the treatment that had proved so +beneficial, alas! all her patient work +was undone in a moment, like the +web of the Lady of Shalott, when she +left off spinning to look at the irresistible +Sir Lancelot riding by.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[144]</span></p> + +<p>They arrived at the Toorak house +rather late in the afternoon, after a +visit to the Public Library to see the +last new picture, and one or two entertaining +calls; and they were told +that Mrs. Hardy was out, but was +expected in every minute.</p> + +<p>Rachel jumped down from the carriage +first, and ran lightly up the +white steps into the hall, with a pleasant +greeting to the servant who admitted +her; and there she stood a few seconds, +to look round upon all the familiar appointments, +as people do when they return +home after an absence.</p> + +<p>And as she looked, her eye fell upon +a card on the hall table, which she +immediately picked up.</p> + +<p>"John," she called sharply, wheeling +round upon him with a sudden fierceness<span class="pagenum">[145]</span> +of excitement that Mrs. Reade, a +dozen yards off, understood to mean +disaster of some sort; "John, when did +this gentleman call?"</p> + +<p>"About half an hour ago, miss."</p> + +<p>"Oh, <i>John</i>—only half an hour!"</p> + +<p>"He said he would call again to-morrow, +miss."</p> + +<p>Mrs. Reade came softly into the hall, +carelessly adjusting her long train behind +her.</p> + +<p>"Who is it, dear?" she asked. +But she had already guessed who +it was.</p> + +<p>Rachel held out the little slip of +pasteboard with an unsteady, shrinking +hand. She could not speak. There was +a great light and flush of excitement +in her face, which yet was as full of +fear as joy.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[146]</span></p> + +<p>"Roden Dalrymple," murmured Beatrice, +reading hesitatingly, as if the name were +unfamiliar to her. "Is not that one of +Lucilla's friends?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," said Rachel, drawing a long +breath and speaking softly. "He was +at Adelonga when we were there. He +went away to Queensland, but—he has +come back."</p> + +<p>"Evidently he has. What a pity we +missed him. He may have brought us +some news from Adelonga. Oh, dear me, +don't you want your tea very badly? I do. +John go and get us some tea, will you?"</p> + +<p>Mrs. Reade did not intend to commit +herself to any course of action until she +had time to think over this new and +most embarrassing complication, so she +dismissed Mr. Dalrymple from the +conversation.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[147]</span></p> + +<p>Rachel turned the card about in her +hands, reading its inscription over and +over again. She was going to carry it +away; but she reluctantly went back +and laid it where she had found it. +Then she followed Beatrice into the +drawing-room like one in a dream.</p> + +<p>The little woman watched her closely +from the corner of her bright eyes, and +she was terribly alarmed. She had had +no idea until now what a formidable +person this Roden Dalrymple was. The +girl was in a quiver of excitement from +head to foot. She wandered restlessly +about the room, vaguely fiddling at the +furniture and ornaments; she could not +control her agitation.</p> + +<p>John brought in the teapot, and Mrs. +Reade peeled her gloves from her small +white hands, and rolling them into a<span class="pagenum">[148]</span> +soft ball, tossed them down amongst +the cups and saucers. She began to +pour out the tea in silence, wondering +what in the world she had better +do.</p> + +<p>The silence was broken by the sound +of carriage wheels crunching up the +drive. Rachel came to a standstill in +the middle of the room, and listened +with a rigid intensity of expectation that +was quite as painful to her companion +as her more demonstrative emotion had +been.</p> + +<p>They heard the bustle of Mrs. Hardy's +arrival, heard John open the front door, +heard the sweep of silken draperies in +the hall. And then they heard a familiar +voice, raised several notes above its +ordinary pitch.</p> + +<p>"John!"</p><p><span class="pagenum">[149]</span></p> + +<p>"Yes'm."</p> + +<p>"When did this gentleman call?"</p> + +<p>"About an hour after you left'm."</p> + +<p>"Did you tell him we were all +out?"</p> + +<p>"Yes'm. And he'll call again to-morrow, +he says."</p> + +<p>"Oh, indeed—will he! You'll just +tell him, <i>whenever</i> he calls, that I am +not at home, John—that <i>nobody</i> is at +home. Do you hear? That gentleman +is not to be admitted."</p> + +<p>"Oh, you stupid woman!" Mrs. Reade +sighed to herself, not meaning to be +disrespectful, but grudging to see delicate +work marred by inartistic hands.</p> + +<p>And then she looked at Rachel, and +realised the catastrophe that had occurred. +All the colour had gone out +of the sensitive face, all its agitation,<span class="pagenum">[150]</span> +all the soft, submissive tenderness that +had characterised it hitherto. She looked +straight before her, with stern eyes full +of indignant passion, and with her lips +set in a hard, thin line.</p> + +<p>The meek little child, who had been +so easy to manage, was going to assert +the rights of womanhood, and to take +the conduct of her affairs into her own +hands.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/c07e.jpg" width="150" height="62" alt="" /> +</div> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum">[151]</span></p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/c08.jpg" width="600" height="136" alt="" /> +</div> + +<h2 id="CHAPTER_VIII">CHAPTER VIII.</h2> + +<p class="h3">"THE LIGHT THAT NEVER WAS ON SEA OR LAND."</p> + +<p><img class="dropimg" src="images/d-m.jpg" alt="M" height="96" width="80" /> + <span class="hide">M</span>R. DALRYMPLE was in Melbourne +for almost the whole +of the time that he had +intended to spare from his partner +and his property in Queensland, which +was nearly three weeks, and he never +once succeeded in communicating with +Rachel, which was the special mission +on which he had come down.</p> + +<p>He called at the Toorak house +again and again, and was always<span class="pagenum">[152]</span> +told that the ladies were not at +home.</p> + +<p>There was not much else that he +could do at this stage of courtship, +knowing nothing of Rachel's circumstances +in connection with Mr. Kingston, +and having had no definite +assurances of her disposition towards +himself; but he did this persistently, +until he became suddenly aware that +Mrs. Hardy did not mean to admit +him.</p> + +<p>Then he wrote a short note to +Mr. Gordon, containing certain instructions +in the way of business, +and an intimation that he might have +to stay in town longer than he +had anticipated, and, therefore, was +not to be calculated upon at +present.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[153]</span></p> + +<p>Having despatched which, he addressed +himself to the matter he +had in hand, with a quiet determination +to carry it through, sooner or +later, by some means.</p> + +<p>It was not his way to plot and +scheme clandestinely, but being driven +to do it, he did it promptly and with +vigour.</p> + +<p>He wrote a long letter to Rachel, +reviewing with delicate significance +the position in which they had stood +to one another on the day of their +parting at Adelonga, and formally +offering himself for her acceptance; +and he begged her to appoint some +time and place where, if she were +willing, she could give herself and +him an opportunity for coming to a +mutual understanding.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[154]</span></p> + +<p>This letter he did not put into the +post, being naturally distrustful of +Mrs. Hardy, but he carried it in +his pocket ready for any chance +that might enable him to deliver +it with his own hands—for which +chance he began to search with +diligence in every place of public +resort where Rachel would be likely +to appear.</p> + +<p>Rachel, in the meantime, was +distracted with suspense and misery. +She saw all possibilities of a legitimate +meeting relentlessly and effectually +circumvented.</p> + +<p>She was kept under such strict +surveillance that she did not even +see her lover's face, except on one +occasion, when she was at the opera, +and when, sitting between her aunt<span class="pagenum">[155]</span> +and Mr. Kingston, she was afraid +to lift her eyes to look at +him.</p> + +<p>She could do nothing in her own +behalf, while she was uncertain of +his intentions. She felt herself more +and more hopelessly in the toils of +her engagement, as day by day, Mr. +Kingston—who yet had mysteriously +changed somehow—became more and +more obtuse to the state of her +mind towards him, and more and +more persistently affectionate and +amiable, and as day by day, Mrs. +Hardy, grown hard and unsympathetic, +impressed more and more +strongly upon her the fact that she +was a penniless and friendless orphan +who owed everything that she had to +her.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[156]</span></p> + +<p>And all the time she loathed the +very sound of Mr. Kingston's voice +and the very touch of his hand, with +an unreasoning passion of repugnance +that she had never thought it possible +she could feel for one who had +been so kind to her; and as a +natural consequence—or cause—she +was consumed with a sleepless fever +of expectation and longing for that +other lover whom she loved.</p> + +<p>But such a state of things could +not last, and after all it came to +an end much sooner than either of +them expected.</p> + +<p>There came a night when Mr. and +Mrs. Hardy had to go to a stately +dinner party which did not include +young girls. A most lovely night it +was, in perhaps the loveliest month<span class="pagenum">[157]</span> +of the year, when there was no +need to put candles in the carriage +lamps, and no need for a fire in the +big green drawing-room, where between +seven and eight o'clock Rachel was +left to amuse herself, in apparent +safety, until bed time. A young moon +shone in at the open windows before +the mellow daylight was gone, as +Mrs. Hardy, in rustling silk and +tinkling jewels, entered to say +good-night.</p> + +<p>The evening wind went whispering +round the house, ruffling a thousand +tufts of bougainvillea that embossed +the outer wall, and breathing into +the dim room the sweetness of early +roses and the fresh fragrance of the +sea.</p> + +<p>To Rachel, ever afterwards, it was<span class="pagenum">[158]</span> +the most beautiful night that the +world had known.</p> + +<p>"Now, my dear, John will light +the gas for you—two burners will do +to-night, John—and you can practise +your music undisturbed. Don't leave +the windows open any longer; it will +be chilly by and bye. And don't sit +up late. Good-night."</p> + +<p>"Good-night, auntie," responded +Rachel.</p> + +<p>She proffered the regulation kiss +in an absent manner, nodded with a +smile to her uncle, who was waiting +outside, and stood on the threshold +of a French window to watch the +carriage until it passed out of the +gates and disappeared.</p> + +<p>Then instead of going to practise +her music, she went out and sat<span class="pagenum">[159]</span> +down on the top of one of the +square pedestals that flanked the +steps of the terrace upon which the +window opened, and clasped her hands +about her knees.</p> + +<p>John left the window open for +her, lit the gas and the piano +candles, returned to find her still +sitting in the same place, as if she +had not stirred, and went away to +make his own arrangements for a +pleasant evening.</p> + +<p>Half an hour later she was wandering +about the garden, heedless of the +chill that was creeping on with +nightfall, and looking before her with +eyes so full of dreams that they did +not see where she was going to—gliding +up and down the level +terraces like a ghost in the dusky<span class="pagenum">[160]</span> +twilight, with the silver of the moonshine +on her golden hair.</p> + +<p>And then, by mere mechanical +submission to the force of habit, +she found herself presently at that +back gate which overlooked "the +house," leaning her arms upon the +upper rail, and staring at the low +ridges of gleaming wall a few dozen +yards off, which were rising as it +seemed to her, with the rapidity of +magic from the foundations that had +taken so long to do, the stony embodiment +of a relentless fate.</p> + +<p>It was very quiet there to-night. +No swarms of carpenters, and bricklayers, +and stonemasons; no idle boys +gaping at them over the fence; no +people walking and driving about the +road.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[161]</span></p> + +<p>She tried the gate, and found it +locked; then she climbed lightly over +it, and holding up her skirts, stole +across the strip of arid waste that lay +between it and the nucleus of the +building which was once to have been +her palace, and now could only be +her prison-house, eager to discover +anything she could that would indicate +the real progress that was being +made.</p> + +<p>She threaded her course daintily +through heaps of brick and stone and +broken <i>débris</i>; she entered the skeleton +house by its gaping porch, and she +wandered about the labyrinth of its +passages and vestibules, feeling her +way with cautious feet and outstretched +hands, until she came to her own +boudoir; and there she sat down on<span class="pagenum">[162]</span> +a joist of the flooring, and laid her +face on her knees and cried.</p> + +<p>The sweetness of the solitary night, +quite as much as the sight of all those +permanently-adjusted ground-floor door +and window frames, melted her into +these sudden tears, full as she was of +the aching rapture of her love and +trouble, which needed but a touch to +overflow. The possibility of a human +spectator of her emotion never for a +moment occurred to her.</p> + +<p>However, Mr. Roden Dalrymple had +also taken it into his head to have an +after-dinner walk in the moonlight, and +happening for a very good reason, to +be prowling about in this neighbourhood, +he had seen the slender little figure +gliding across the open space between +the back gate and the new building,<span class="pagenum">[163]</span> +and he had guessed in a moment whose +it was.</p> + +<p>And so, as Rachel sat with her feet +in subterranean darkness, her hands +clasping her knees just above the level +of the floor that was to be, and her +face hidden in her lap, she heard a +sound, suggestive of midnight robbers +and murderers, that for a moment +paralysed her timid heart; and then a +voice, calling her softly,</p> + +<p>"Miss Fetherstonhaugh! Do not be +frightened. It is only I—Roden Dalrymple."</p> + +<p>He came in through the gap of the +doorway, while she stared at him and +held her breath; he stepped swiftly +and lightly from joist to joist until +he reached the corner where she was +sitting.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[164]</span></p> + +<p>Then he sat down beside her quietly, +as if he were taking a place she had +been keeping for him; and the next +moment—with no question asked and +no explanation given—they were sealing +the most sacred of all contracts irrevocably, +in the silence of the solemn +night.</p> + +<p>It was well for Rachel that, with all +his faults, Roden Dalrymple was not +the reprobate he was supposed to be, +but a man of stainless honour, in +whose keeping the welfare of an +ignorant and imprudent girl was safe; +for—from the day when she went into +the conservatory with him in the first +hours of their acquaintance, stranger as +he was, and she the most modest of +girls, simply because he asked her—she +had laid herself, metaphorically, at his<span class="pagenum">[165]</span> +feet—too simple and single in all her +aims and impulses not to love unreservedly +when she began to love at +all, too strong in her young enthusiasm +for her own ideals to be hampered by +doubts either of herself or him, too +thoroughly natural and ingenuous to +disguise her heart or to bend it to +the yoke of conventional law and +order.</p> + +<p>Now she gave herself up at once, +turning to meet his outstretched arms, +lifting her face to his strong and eager +kisses with a passionate responsiveness +and abandonment that, while it infinitely +quickened his love and gratitude, showed +him plainly that all the responsibility of +her future happiness would rest with him.</p> + +<p>"Oh," she said, with a long sighing +sob, "I have wanted you so!"</p><p><span class="pagenum">[166]</span></p> + +<p>"Have you, indeed?" he replied, +tightening his arms about her with a +gesture that was more significant +than speech. "My little love, you shall +never want me any more, if I can help +it."</p> + +<p>These were the terms of their "initial +marriage ceremony."</p> + +<p>And it is just to Mr. Dalrymple to +say that he not only never took the +slightest advantage of the irregularities +that she innocently allowed, but—at +any rate, not until long afterwards—he +never even saw them.</p> + +<p>That they were candid and truthful +in themselves and to one another was +from the first the essential bond +between them, otherwise unlike as they +were; and to him the absence of the +usual maidenly reticence and reluctance<span class="pagenum">[167]</span> +displayed on these occasions indicated, +all circumstances considered, rather a +finer delicacy of nature than the ordinary, +and never the faintest suspicion +that she held the treasures of love +and womanhood cheaply, even for his +sake.</p> + +<p>Feeling no need of further explanation—understanding +one another, by +that subtle sense which defies analysis, +that instinctive recognition of spiritual +kinship which, in its early development, +was to them what is called +"love at first sight," but which had +in it the germs of a true companionship +and comradeship that might defy +all the accidents of time and chance—they +sat for a few blessed silent +moments side by side, she with her +young head leaning trustfully against<span class="pagenum">[168]</span> +his worn brown face, not wanting to +speak, unwilling even to think of all +the difficulties that lay in ambush +around them, ready to break into this +ineffable peace with the breaking of the +silence; looking over a low window-sill +before them into the quiet night, +with grave and happy eyes—at Melbourne, +lying in a glorified haze of +twilight beneath them, and at the silver +of the sea beyond.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/c08e.jpg" width="150" height="59" alt="" /> +</div> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum">[169]</span></p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/c09.jpg" width="600" height="114" alt="" /> +</div> + +<h2 id="CHAPTER_IX">CHAPTER IX.</h2> + +<p class="h3">ELEVEN P.M.</p> + +<p class="quote">"</p> + +<p><img class="dropimg" src="images/d-r.jpg" alt="R" height="96" width="80" /> + <span class="hide">R</span>ACHEL," said Mr. Dalrymple +presently, speaking her name +as if he had had it in +familiar use for years, "I suppose you +have broken off with <i>him?</i>"</p> + +<p>Rachel did not reply for a few +seconds; he felt her trembling in his +arms.</p> + +<p>"Oh, forgive me," she whispered, +turning her face a hair's-breadth nearer +to his as he stooped to listen.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[170]</span></p> + +<p>And then she told him all the story +of her engagement, as far as her new +experiences enabled her to read it, and +all the circumstances which had combined +to keep her still in captivity +so long after she should have been +free.</p> + +<p>The simple narrative gave even him, +who was rather inclined to make molehills +of mountains, a sense of the +difficulties of the situation, that kept +him silent for a few minutes in unwonted +perplexity of mind.</p> + +<p>"How old are you?" he asked abruptly, +at last.</p> + +<p>"I shall be nineteen in three weeks," +she answered.</p> + +<p>"You are sure you won't be twenty-one?"</p> + +<p>"I'm sure I shan't. Why?"</p><p><span class="pagenum">[171]</span></p> + +<p>"Because if you are only nineteen, +I cannot carry you off and marry you, +love, which would have been the simplest +way out of it."</p> + +<p>"I should not like that way," whispered +Rachel. "It would be a wrong +way."</p> + +<p>"Yes, dear—except as a last resource. +Of course we would try all the other +ways first. But we must have our +rights, you know. If they won't give +them, we must take them—we must get +them as we can."</p> + +<p>"Cannot we be married until I am +twenty-one?" she queried timidly.</p> + +<p>"Not without your guardian's consent. +Is there any chance of my getting that, +or any kind of toleration even, if I call +on him at his office to-morrow and +use all the eloquence at my command?"</p><p><span class="pagenum">[172]</span></p> + +<p>"No. Aunt Elizabeth won't let <i>him</i> +have anything to do with it."</p> + +<p>"If I call on her, then?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, no—not the slightest. In the +first place, she won't see you. And +if she did—oh, no, you must not try—not +yet! I think it would make +everything worse than it is already."</p> + +<p>"Then you see the alternative?—a +separation for perhaps two whole +years."</p> + +<p>"If I know we are going to be so +happy at the end of it——"</p> + +<p>"Ah—at the end of it! It will be a +fine test for you, Rachel."</p> + +<p>"Why for me, any more than for +you? Oh, don't talk of tests!" she +pleaded; "I only want to feel sure +I shall never lose you, and I<span class="pagenum">[173]</span> +don't mind waiting two years. If +only——"</p> + +<p>"If only what?"</p> + +<p>"If only Mr. Kingston would go +away!"</p> + +<p>"Now listen to me," he said gently, +but with his grave peremptoriness, "you +must not let another day pass without +breaking off with him. You +must <i>send</i> him away, Rachel. I am +sorry for him, poor devil, but you +couldn't do him a worse wrong than +let him go on deceiving himself about +you."</p> + +<p>"Oh, do you think I would do that? +Of course I will not. I can do it <i>now</i>—now +that you have come. For now +I shall feel strong, and now I can tell +them why. I shall write him a letter +before I go to bed, and I shall tell<span class="pagenum">[174]</span> +Aunt Elizabeth as soon as I have sent +it. But what will they say to me? It +will be dreadful."</p> + +<p>"Poor little woman! Can't I take the +dreadful part of it for you? <i>I</i> shan't +mind it."</p> + +<p>"You can't. I know it will be better +for us both if you will not have anything +to do with it just yet."</p> + +<p>"I think I <i>must</i> see your uncle, dear, +before I go away again."</p> + +<p>"Well—if you think it best. But it +will do no good with Aunt Elizabeth. He +leaves it all to her."</p> + +<p>Mr. Dalrymple gazed thoughtfully at +the distant horizon, where little points +of yellow twinkled in the silvery obscurity +of the moonshiny bay.</p> + +<p>He was deeply troubled and perplexed +about this tender little creature, and<span class="pagenum">[175]</span> +the idea of leaving her to bear the +brunt of unknown trials for his sake, +seemed too preposterous to be taken +seriously. And yet what else could he +do?</p> + +<p>"Tell me," he said presently, stroking +her silky head as it lay on his breast, +"tell me what is the worst that can +happen to you, Rachel?"</p> + +<p>"The worst," sighed Rachel, "will +be hearing Aunt Elizabeth tell me that +I have repaid all her generosity and +kindness to me with ingratitude and +treachery."</p> + +<p>"That will be very bad. But you +will have to try and make her understand +the real right and justice of it, +love. She must see it, unless she is +stone blind. She can't expect us to +outrage all the laws of nature to suit<span class="pagenum">[176]</span> +her narrow schemes. You don't think +there will be anything still worse?—that +she will make your life wretched by +making you feel your dependence—that +kind of thing?"</p> + +<p>"I am not sure," said Rachel. "She +has been very, very good to me; but +lately—since she has got suspicious +about you—she has been hard. However, +if the worst comes to the worst, +I can go and be a governess or companion +somewhere until you are ready for +me."</p> + +<p>"No, Rachel, no; you must promise +to tell me if you are persecuted in any +way—if you are miserable in your aunt's +house—and my sister Lily will take care +of you. You are not to let the worst +come to the worst—do you hear? You +must let me know of anything that<span class="pagenum">[177]</span> +happens, and I will come at once and +see about it. Oh, my poor little one, I +begin to realise what sacrifices you +will have to make for me! Will you +think the game was worth the candle, +I wonder, when you are as old as I +am?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," said Rachel; "I know I shall—if +you will be as contented with me +then as you are now."</p> + +<p>"Do you <i>really</i> think you have +counted the cost?" he persisted +anxiously. "Remember, you were going +to marry Mr. Kingston, because you +thought it would be nice to be rich +and to live in a grand house and to +wear diamonds."</p> + +<p>"That was before I had seen <i>you</i>. +I don't want to be rich now. Indeed, +I would rather not."</p><p><span class="pagenum">[178]</span></p> + +<p>"Has anybody told you how poor I +am?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," she whispered, stealing a timid +hand to his shoulder. "I have been +thinking of it. Beatrice says it is a +mistake for poor men to marry—that +they cripple their career. But I hope—I +think—<i>I</i> shall not be any burden +to you. Once I was poor, too, and I +know all about it, and I can manage +with a very little. I think I could help +you in lots of ways, and not be a +hindrance."</p> + +<p>"A hindrance, indeed!" he interrupted. +"My darling, if I had you for my companion, +life would be sweet enough for +me, under any circumstances. It was +your comfort and happiness I was thinking +of."</p> + +<p>"I only want to be with you," she said,<span class="pagenum">[179]</span> +under her breath. "I don't care where—I +don't care how."</p> + +<p>"<i>Really</i>, Rachel?"</p> + +<p>"Really, indeed."</p> + +<p>"You are so young! Think what a +number of years you have before you, +in all probability. If you should lose +the colour out of your life too soon, if +you should have to drudge—but I won't +let you drudge," he added, with a sudden +touch of fierceness, "I will take care +of you, and you shall have all you +want. It <i>won't</i> be a sacrifice—not +even all this"—looking round him—"if +you give it up for a man you love, who +has health and strength to work for +you. It would make you miserable if +you had it. You know it would?"</p> + +<p>"I do know it," she responded, without +a moment's hesitation.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[180]</span></p> + +<p>She had finally made up her mind +that after all material poverty was not +the worst of life's misfortunes. Indeed, +provided the element of debt were +absent, she thought it might in Roden +Dalrymple's company, "far from the +madding crowd," in the lonely wilds +of Queensland, be rather pleasant than +otherwise; for it would mean the delight +of working for and helping one another, +and a blessed freedom from interruption +and restraint in the enjoyment of that +wonderful married life which would be +theirs.</p> + +<p>"But I should like to know what +made you take to me," he went on, +in the immemorial fashion, stroking +her soft face. "I should like to +know why you chose, for your first love—I +am your first, am I not, Rachel?"</p><p><span class="pagenum">[181]</span></p> + +<p>"You <i>know</i> you are. And it was no +matter of choice with me—you know +that, too."</p> + +<p>"A man who made shipwreck of his +fortunes for another woman almost before +you were born——"</p> + +<p>"Hush!" interrupted Rachel. "I have +no rights in your past, and I don't want +any. This present is mine, and that is +enough for me."</p> + +<p>"A battered old vagabond——"</p> + +<p>"No," she persisted; "I won't allow +you to call yourself a vagabond. It is +bad enough to hear other people do +it."</p> + +<p>"After seeing him under what one +would be inclined to consider, well, anything +but favourable auspices—for how +many days, Rachel?"</p> + +<p>"Oh," she said, hiding a scarlet<span class="pagenum">[182]</span> +face, "don't remind me of that! It +was too soon—but I could not help +it."</p> + +<p>"The sooner the better, my sweet—if +it lasts," he responded, kissing her +with solemn passion; "and I will <i>make</i> +it last."</p> + +<p>"Do not be afraid of that," she whispered +eagerly. "I know I am young—I +know one ought not to be too positive +about the future—but I <i>feel</i> that it will be +impossible to help loving you always, even +if I try not to, which I certainly shan't. +I am sure I began it when I saw you +riding across the racecourse that day—I +am sure I shall not stop any more +as long as I live. I don't think there +can be another man in the world like +you."</p> + +<p>And so they talked, until it occurred<span class="pagenum">[183]</span> +to one of them to wonder what the +time was. Mr. Dalrymple struck a +match and looked at his watch, Rachel +shielding the small flame from the wind +with her hand.</p> + +<p>"Oh," she exclaimed in dismay, +"what would Aunt Elizabeth say if +she knew I was sitting out here at +eleven o'clock at night!"</p> + +<p>"Call it eleven p.m.," he suggested, +looking at her with his slow smile; +"that sounds so much better."</p> + +<p>"Did you think it was so late? The +time has flown."</p> + +<p>"I <i>felt</i> it flying," he replied. "But +I did not think it was so late. I'm +afraid you must go home, little one. +Oh, dear me, when shall we have +such a time again! Will you come +here to-morrow night, and tell me<span class="pagenum">[184]</span> +how you have got over your day's +troubles?"</p> + +<p>This was not a proposal that Rachel +could accept comfortably, nor that he +could bring himself to press upon her. +But when they came to reconsider their +position and necessities, it was hard to +find an alternative.</p> + +<p>"You see, I must go back to Queensland +in a day or two," Mr. Dalrymple +explained, when, having taken her out +of her hole and dusted her skirts with +his handkerchief, he led her through +the labyrinth of walls into the open +moonlight, and they paused, hand in +hand, for a few last words. "We have +an immense deal to do up there, and +Gordon wants me. I must look after +getting things together for you too. +There is not even a roof for your head<span class="pagenum">[185]</span> +yet. But I can't bear to leave town +without knowing first how matters +are likely to go with you."</p> + +<p>"If you <i>should</i> be obliged to do that—if +I <i>cannot</i> see you again," said +Rachel, "when will you come back?"</p> + +<p>"I will come back in—let me see, +this is October—in two months. I +will be back at Christmas. I should +have liked to see your uncle to-morrow, +just that there should be no mistake +about what I mean to do; but if you +think it will make things harder for +you, I won't, of course. You shall +just tell Kingston what you like, and +the rest of them I will enlighten when +I come. By that time he will be out +of the way and done with, and +we shall have a straight road before +us."</p><p><span class="pagenum">[186]</span></p> + +<p>"Yes," said Rachel, sighing; "I +think that will be best. And perhaps, +by that time, Aunt Elizabeth will let +you in."</p> + +<p>"If she doesn't, I shall bombard the +house."</p> + +<p>"You will be <i>sure</i> to be back at +Christmas?"</p> + +<p>"If I am alive, dear, and a free +agent—certainly. And I shall find you +ready for me then?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes!"</p> + +<p>With this compact between them, and +the giving to Rachel of her lover's town +address, and very explicit directions as +to where she might find him at any +given hour when she might happen to +want him until the day of his departure, +they kissed one clinging, lingering kiss in +motionless silence, and bade one another<span class="pagenum">[187]</span>—though +they did not know it—a long +farewell.</p> + +<p>"Which is your window, Rachel? +Can I see it from here?"</p> + +<p>She pointed to it in silence, it was +very distinct just now in the moonshine, +between two dark pine trees. She was +crying a little, and she could not +speak.</p> + +<p>"I will be here to-morrow night," he +said; "and if you <i>can't</i> come out to +me, have a light in your room at twelve +o'clock, darling, to let me know you are +all right."</p> + +<p>And then they separated; and Rachel +felt rather than saw her way home, so +dazzled with tears was she, while Roden +Dalrymple at her desire remained behind +and watched her.</p> + +<p>She went straight into the house and<span class="pagenum">[188]</span> +upstairs to her room, to gather together, +in a feverish hurry of renunciation, all +her diamonds and jewels, which like +Dead Sea apples, had suddenly become +dust.</p> + +<p>And he, long after she was gone,—long +after Mrs. Hardy's carriage returned, +and all the chimes in the city +had rung the midnight hour—lingered +where she had left him, leaning his +arms on a convenient wall, watching a +lighted window, and thinking. He was +very happy. He had come unawares +upon his happiness, when he was most +in need of it, and it seemed to him +that it was the best he could have +had.</p> + +<p>Anything sweeter than this fresh and +simple heart, which was satisfied +to invest all its wealth in him<span class="pagenum">[189]</span>—anything +brighter than the future she +had spread before him—he did not want +or wish for. It was the amplest compensation +that he could imagine for the +mistakes and disappointments of his +wasted past.</p> + +<p>And yet, though he was hardly conscious +of it—though he would not have +owned to it if he had been—he had a +vague misgiving about her. He did not +wish that she had been less easy to +win; he had no fear that she was mistaking +a sentimental girlish fancy for +love; he did not for a moment apprehend +that she would forsake or wrong +him.</p> + +<p>But there was a suggestion of untried +and untested youth about all the circumstances +of this sudden betrothal, as +far as she had influenced them, and there<span class="pagenum">[190]</span> +was an intangible suspicion that somewhere +she was weak.</p> + +<p>He did not recognise, and therefore +did not formulate, the sentiment that +infused that touch of grave and sad +anxiety into his happy meditations; but, +nevertheless, it was there, and the time +came when it was justified.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/c09e.jpg" width="150" height="185" alt="" /> +</div> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum">[191]</span></p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/c10.jpg" width="600" height="125" alt="" /> +</div> + +<h2 id="CHAPTER_X">CHAPTER X.</h2> + +<p class="h3">MRS. READE'S ADVICE.</p> + +<p><img class="dropimg" src="images/d-r.jpg" alt="R" height="96" width="80" /> + <span class="hide">R</span>ACHEL was not a heroine. +She was simply a sweet and +interesting girl; except that +she was unusually pretty, by no means +above the ordinary level of nice girls. +She was better than a great many +that we are acquainted with, no +doubt, but she was not so good as +some.</p> + +<p>And she had, as has been already +indicated, that fault which, of all<span class="pagenum">[192]</span> +faults, perhaps, is most common to +girls, whether nice or otherwise—that +amiable weakness that is more disastrous +in its consequences than many a +downright vice—she was, if not quite +a coward, cowardly.</p> + +<p>She was afraid to meet difficulties +in the open, as it were—to attack the +main body and scatter them, and have +done with it; she sheltered herself +in ambush, and made desultory attacks +on flank and rear with temporary +compromises, hating the thought of +duplicity and longing to do right, yet +most of all dreading the violent, harsh +hurt to tender sensibilities (whether +her own or other people's) that was +inevitable in the shock of a pitched +battle.</p> + +<p>It is a defect in a woman's character<span class="pagenum">[193]</span> +very much to be deplored, of course, +and it is one that seems unpardonable +to a strong-minded person.</p> + +<p>Nevertheless, it is much more of a +misfortune than a fault (and we may +as well say the same, while we are +about it, of all our constitutional +defects, from red hair to kleptomania, +since we did not choose our parents +nor the social conditions to which we +were born); and to Rachel, whose +instinctive truthfulness and high sense +of moral rectitude prompted her to +struggle hard, if vainly, against it, it +was purely a misfortune, and at no +time in her life more so than +now.</p> + +<p>For, after turning the question over +and over in her mind through all that +feverish and wakeful night, she finally<span class="pagenum">[194]</span> +decided that in breaking off her +engagement with Mr. Kingston she +would not mention, either to him or +to anyone else, the place that Mr. +Dalrymple now occupied in her affections +and affairs.</p> + +<p>As no one was aware of their +having met, and as he was coming +back himself so soon to clear up +everything much better than she could, +she persuaded herself that it would +be not only unnecessary, but in +the highest degree inexpedient, to +aggravate the inevitable pain and difficulty +that was before her and all of +them.</p> + +<p>Hating his very name as they did, +would she not expose her lover to +insult, and his motives and actions +to misconception, and probably prejudice<span class="pagenum">[195]</span> +their chances of happiness irrevocably?</p> + +<p>And at the same time do no good +whatever, but only add an element +of unspeakable bitterness to the disappointment +of her aunt, and to the +mortification of her already ill-used +and much-wronged <i>fiancé</i>, and, as a +matter of detail, an incalculable amount +of difficulty to her own sufficiently +formidable task? She was certain that +she would, and she felt that she could +not, and need not do it.</p> + +<p>It took her all night to mature +her course of action, but having +finally brought herself to believe that +it was not only so much the easiest +to herself, but in every way the best +for all concerned, to ignore Mr. +Dalrymple for the present, she committed<span class="pagenum">[196]</span> +herself to it by writing a long +letter to Mr. Kingston—a tender, penitent, +self-accusing letter, in which she +begged him to forgive her for having +discovered so much too late that they +were unsuited to one another, and +prayed that he might some day be +happier with a better woman than it +was in her power to make him, and +that he would ever believe her his +attached and grateful friend, without +suggesting the existence or possibility +of any other lover, present or to be.</p> + +<p>The natural results followed. Mr. +Kingston, seeing no sufficient reason +for these sudden strong measures, +refused to treat them seriously.</p> + +<p>He was quite aware, and it troubled +him deeply, that she was not happy +in her engagement, and he was very<span class="pagenum">[197]</span> +jealous and suspicious of Mr. Dalrymple, +whom he had seen once or +twice about town; but he had set his +heart upon her, as we say, with the +perverse obstinacy of a fickle man who +had been spoiled by women's flattery, +and the more she seemed to shrink +from him the more he wanted to have +her, and the more he was determined +not to let her go if he could possibly +help it.</p> + +<p>His love not only lacked reciprocity—without +which love is never worthy +to be spelt with a capital L—but it +was so diluted with all sorts of vanities +and egotisms that, though its flavour +was there, the potent spirit was absent, +and he was incapable of making a sacrifice +for her happiness at the expense +of his own.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[198]</span></p> + +<p>When he solemnly assured himself +that he loved her as he had never +loved anyone before, and that he could +not and would not give her up—when +he declared, moreover, that he was +ready to spend his future life in her +service, and would take his chance of +making her care for him—he not only +told the truth, as far as he understood +it, but perhaps he touched the +highest point of heroism of which his +selfish nature was capable.</p> + +<p>All the same, the strong necessities +of the case were the carrying out of +the great enterprise which was symbolised +by the half-built house, and +the realisation of his schemes for his +own enjoyment; the possession (and +the securing from other men) of the +most attractive, the most admired,<span class="pagenum">[199]</span> +and to him most loveable woman of +his set, who had so to speak given +him a legal lien upon her person; +the maintenance of his social position +and dignity, and the avoidance of +ridicule and embarrassment.</p> + +<p>So when he had read Rachel's letter, +with a great expense of bad language +in the first place, and of wise reflection +subsequently, he made up his +mind that it was merely the result of +their Adelonga differences, which had +been rankling in her sensitive heart, +and not the formal resignation that he +would be required to accept.</p> + +<p>"No, no, young lady," he said to +himself, as he made a careful toilet +before setting forth to see her, "I +have not sacrificed my liberty and all +my comfortable habits, at your instigation<span class="pagenum">[200]</span> +and for your sake, to take +my <i>congé</i> at the eleventh hour in this +way."</p> + +<p>And then he cast about in his +mind anxiously for ways and means +whereby he might meet and overcome +this strange reluctance, which not only +seemed to him a cruel injury and +injustice after all he had done for +her, but really distressed him acutely, +and made him extremely unhappy.</p> + +<p>Was there anything amongst Kilpatrick's +glittering treasures that would +tempt her to smile and kiss him, and +be sorry that she had given him this +heartless blow?</p> + +<p>He felt to-day that he would spend +a thousand pounds cheerfully for anything +that would please her.</p> + +<p>But at the same time he was<span class="pagenum">[201]</span> +uneasily conscious that even the largest +and purest diamonds would not appreciably +affect the situation.</p> + +<p>She was no longer open to these +fascinations, as she used to be; several +little circumstances had convinced him +of that.</p> + +<p>It was a bad sign, he feared; but +he hoped it indicated nothing more +serious than that the novelty of wealth +and luxury had worn off.</p> + +<p>He recognised its existence so far +that he went on his delicate mission +to Toorak, trusting to his own merits +and eloquence, with no bribes of any +sort in his pocket.</p> + +<p>After all, he did not see Rachel that +day. She was weeping hysterically in +her bedroom at the top of the house, +and therefore was not presentable.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[202]</span></p> + +<p>Mrs. Hardy, much excited and discomposed +by the shock she had just +received (on being told by Rachel that +she had not only written a letter to +her <i>fiancé</i>, to break off her engagement, +but had <i>sent</i> it), received him in +the drawing-room, and did the best +that wisdom, at such short notice, +suggested to repair the catastrophe +which she had been powerless to +prevent.</p> + +<p>She tried to smile and joke, in a +considerate and well-bred manner; she +rallied him upon his misconduct in the +matter of Miss Hale, which had evidently +been at the bottom of all the +mischief, gently pointing out to him +that a sensitive nature like Rachel's, +and a tender heart that loved and +trusted him, could not be played with,<span class="pagenum">[203]</span> +even in the conventional fashion, with +impunity.</p> + +<p>And then she hastened to explain +the suddenness and unexpectedness of +this "freak;" how sure she was that +it had been perpetrated under the +influence of a fit of temper or dejection, +or some other unhealthy condition +of mind; how equally sure she was +that it was already repented of—though, +of course, it was not for her +to give an opinion or to interfere. All +of which would have been very proper +and sensible, but that the effect was +marred by a bubbling under-current of +angry excitement that her utmost efforts +could not hide.</p> + +<p>Mr. Kingston watched and listened, +with smiling self-possession. Finding +that he was not to see Rachel, nor to<span class="pagenum">[204]</span> +get any fresh information, he did not +prolong the interview. He had no +confidence in Mrs. Hardy—few men +had, in matters of this kind. He received +her communications in a friendly +manner, as one receives an embassy +under a flag of truce; he never thought +of allowing himself to be influenced by +them one way or the other, or of +asking her assistance and advice.</p> + +<p>As soon as courtesy permitted, he +bowed himself out of her presence, with +magnanimous expressions of good-will +and a request that nothing might be +be said or done to distress or embarrass +Rachel. And then he got into his cab +thoughtfully, and went to South Yarra +to call on Mrs. Reade.</p> + +<p>It was not one of this young lady's +reception days, as no one knew better<span class="pagenum">[205]</span> +than himself; nor had she left her +house in pursuit of tea and gossip at +other people's "afternoons," as he half +expected would be the case.</p> + +<p>The sprightly maid-servant (all Mrs. +Reade's servants were maids, and all of +them sprightly), who opened the door +to his thundering knock, recognising a +privileged friend of the family, admitted +him with alacrity; and he walked into +the drawing-room and found his hostess +sitting there alone, nestling in one of +her seductive low chairs with an open +letter on her knee.</p> + +<p>She, too, had just received the news +of Rachel's escapade; the letter, full +of dashing and incoherent sentences, +was in Mrs. Hardy's handwriting, and +had arrived half an hour ago from +Toorak. But there were no signs of<span class="pagenum">[206]</span> +excitement and discomposure about this +little person, who rose to meet him, +looking cool and bright, with even +the suspicion of a twinkle in her +eyes.</p> + +<p>"Have you come for a gossip?" she +asked, looking up at him with friendly +frankness. "Because if you have you +had better send your cab away. I am +going out at five o'clock, and I'll drive +you into town."</p> + +<p>The cab was sent away; and Mr. +Kingston, with a feeling of comfort +and safety about him, sat down in a +bow-windowed recess, in his favourite +of all the cunningly-devised chairs, and +with his elbows on his knees, began to +fiddle with the top of a silk sock, at +the toe of which his companion was +now knitting industriously.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[207]</span></p> + +<p>"Is this for Ned?" he inquired, after +a pause.</p> + +<p>"Now, isn't that a superfluous question?" +she replied, holding it up. +"Look at the size of it. Could any +foot but his fill out that enormous +bag? Of course it is for Ned. Don't +you know it is the new fashion for +wives to knit their husband's socks? +One must be in the fashion, even if +one's husband is a giant."</p> + +<p>"Very nice for one's husband. It +seems beautifully soft; pretty colour, +too." Then, after a pause, "Does +Rachel know how to knit?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," said Mrs. Reade, calmly; +"we both learned together while she +was staying with me, and she does it +much quicker than I do. I suppose +you are thinking you would like to<span class="pagenum">[208]</span> +participate in the benefits of the fashion +too?" she added, lifting her face suddenly, +with a quick look in her bright +eyes that was like the opening of a +masked battery.</p> + +<p>"If I thought that Rachel would +ever knit socks for me, for the pleasure +of it——" He paused with a change +and break in his voice, regarding her +wistfully.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Reade immediately made a sheaf +of her needles, wound them up in the +sock, and impaled her ball of silk upon +them. "Tell me," she said, folding her +hands on her knees in a business-like +manner, "tell me, what has Rachel been +doing?"</p> + +<p>"Don't you know? She has written +to me to break off our engagement."</p> + +<p>"What for?"</p><p><span class="pagenum">[209]</span></p> + +<p>"I can't imagine—she doesn't say. I +thought <i>you</i> might be able to help me +to find that out."</p> + +<p>Mrs. Reade looked at him in silence +for a few seconds, kindly and gravely. +Even she felt herself a little at a loss +as to what course to pursue.</p> + +<p>"What have you done?" she asked +abruptly.</p> + +<p>"Nothing. I went up to see her just +now, but I was disappointed. She could +not, or would not, come in. I rather +fancy your mother had been scolding +her."</p> + +<p>"I have no doubt she had. She +doesn't approve of independence on the +part of young people."</p> + +<p>"I won't have her scolded," Mr. +Kingston broke out, with sudden +vehemence. "If I like to blame her,<span class="pagenum">[210]</span> +that is another matter. I won't have +her set against me by other people. +Nothing would make her hate me more +than that kind of thing."</p> + +<p>Mrs. Reade felt the justice of this +protest, but she did not see fit to +discuss her mother's little mistakes. +"What are you going to do?" she +inquired.</p> + +<p>"Do you mean am I going to take +my dismissal in this off-hand way? No, +certainly not. After all the time we +have been engaged—after all that has +come and gone between us—after all +the preparations that have been made—it +would be <i>too</i> preposterous! I +should be the laughing-stock of the +colony."</p> + +<p>"That would be very sad," said Mrs. +Reade, with her head on one side.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[211]</span></p> + +<p>"Now be a good little woman, and +don't jeer at me—I didn't come to you +for that. You know—or you ought to +know—that I am horribly upset and +miserable about all this business, and +that I want you to help me."</p> + +<p>"I don't see how I can help you," +she said.</p> + +<p>"Tell me about Rachel. What is +the matter with her? What does she +mean?"</p> + +<p>"Well, evidently she means that she +doesn't want to marry you," sighed Mrs. +Reade. "Tiresome child, why didn't +she think of it before?"</p> + +<p>"Why should she think of it now? +Oh, yes, I know she has not been keen +about it for some time, as she should +have been. But she has not seemed to +<i>dislike</i> it; she has looked forward to<span class="pagenum">[212]</span> +it as much a matter of course as—as +it has been to all the rest of +us. And I felt so sure it would be +all right—that I could make her as +happy as possible—when we were +once married and she had settled +down!"</p> + +<p>It was not often that Mrs. Reade was +perplexed, but now—between her duty +to her family, her strong affection for +Rachel, and her desire to assist her +friend—she really did not know what +to do. While she was silent, struggling +with the dilemma in her active mind, +Mr. Kingston went on.</p> + +<p>"It is since she went to Adelonga +that she has changed so much. Haven't +you noticed?"</p> + +<p>"You did not behave very well to her +at Adelonga, you know."</p><p><span class="pagenum">[213]</span></p> + +<p>"Who told you that? Did she?"</p> + +<p>"Never mind who told me. There is +never any secrecy about your proceedings—I +will give you that credit. +You treated her very badly at Lucilla's +ball."</p> + +<p>"Not worse than she treated me," +he began, impetuously; and then he +paused and looked at his hostess. He +was gentleman enough to shrink from +discussing Rachel's misdeeds in connection +with "that Dalrymple fellow," +but he longed to find out how much +her wise cousin and late companion +knew. Mrs. Reade fingered her knitting +with a placid and impenetrable +face.</p> + +<p>"Tell me—you know Rachel so intimately—do +you think——"</p> + +<p>"Do I think what?"</p><p><span class="pagenum">[214]</span></p> + +<p>"That there is anyone she cares for—more +than she cares for me?"</p> + +<p>He was impelled, against his better +judgment, to ask this awkward question. +Mrs. Reade gathered herself together, +so to speak; it was one of those +sudden emergencies that inspire a brave +woman.</p> + +<p>"If I thought she cared for anyone +who was a better man, and could make +her happier than you," she said deliberately, +looking him straight in the face, +"she should have him, or it would not +be my fault."</p> + +<p>"But she does not?"</p> + +<p>"So far as I know she does not. +But," she was an honest little woman, +and it gave her a pang to mislead +him, even though she did it for what +seemed to her a good end, "but, at<span class="pagenum">[215]</span> +the same time, no doubt she does +not care for you as she ought to +do."</p> + +<p>"I hope that will come," he said cheerfully.</p> + +<p>If only Mr. Dalrymple did not stand +in his way, he felt all difficulties manageable.</p> + +<p>"It is a great risk; you ought to +think well before you take it."</p> + +<p>"I have thought well."</p> + +<p>"And I will be no party to making +<i>her</i> take it against her will."</p> + +<p>"But I think she will be willing if +she is treated properly. Of course I +don't want to marry her by force. I +want to bring her round to like it as +she used to like it. If there is nobody +else, why not? And you <i>will</i> help me, +won't you?"</p><p><span class="pagenum">[216]</span></p> + +<p>Mrs. Reade looked at him with bright +and friendly eyes. He was really taking +it very well considering how badly he +had been treated, and how extremely +susceptible he was to indignities of +this, or indeed any description. He +certainly must be strangely in love +with that perverse child, she thought—much +more in love than she had +ever expected to see him—to be able +to put his wrongs in the background +like this. He deserved to be helped.</p> + +<p>And as far as human judgment was +to be trusted, to help him would be to +play Providence to Rachel.</p> + +<p>"I will do what I can," she said +kindly. "That is to say, I won't +interfere, but I'll give you good advice +whenever you do me the honour to +ask for it."</p><p><span class="pagenum">[217]</span></p> + +<p>"Thank you; I ask for it now. What +do you advise me to do?"</p> + +<p>She pondered a few moments, watching +him thoughtfully.</p> + +<p>"You are quite sure, once for all, +that you think it worth while to +throw yourself away on an ungrateful +little monkey who doesn't appreciate +you?"</p> + +<p>"I'm quite sure I want to marry +Rachel. I hope she will appreciate me, +but if she doesn't—well, I want to marry +her all the same."</p> + +<p>"And are willing to take the consequences?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes; I'm not afraid of consequences—once +the wedding is over."</p> + +<p>He smiled as he made this almost +sacrilegious assertion, which implied a +marital control of consequences that was<span class="pagenum">[218]</span> +offensive in the ears of the little woman, +who liked to see husbands kept in their +proper places.</p> + +<p>"Don't boast," she said sharply, "you +might find yourself in a very unpleasant +position when the wedding was +over. And you will, too, if you don't +mind."</p> + +<p>The dialogue was interrupted at this +point. A little brougham rattled past +the window on its way from the +stable-yard to the front-door, and a +servant came in with tea.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Reade looked at her watch, and +her guest's face fell.</p> + +<p>"Is it five o'clock?" he exclaimed testily; +"and you have not given me any +advice!"</p> + +<p>"Will you have a cup of tea?" she +inquired, coolly.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[219]</span></p> + +<p>"No, thank you. <i>Must</i> you go out this +afternoon?"</p> + +<p>"Well, I could hardly countermand +the carriage now, because you are here, +could I? We'll have a drive somewhere +before we go in to town, +and I'll give you advice as we go +along."</p> + +<p>She drank her tea standing in the +middle of the room, and then leaving +him to fret and fume by himself, went +away to dress, and in the retirement +of her own apartment to concoct a +definite scheme of action.</p> + +<p>In a few minutes she came back alert +and bright, in a very charming French +bonnet, and with yards of silken train +behind her. She was ready for him in +every sense of the word.</p> + +<p>As soon as they were out upon the<span class="pagenum">[220]</span> +road, and she had finished buttoning +a refractory glove, she said gravely, +with an air of having solved all +doubts,</p> + +<p>"Now I will tell you what you must +do."</p> + +<p>"Yes?"</p> + +<p>"You must accept Rachel's dismissal."</p> + +<p>"<i>What!</i> I'm sure I shall not do anything +of the kind."</p> + +<p>Mrs. Reade laid herself back in the +carriage and folded her hands.</p> + +<p>"Very well," she said, calmly.</p> + +<p>"No, but really—I beg your pardon—I +don't understand you. Do you mean +I must just give her up and have done +with it? Because you know it is just +that that I can't do."</p> + +<p>"Not at all. But don't ask my +opinion——"</p><p><span class="pagenum">[221]</span></p> + +<p>"Oh, yes, <i>do</i> tell me what you +mean."</p> + +<p>"Well, I was going to suggest that +you see or write to Rachel and tell her +you will do what she wishes rather than +distress her; but that, while leaving her +free, you will consider yourself still as +much bound to her as ever, and wait +in hope that she will come back to you +someday. That kind of thing, you know."</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes, that is all very well. And +in the meantime I shall be getting old—that +is to say, I shall be losing time—and +she will be sure to be run after +by other men the moment my back is +turned."</p> + +<p>"It will be better to lose a little time +than to worry her now," said Mrs. +Reade. "If you draw off from her a +little, she will miss you, and then probably<span class="pagenum">[222]</span> +she will want you, and provided +you left her assured of your faithfulness, +and didn't go flirting with Miss +Hale and people, it would be just the +kind of delicate and chivalrous consideration +for her that she would appreciate. +Yes, I know Rachel; it would +touch her heart deeply."</p> + +<p>"But some other fellow might get +hold of her—finding she was free, you +know."</p> + +<p>"I think," said Mrs. Reade, smiling +slightly, "that we may safely leave my +mother to look after that."</p> + +<p>Upon consideration Mr. Kingston +thought so too. He began to see +glimmerings of wisdom and reason in +this proposed course.</p> + +<p>"But your mother will have to be +looked after herself," he said, breaking<span class="pagenum">[223]</span> +a little pause abruptly. "If <i>I</i> am not +to worry Rachel, nobody else shall."</p> + +<p>"Of course. I will look after my +mother."</p> + +<p>"And suppose," he continued presently, +deep in troubled thoughts, "suppose +she never renews the engagement +after all?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, well—suppose the world comes +to an end to-morrow—we can't help +it!"</p> + +<p>"Do you think she will?"</p> + +<p>"I do think she will—honestly, I +do—if you are patient and gentle, and +do as I tell you. She will be dull +and lonely; she will miss you about +her, and not only you, but many +pleasant things that are associated with +you; she will bethink herself that she +has treated you badly—as indeed she<span class="pagenum">[224]</span> +has—and she is so tender-hearted that +it will fret her. And if she sees you +occasionally, not in season and out of +season, but now and then, at opportune +times, and you do her little voluntary +services in a delicate and unobtrusive +way—then some of these days, seeing +you still, she will suddenly think that +she loves you, and—well, then it will be +all right, you know."</p> + +<p>"Oh, I hope so!" he broke out, with +a deep, impatient sigh—though it was +not a great deal to hope for when it +came to be reckoned up. "But how +long will she be reaching that point?"</p> + +<p>"It depends."</p> + +<p>"And we were to have been married +in a couple of months—three at the +most. Upon my honour, it <i>is</i> too +bad!"</p><p><span class="pagenum">[225]</span></p> + +<p>"I shouldn't be surprised if you were +married quite as soon as you arranged +to be," Mrs. Reade proceeded calmly, +building this comfortable theory upon +the conviction that Mr. Dalrymple, in +spite of his persistence in calling at +Toorak, was not the kind of man to +remain faithful to a ball-room fancy, +nor to undertake anything so expensive +and so respectable as matrimony under +the most favourable conjunction of circumstances; +and feeling sure that Rachel, +with her clinging, impulsive nature, +finding her desires frustrated in this +direction, would be under an imperious +necessity to seek—or, at any rate, to +accept—support elsewhere. "If I had +her with me for six weeks, I think +I would not mind risking a small +bet——"</p><p><span class="pagenum">[226]</span></p> + +<p>"<i>Can't</i> you have her with you?" Mr. +Kingston interposed eagerly.</p> + +<p>"No, I fear not. My mother would +not consent to let her go from home +just now. The situation is too grave. +But even as things are, if you manage +the child properly, I don't at all despair +of seeing you married—or, at any rate, +engaged again—before the year is out. +Very far from it."</p> + +<p>"I would give a thousand pounds +at this moment if I could be certain +that that would be," sighed Mr. Kingston, +plaintively.</p> + +<p>"Only you must do what I tell you. +I assure you, if you <i>want</i> to succeed, +that is your best, if not your only +chance. Will you do what I tell +you?"</p> + +<p>"I will see Rachel first."</p><p><span class="pagenum">[227]</span></p> + +<p>"Of course. See her and give her +plainly to understand what a pain +and disappointment it is to you to give +her up, and that you only do it for her +sake. Perhaps, if you talk it over with +her, she will cancel her letter, and it +will be all right at once; in which case +you had better arrange for your marriage +as quickly as possible. But if it should +be otherwise—if she should still press +for a dissolution of her engagement—let +her go for a little while. It need not +be for long."</p> + +<p>"I think I will," said Mr. Kingston, +thoughtfully. And he did.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/c10e.jpg" width="150" height="48" alt="" /> +</div> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum">[228]</span></p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/c11.jpg" width="600" height="127" alt="" /> +</div> + +<h2 id="CHAPTER_XI">CHAPTER XI.</h2> + +<p class="h3">UNTIL CHRISTMAS.</p> + +<p><img class="dropimg" src="images/d-m.jpg" alt="M" height="96" width="80" /> + <span class="hide">M</span>RS. READE was accustomed +not only to give advice and +to see it taken, but to see +the wisdom of it justified in the success +of its practical application.</p> + +<p>Nevertheless, she was more surprised +than Mr. Kingston himself at the great +and good results which apparently followed +her interference in his affairs. +Matters were a little critical for a week +or two.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[229]</span></p> + +<p>Of course he "saw" Rachel, and +attacked the position which she had +taken up with all the forces at his +command. He was, in his Mentor's +judgment, indiscreetly zealous and persevering; +and the almost fierce obstinacy +of Rachel's resistance, which neither +science nor brute force could overcome, +being an altogether anomalous demonstration +of character, was even more +portentous.</p> + +<p>But when presently Mr. Kingston, in +a dignified and graceful letter, accepted +his defeat, while at the same time +clearly intimating that the withdrawal +of his former pretensions in no way +indicated any change in his affections +and fidelity, then everything seemed to +go well.</p> + +<p>The girl <i>was</i> touched and grieved to<span class="pagenum">[230]</span> +the depths of her tender heart for the +wrong and the trouble that she had +inflicted upon him, and was in agonies +of anxiety for his welfare.</p> + +<p>"Do you think he will go back to +Miss Brownlow?" she inquired one day +of Beatrice, with pathetic eyes full of +tears; "and, oh, <i>do</i> you think she will +make him happy?"</p> + +<p>She was terribly taken aback when +her cousin with much asperity upbraided +her with the heartlessness of the suggestion.</p> + +<p>For a little while, having received her +aunt's grudging acquiescence in the dissolution +of her engagement, having sent +back all her jewels, having surreptitiously +despatched a note to her lover in +Queensland (which she implored him not +to answer) to tell him that she was<span class="pagenum">[231]</span> +honourably free, and living in the +anticipation of his return, Rachel began +to blossom in beauty and brightness +again, like a flower that night had +chilled in the warmth of morning +sunshine.</p> + +<p>It was, perhaps, a little discouraging +to see how very much relieved and +refreshed she was in her freedom—that +she did not even hanker after her lost +diamonds, and the riches and luxuries +that had once been so desirable and +so precious; but Mrs. Reade, as was +her custom, looked below the surface +of things, and found her compensations.</p> + +<p>That the girl had recovered her +balance, so to speak, and was in sound +health, mentally and physically, was of +the first importance in this sensible<span class="pagenum">[232]</span> +young woman's view of the case; and +her eager friendliness to Mr. Kingston +whenever she met him—eager in proportion +to the modesty of his demands +of course, and sometimes warm +with impulsive tenderness such as she +had never voluntarily manifested in +the days of her engagement—seemed to +foreshadow the most hopeful possibilities. +Indeed, if Mr. Kingston behaved +well, Rachel, apart from her +specific misdemeanour, behaved even +better.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Hardy, outwardly conforming to +her daughter's scheme, would not, or +could not, disguise her resentment at +the failure of the original enterprise, +and visited it upon the girl, as perhaps +was natural, more roughly than she +would have done had Rachel been her<span class="pagenum">[233]</span> +own child or less deeply indebted to +her.</p> + +<p>She was ostentatiously cold and indifferent, +or she was sarcastic, and harsh, +and rude; she was rigorous to the +verge of tyranny in her determination +to allow no other man the smallest +opportunity for improving the occasion +in the manner that Mr. Kingston had +indicated—withdrawing her niece from +all the gay assemblies where she +had hitherto disported herself with +so much enjoyment and <i>éclat</i>, and +keeping her to a petty routine of +study and household duties that was +made as dull and irksome as +possible.</p> + +<p>Yet Rachel, always so sensitive to +both kindness and unkindness, and as +much hurt by a snub as she would<span class="pagenum">[234]</span> +have been by a blow, took it all with +the sweetest patience and temper.</p> + +<p>She devoted herself to her aunt's +service as she never had done before, +compassing the sombre woman with +every possible delicate attention that +tact and thoughtfulness could devise; +and she not only persevered in this +amiable conduct, but kept a certain +placid and gentle brightness about her, +under all discouragements, for weeks +and weeks together.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Reade, as a matter of course, +was greatly touched and pleased; for +it was evident—as far as her sharp +eyes could see—that Mr. Dalrymple +was not the source of inspiration <i>now</i>, +seeing that he had been effectually +circumvented on his first attempt to +renew her acquaintance, and had never<span class="pagenum">[235]</span> +been seen or heard of since. It seemed +to the anxious little woman that the +girl had only wanted her freedom for +awhile, and that, by and bye, by the +mere drift of the current, she would be +borne back to the arms that were waiting +for her.</p> + +<p>Things seemed to be going on so +well that Mrs. Reade, when the gaieties +of the "Cup" season were over, thought +she might venture to leave town for a +few weeks. She wanted very much to +pay a long-deferred visit to Adelonga.</p> + +<p>She had not been there since Lucilla +was a bride, and of course she had +not seen the baby. She was also +anxious to find out for herself "the +rights" of the story that her mother +had told her concerning Rachel's conduct +and experiences while sojourning under<span class="pagenum">[236]</span> +her sister's roof, and if possible to +make the acquaintance of some of Mr. +Dalrymple's people.</p> + +<p>So, with customary promptitude, she +made her preparations. She sent for +Mr. Kingston and gave him judicious +advice and encouragement to direct and +uphold him in her absence.</p> + +<p>Then she interviewed Mrs. Hardy, and +expressed herself so strongly on behalf +of her own views as to what was +right and proper in the management of +Rachel's case, that they nearly came +to "words."</p> + +<p>And, finally, having fortified the position +to the best of her power, she +sought out Rachel herself, and, in the +privacy of that little chamber at the top +of the house, bade her an affectionate +and reluctant good-bye.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[237]</span></p> + +<p>"I don't know if my mother has +told you, dear, that Lucilla wanted me +very much to bring you with me," +she said, when they were sitting +together by Rachel's window, hand in +hand.</p> + +<p>"Did she? Dear Lucilla, how I +should like to see her!" ejaculated +Rachel, but not in the tone of voice +that Mrs. Reade had expected.</p> + +<p>"And I begged very hard for permission, +but mamma thought it better +not to interrupt your music and painting +lessons again so soon. It is a +great disappointment to you not to +go, isn't it? At first I thought +I would not tell you anything about +it."</p> + +<p>"Ah, but I am glad you told me," +said Rachel; "for I must send a message<span class="pagenum">[238]</span> +to Lucilla to thank her. She +knows how I loved to be at Adelonga—I +think it is the sweetest place in the +wide world."</p> + +<p>"I wish I could take you," said +Mrs. Reade; "but——"</p> + +<p>"Oh, no, Beatrice, I cannot go, I +know. Indeed, I would rather not. I +would rather stay with Aunt Elizabeth, +and go on with my lessons."</p> + +<p>Mrs. Reade was considerably astonished +and disconcerted by this +evidently genuine sentiment. There +was <i>something</i> in so ready a relinquishment +of the pleasures of Adelonga, +which had always been so great, and +also in the tremulous eagerness with +which the girl put the proposal from +her—a proposal which Mrs. Reade +had feared would be cruelly tantalising<span class="pagenum">[239]</span> +at this time; but it was not immediately +apparent.</p> + +<p>Rachel could not stand the silent +scrutiny of her cousin's brilliant eyes. +Blushing violently, she rose from the +couch on which she had been sitting, +and rested her arms on the window-sill, +and looked out upon the +sombre pine trees that stood perfectly +motionless in the golden summer +air.</p> + +<p>"Do you see how that house is +getting on?" she said, breaking an +awkward pause. "The walls are simply +<i>rushing</i> up. They will be ready for the +roof directly."</p> + +<p>Mrs. Reade stood on tiptoe and +peeped over her shoulder.</p> + +<p>"I wonder you have the heart to +look at it," she replied.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[240]</span></p> + +<p>"Oh, Beatrice!"</p> + +<p>"I do, when you think what a wreck +you have made of all the hopes and +plans that that poor dear man has been +building with it."</p> + +<p>"He will build some more, and better +ones, by and bye, I hope."</p> + +<p>"Not he. Men don't do that so +easily at his age."</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes," she persisted, imploringly, +"I think he will, indeed. He did it +very easily with me."</p> + +<p>"For an exceedingly good reason—because +he loved you from the +first. Oh, you ungrateful little monkey, +it's to be hoped you'll die an ugly old +maid!"</p> + +<p>"That would be better than being +the wife for years and years of a man +I did not love."</p><p><span class="pagenum">[241]</span></p> + +<p>"Rubbish. As if one could have +everything all at once in this world. +You girls think of nothing but yourselves. +You don't take into account +that it might be worth while to make +somebody else happy."</p> + +<p>"How could I make him happy +unless I loved him, Beatrice?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, don't talk about it. You have +pleased yourself, I suppose, and he +must do the best he can. He is +terribly miserable as he is, poor +fellow; but I daresay he'll get over +it."</p> + +<p>"Is he miserable <i>now</i>?" inquired +Rachel anxiously. "Have you seen +him lately?"</p> + +<p>"I saw him yesterday, and he told +me that his life had no value for him +now that he had lost you, and that he<span class="pagenum">[242]</span> +should never live in his house unless +you were the mistress of it. I +shouldn't imagine he felt particularly +jolly under those circumstances. However, +it is no use worrying ourselves +on his account," the little woman added +cheerfully, seeing tears in her cousin's +gentle eyes.</p> + +<p>"But I am so sorry for him!"</p> + +<p>"That won't help him much, my +dear. And if <i>you</i> are happy, I suppose +that is all we need care +about."</p> + +<p>"Oh, no, Beatrice!"</p> + +<p>"We haven't time to fret over +other people's troubles," Mrs. Reade +proceeded, in what Rachel thought an +exceedingly heartless manner; "life is +too short."</p> + +<p>"But, Beatrice——"</p><p><span class="pagenum">[243]</span></p> + +<p>"Now, I can't talk about Mr. +Kingston any more. I have all my +packing to do yet, and I must run +away and see after it. Good-bye, +dearest child. Mind you write often. +I wish you were going with me—I +can't bear to leave you behind."</p> + +<p>Rachel flung her arms round her +small cousin with characteristic fervour.</p> + +<p>"When do you think you will come +home again?" she inquired tremulously, +almost in a whisper.</p> + +<p>"I can't say, dear, exactly."</p> + +<p>"Before Christmas, won't you?"</p> + +<p>"I think so; it will all depend on +circumstances."</p> + +<p>"Oh, <i>do</i> be back by Christmas," +Rachel pleaded, with an almost tragic<span class="pagenum">[244]</span> +eagerness. "It would be dreadful +if Christmas came and you were so +far away!"</p> + +<p>"Am I so necessary to the festivities +of the season?" laughed Mrs. Reade, +much touched and flattered. "Well, +I'll see what I can do. Suppose I try +and bring Lucilla and the children +back, and make a regular family gathering +of it?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, if you <i>could</i>!" sighed +Rachel.</p> + +<p>All the terrors of her time of trial +would be gone, she thought, if she +could have these two faithful cousins +beside her.</p> + +<p>So Mrs. Reade went off by the morning +train, tolerably easy in her mind. +She took her big husband with her, +"to keep him," as she said, "out of<span class="pagenum">[245]</span> +mischief;" and she stayed away much +longer than she had intended to +do. She was delighted with Adelonga, +and with her sister's companionship.</p> + +<p>Ned, also, while being kept in order, +enjoyed himself excessively; and as +long as he was "good" in the matter +of his besetting sin, his lady and +mistress liked him to enjoy himself. +There were plenty of bush gaieties in +the shape of sporting meetings and +balls, and the time slipped away +rapidly, as time at Adelonga usually +did.</p> + +<p>A dance at the Digbys' gave Mrs. +Reade the desired opportunity for +making the acquaintance of Mr. Dalrymple's +people, and she learned a few +facts with respect to that gentleman<span class="pagenum">[246]</span> +which, while considerably aggravating +her alarm, tended to modify and dignify +the impressions of him that her mother +had given her.</p> + +<p>Lucilla showed her a fine photograph +of his powerful, melancholy, highbred +face, and she was quite overcome +by it.</p> + +<p>"Oh, dear me!" she said to herself, +with a sort of angry dismay, "it is +no wonder that Rachel was infatuated. +If <i>I</i> had had attentions from that +man—little as I am given to falling in +love—I think I should have been as +bad as she."</p> + +<p>When Christmas came the sisters +were still at Adelonga. Lucilla could +not leave home, and persuaded Beatrice +not to leave her. They contented +themselves with sending pretty presents<span class="pagenum">[247]</span> +and many loving messages and excuses +to their relatives in Melbourne, and +plunged into a series of festive +entertainments that lasted for several +weeks.</p> + +<p>Then suddenly, as she was dressing +for a ball, Mrs. Reade was startled to +receive a letter from her mother, begging +her to return to town at once, +as Rachel was very ill.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/c11e.jpg" width="150" height="132" alt="" /> +</div> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum">[248]</span></p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/c12.jpg" width="600" height="132" alt="" /> +</div> + +<h2 id="CHAPTER_XII">CHAPTER XII.</h2> + +<p class="h3">"THE GROUND-WHIRL OF THE PERISHED LEAVES OF HOPE."</p> + +<p><img class="dropimg" src="images/d-m.jpg" alt="M" height="96" width="80" /> + <span class="hide">M</span>RS. READE lost no time in +obeying her mother's summons. +In two days she was back in +Melbourne, and having given ten +minutes to the inspection of her +domestic affairs, and refreshed herself +with tea and bread and butter, she +went on to Toorak in the carriage that +had brought her from the station,<span class="pagenum">[249]</span> +without even waiting to change her +travelling-dress.</p> + +<p>At Toorak she found things in a +most discouraging and deplorable condition—as +they never would have been, +she told herself, had she remained in +town.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Hardy, who met her in the +hall, and took her to her own room +for elaborate explanations, was herself +a most puzzling and unsatisfactory +feature in the case, for she made it +evident to her daughter's keen perception +that something more had +happened than was accounted for in +her rather disconnected narrative, and +that she did not intend to disclose +what it was.</p> + +<p>There was a touch of nervous recklessness +and defiance in the way she<span class="pagenum">[250]</span> +spoke of Rachel's illness—as if the +poor child had crowned a systematic +series of misdemeanours by falling ill +on purpose—and of her hearty regret +that she had ever had anything to do +with such a perverse and ungrateful +girl, which conveyed to Mrs. Reade +the impression that her cousin had in +some way been persecuted, or had +at any rate, been subjected to more +heroic treatment than her own judgment +and advice had sanctioned.</p> + +<p>Under such circumstances it was, +perhaps, natural that her mother +should be somewhat reserved, since +to be fully confidential would be to +confess that she had made mistakes; +but this sudden reversal of old habits, +occurring at this important crisis in +the family fortunes, was a serious<span class="pagenum">[251]</span> +aggravation of the already sufficient +difficulties that the little woman had to +deal with.</p> + +<p>What complicated her task still +further was the discovery that Mr. +Kingston was again a frequent visitor +at the house, and a strong suspicion +that he was cognisant of those unauthorised +measures—whatever they +were—which she was not to hear of. +The only thing she could hope for +was that Rachel would make a clean +breast of all her secrets.</p> + +<p>"And if she trusts me, I will +stand her friend against them all," +declared the baffled conspirator to +herself, as she sat and listened to her +mother's tangled story.</p> + +<p>It appeared that Rachel's first signs +of illness had become apparent very<span class="pagenum">[252]</span> +soon after the Reades had left town. +She began to fade in colour and to +fail in appetite, and grew nervous, +flighty, and restless; and, upon investigation, +it was discovered that +she had lost the habit of sleeping as +a healthy girl should sleep at night.</p> + +<p>The family doctor was called in, +who, amongst other remedies prescribed +a return to horse exercise, which, +since the breaking-off of her engagement, +had been abandoned; and Mr. +Kingston thereupon begged so earnestly +that she would ride Black Agnes +again, that she reluctantly consented +to do so to please him.</p> + +<p>Mr. Kingston behaved most delicately, +it was explained, and did not force +himself upon her in her rides. She +always went out with William.<span class="pagenum">[253]</span> +"Always," however, turned out to be +only twice, and on both occasions the +carriage had accompanied her with Mr. +Kingston in it.</p> + +<p>Just before Christmas she refused +to ride any more, and she behaved +in the most rude and ill-bred manner +to Mr. Kingston. On Christmas Day +she was <i>very</i> aggravating—in what +way did not appear—and Mrs. Hardy +had to "speak" to her; and the result +was that she flew into a violent +passion, and then had a fit of +hysterics, and then fainted dead away, +and did not come round for nearly +five minutes.</p> + +<p>"I don't recognise Rachel in any +of those performances," remarked Mrs. +Reade. "Why did you not send for +me then, mother?"</p><p><span class="pagenum">[254]</span></p> + +<p>"Because I thought it was nothing +but a temporary attack. The weather +was sultry—she was full of whims and +fancies. What could you have done if +you had come? And she was better +again next day."</p> + +<p>"Well?"</p> + +<p>"Well, then, when I was doing all +I could to nurse and take care of +her, she went out of a warm room one +night, and rambled about the garden +or somewhere in a heavy dew, and +got her feet wet. Wasn't it <i>too</i> bad? +I could have <i>shaken</i> her when I +saw her come in, with a face as +white as ashes, and chilled to her +very bones!"</p> + +<p>"She caught cold, I suppose?"</p> + +<p>"Of course she did. And then she +had a touch of fever—what else was<span class="pagenum">[255]</span> +to be expected? Her pulse was very +high, and she was excited, and +inclined to be delirious—indeed, we had +as much as we could do to manage +her. It did not last long, and it +was really nothing but the consequences +of her imprudence, the +doctor said—and there was a little +low kind of fever going about just +now—and he did not think her constitution +was very strong. He says +she will soon be all right, with care; +and indeed, the fever is quite allayed +since I wrote to you, and any little +danger that there might have been +is over. But she keeps low. She +doesn't seem to gain strength—and +no wonder, considering we can't +get her to eat anything. I am +glad you have come back; perhaps<span class="pagenum">[256]</span> +you will have more influence with +her than I have."</p> + +<p>"I suppose I may go up?" Mrs. +Reade inquired, after a pause. Her +mother gave her permission readily; it +was a great surprise and relief to her +to find herself spared the searching +cross-examination which she had +rather uneasily looked forward to.</p> + +<p>"You had better put on your +bonnet and have a drive," the +young lady proceeded, pausing with +her hand on the door. "It will +do you good, after being in the +house so much. I don't want the +horses taken out, and they will +only scratch holes in the gravel +if they stand here doing nothing. +I am not going away till dinner +time."</p><p><span class="pagenum">[257]</span></p> + +<p>"Thank you, my dear, I think +I will," said Mrs. Hardy. Mrs. +Reade went upstairs to Rachel's +room, and without knocking, opened +the door softly.</p> + +<p>It was a bright January afternoon, +but the heat of the day +was over, and a sea breeze was +springing up. The window was open, +and the chintz curtains softly rustling +to and fro. There was a +magnificent bouquet on a table at the +foot of the bed; the air was full of +the perfume of roses; a few flies were +buzzing over a plate of strawberries +set on a chair at Rachel's side.</p> + +<p>The invalid was lying on a sofa, +in a white dressing-gown, in an +attitude of extreme languor, asleep. +One hand holding a fan had<span class="pagenum">[258]</span> +dropped beside her; the other was +under her head. Her dark gold +hair was loose and tumbled, and +curling in damp rings on her temples; +her face was flushed and thin; there +were hollows and shadows under the +tired closed eyes. She looked as if +she had been ill for months.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Reade, examining her attentively +as she knelt by the sofa, +was deeply shocked and concerned. +Never would she have gone away +to Adelonga if she could have foreseen +this! And never should the +poor little thing be harried and +worried, as she had evidently been, +again, if <i>she</i> had any power to +prevent it—no, not though twenty +Mr. Kingstons and all their twenty +fortunes were at stake.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[259]</span></p> + +<p>A mosquito settled upon the girl's +white arm, and the light brush of the +finger that removed it wakened her. +She drew a deep breath, and opened +her eyes languidly; then seeing her +visitor, she stared at her for a +second in a dazed and startled +way; and then to Mrs. Reade's +great embarrassment and distress, +she suddenly flung herself into her +arms, and broke into the wildest +weeping.</p> + +<p>"Now, Rachel! Now, my dearest +child——"</p> + +<p>But it would have been as hopeless +to try and stop the Falls of Niagara +as this tide of passion at the flood; +seeing which, Mrs. Reade waited for +the ebb in silence. By the time it +came the girl was completely exhausted;<span class="pagenum">[260]</span> +she seemed to have the merest fragment +of strength.</p> + +<p>"Now," said Beatrice, when she had +sponged her face and hands and otherwise +taken steps to revive and soothe +her, "now tell me what all this is +about. I know you are in some great +trouble, and I have come home on purpose +to help you."</p> + +<p>"No one can help me!" Rachel cried, +despairingly, tears rushing afresh into +her hot eyes.</p> + +<p>"Oh, nonsense. Just tell me what +is the matter, and see if I can't. +Are they trying to make you marry +Mr. Kingston? Because I can soon +send <i>him</i> about his business."</p> + +<p>"No; Mr. Kingston is very kind +<i>now</i>. He sends me flowers every day. +He does not worry me. He is very<span class="pagenum">[261]</span> +considerate and thoughtful. For I think +he—knows."</p> + +<p>"Well, and now I want to know. +Is it about—someone else? Is it about +Mr. Dalrymple?"</p> + +<p>"Who told you?" the girl demanded, +with sharp entreaty. "Oh, Beatrice, +what have you heard? Did Mrs. Digby +tell you anything about him? Is he +in Queensland? Is he alive? What is +he doing?"</p> + +<p>Mrs. Reade replied that she had +heard nothing of Mr. Dalrymple beyond the +fact that he was believed to be in +Queensland, and doing well.</p> + +<p>"If he had not been, they must +have known," said Rachel. "Oh, my +love, if I could see you for myself +just once."</p> + +<p>She began to cry again, more bitterly<span class="pagenum">[262]</span> +than before, and to wring her hands. +There was a fierce excitement in her +grief and despair that for a moment +stunned the little woman who had +never known what it was to be in +love.</p> + +<p>And then Rachel told all the story +of her clandestine engagement, as the +reader already knows it, without any +reservations. The <i>dénouement</i> was exactly +what Mrs. Reade expected—"And +he never came!"</p> + +<p>"Poor little thing!" she ejaculated +pitifully.</p> + +<p>"I was as certain that he would +come as that Christmas would come," +said Rachel, reckless in her confessions +now that she had begun to open her +heart. "And there <i>was</i> a strange gentleman +here, and he was shut up a<span class="pagenum">[263]</span> +long time with Aunt Elizabeth, and I +thought it was he—"</p> + +<p>"Are you sure it was not he?"</p> + +<p>"Quite sure. When he was going +away I ran out into the garden and +watched for him; he was an ugly <i>little</i> +man. And if it had been Roden, and +he had wanted to see me, <i>he</i> would not +have allowed himself to be sent away."</p> + +<p>"That would have depended on +mamma; wouldn't it?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, no. He would never have let +her send him away; and Aunt Elizabeth +says, solemnly, that he never came."</p> + +<p>"You told <i>her</i> about him then?" asked +Mrs. Reade.</p> + +<p>"Beatrice, I was nearly mad—I don't +know what I said. She was very +angry—she always hated him. But I +did not care—I was too miserable to<span class="pagenum">[264]</span> +care. And I made her <i>swear</i> that he +had never come; and now—it is nearly +February—now I know he didn't. I +don't want anybody to tell me."</p> + +<p>Mrs. Reade put all these revelations +into her mental crucible, and in a few +seconds she had the product ready. On +presenting it to Rachel, wrapped up +in the gentlest language, it came to this +simply—that "it was always the way +with men of that kind."</p> + +<p>"He is not like other men," said +Rachel. "I do not blame him. I +have thought of it, over and over and +over, every night and every day, and +I know why it was. I <i>ran after him</i>, +Beatrice—I took him before he offered +himself to me—I had only seen him +once or twice when I showed him I +loved him, and made him think I wanted<span class="pagenum">[265]</span> +him—he did not ask me to be his +wife until I had given myself to him +already! I did not think of it then, +but I see it clearly now. I dragged +him into it—I gave him no choice. +And now he is away, and he thinks +about it, and he knows I am not +enough for him. How should I be +enough—<i>I</i> for such a man as that? +Oh, that happy woman, who died in his +arms! Oh, how I wish I had been she!"</p> + +<p>"Well," said Mrs. Reade, after a +pause, trying to speak cheerfully, but +feeling profoundly disheartened; "you +ought not to have had anything to do +with lovers and marriages at your time +of life, and you must just give up +thinking of such things until you are +older and wiser."</p> + +<p>"I shall never give <i>him</i> up," said<span class="pagenum">[266]</span> +Rachel quietly; "never, if I live to be +a hundred. I have told Aunt Elizabeth—I +told her to tell Mr. Kingston—that +I shall never love any other man. +It would be impossible, after loving +him. When I am well I shall ask her +to let me go out and be a governess, +and earn my own living. I don't want +to be rich, I want to be poor, like +him. And some day, perhaps, I may +see him again, and be able to do +something for him—if it isn't till he is +an old, old man, I don't care. If only +God lets him live and lets me live, so +that we are both in the world together—I'll +take my chance of the rest. +But—but," and she turned her head +from side to side, and began to tremble +and cry in a weak, hysterical +abandonment of all self-command, "if I<span class="pagenum">[267]</span> +have to wait for years and years, without +a sight of his face or a sound of +his voice, how shall I be able to live? +The longing for him will kill me!"</p> + +<p>Mrs. Reade went away when her +carriage returned, more humble-minded +than she had been in her life. She +wanted very much to stay and nurse +her cousin until she was better, but +she could not do that, because she could +not trust Ned to keep house and keep +sober by himself; so she set off to see +the doctor to get a confidential report +of the "case," meaning to intimate her +suspicions that there was a touch of +fever on the brain, and to gain his +sanction to a scheme for removing the +invalid to her own cheerful abode at +South Yarra as soon as she became +moderately convalescent.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum">[268]</span></p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/c13.jpg" width="600" height="130" alt="" /> +</div> + +<h2 id="CHAPTER_XIII">CHAPTER XIII.</h2> + +<p class="h3">RACHEL ON THE PHILOSOPHY OF MARRIAGE.</p> + +<p><img class="dropimg" src="images/d-p.jpg" alt="P" height="96" width="80" /> + <span class="hide">P</span>ROBABLY no girl of nineteen—probably +no man or woman +of any age—ever died of a +broken heart, unless when that complaint +was complicated and aggravated +by the presence of physical disease of +some sort.</p> + +<p>Rachel's constitution was sound, albeit +her nervous organisation was extremely +delicate, and she did not die, neither +under this bitter first blow, nor later<span class="pagenum">[269]</span> +on, when she had still sharper provocations.</p> + +<p>A little tender petting and coddling +at the hands of her cousin Beatrice, who +was now her devoted ally and friend, +did more to restore her than all the +doctor's medicines and all her aunt's +jellies and broths.</p> + +<p>The very talking of her troubles eased +and soothed her, and gave her a +sense of refreshment and rest, and +though Beatrice offered her no encouragement +on Mr. Dalrymple's behalf—and +indeed hinted pretty broadly that +the terrible thing which had happened +was an inevitable sequel and corrective +to a lapse of reason that partook of +the character of temporary insanity, to +say the least of it—she was heartily +if not demonstratively sympathetic.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[270]</span></p> + +<p>Within a fortnight of her cousin's +return she reached that stage of convalescence +which made the removal to +South Yarra justifiable, and in the +doctor's opinion expedient.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Reade had great difficulty in +carrying out this little enterprise. Her +mother had never shown herself so impracticable.</p> + +<p>She was determined not to let Rachel +out of her sight, she said; and she +stuck to that determination against +many artful manœuvres so steadily that +the powerful small woman, little accustomed +to be thwarted, and still less +to own to it, nearly made up +her mind to confess herself beaten, +and to break the disappointment to +Rachel.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Hardy, however, relented in a<span class="pagenum">[271]</span> +sudden and unexpected manner. She +received a consignment of furniture and +<i>bric-à-brac</i> from her travelling daughter, +together with most interesting and bewildering +advices.</p> + +<p>Laura wrote to say that the Toorak +House, if it had any respect for itself, +must immediately get rid of its pierglasses, +its whitewash, and its aniline +colours; and poor Mrs. Hardy, who +had ever walked with the complacent +dignity of a priestess and oracle in the +sacred regions of household art, was +too much excited and disturbed by the +humiliating discovery that she was old-fashioned +and behind the times, and +by her agonising desire to recover +her proper position, to pay the customary +attention even to Rachel's +business.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[272]</span></p> + +<p>While she was absorbed in beginning +the mighty task of re-adjusting her +ideas of taste and the details of her +domestic environment, which, after a +few years of painful struggle with the +impracticabilities of Eastlake mediævalism, +was to result in the existing +combination of Chippendale and the +Japanesque, she felt that it would be a +relief to divest herself of superfluous cares.</p> + +<p>So she laid her daughter under solemn +obligations to protect Rachel's interests +and the honour of the family, and +allowed her to take the invalid away +with her for a week or two, that +so she might give her undivided +attention to the choice of new coverings +for the drawing-room furniture, and the +question what should be done to the +ceiling.</p><p><span class="pagenum">[273]</span></p> + +<p>The two young women were very +grateful for the chance which set them +free to follow their own devices. Mrs. +Reade brought her new brougham—a +propitiatory offering from Ned after +he had scandalously disgraced himself +by going to a public dinner and coming +home in a dishevelled condition at noon +next day—and conveyed her charge to +South Yarra in a nest of soft cushions, +and laid her on a pillowy sofa in the +brightest of homely boudoirs, where +they discussed the situation and afternoon +tea with much content and cheerfulness.</p> + +<p>Rachel was strangely peaceful and +amiable at this time. She puzzled her +companion excessively. She had, indeed, +a sort of exalted transcendentalism about +her that was almost aggravating to that<span class="pagenum">[274]</span> +practical and most unsentimental person. +Her way of moralising upon love and +lovers, after such an experience as she +had had, was very naïve and touching, +but eminently preposterous, Mrs. Reade +considered—and she did not at all mind +saying so.</p> + +<p>"A lover who is unfaithful does the +deadliest dishonour that is possible to +love, in <i>my</i> opinion," said she, with her +customary air of decision. "To break +<i>any</i> pledge is bad enough, but to +break <i>that</i> pledge ought to disqualify a +man from ever again calling himself a +man."</p> + +<p>"I do not think there should be any +pledges in love, either given or asked +for," said Rachel softly. "Love is not +a thing to be tied and bound. Fancy a +man feeling that he <i>had</i> to keep a<span class="pagenum">[275]</span> +promise if he did not wish to do it! +And, oh! fancy a woman letting him—being +deceived into letting him make a +sacrifice for her! It would be an outrage +and a degradation to both of them. I +think Roden—Mr. Dalrymple—is above +that, Beatrice."</p> + +<p>From all she had heard, Mrs. Reade +was decidedly disposed to think so +too.</p> + +<p>"He says that they are a curse upon +people's lives—those engagements that +are kept," continued Rachel, looking +solemnly out of the window with her +pensive eyes.</p> + +<p>"Did he tell you that? Dear me, +he must be a most extraordinary man."</p> + +<p>"I understand it perfectly—I know +what he means. When we love one +another we are not responsible; something<span class="pagenum">[276]</span> +in us makes us do it. When we +leave off loving—when we get dissatisfied—we +can't help it either. It is nature +that tells us to do the one as well as +the other; and nature should be obeyed, +Roden says."</p> + +<p>Mrs. Reade made no comment upon +this, but thought to herself that it was a +remarkably wise provision of nature—under +the circumstances—that her devotee +was endowed with the courage of his convictions.</p> + +<p>"It is very hard for me now, but +it is the truest kindness and gentleness +on his part," the girl went on, with a +tremor in her quiet voice. "He knows +we understand each other better than +any one else can do. I think some +day he will come and tell me all +about it—when he thinks I can bear<span class="pagenum">[277]</span> +it; how he could not help it; that that +other woman's memory was more to +him than any new love a few days +old could be, and how he was true +to her and to himself, and to me, not +to wrong any of us any further to gratify +my foolishness. It will be something +of that sort, I know; it will be +nothing that is a disgrace to him. +Ah, Beatrice, you think I am talking +childish nonsense, I see it in your +face."</p> + +<p>"I certainly do, my dear. I think you +are fully qualified for admission into the +Yarra Bend, if you wish for the candid +truth."</p> + +<p>"No; you don't know him, and I do. +I am puzzled, I don't deny that I am +puzzled a little; but I <i>trust</i> him. He +may do what he likes; I shall never<span class="pagenum">[278]</span> +think that he will do anything wrong. +Some day it will be explained, and I +shall see that he was right. I shall +love him the more for not being afraid +to break off with me when he felt it +was a mistake. Under any circumstances +I love him too well not to be +thankful I am spared the misery of +seeing him suffer from an irksome marriage +that could not satisfy him. And +love—as he and I understand love—would +be degraded by vulgar efforts to +keep it under lock and key."</p> + +<p>"I don't know whether it occurs to +you," remarked Beatrice, with her head +on one side; "but it is a very dangerous +doctrine that you and Mr. Dalrymple +seem to believe in. Logically worked +out, it leads—goodness knows where it +<i>doesn't</i> lead to."</p><p><span class="pagenum">[279]</span></p> + +<p>The blood flew over the girl's pale +face. She was the most sensitively +delicate, the most maidenly, of girls; +and she scented a meaning in her cousin's +words that shocked her terribly.</p> + +<p>"I am sure that cannot be," she +said, with a majestic gentleness that +was full of severe reproach.</p> + +<p>"You don't imply that husbands and +wives, when they are tired of each +other—or even when only one is tired—are +at liberty to make fresh combinations?"</p> + +<p>"You <i>know</i> I am not alluding to +married people, Beatrice. They are like +nuns who have taken the veil; they +have nothing to do with—with—such +things as we have been speaking of."</p> + +<p>"Oh, indeed—haven't they?"</p> + +<p>"They are in a sacred place. They<span class="pagenum">[280]</span> +are out of the common world—out of +the arena, so to speak. They have +taken their prizes, and gone to sit with +the spectators. Even if they do marry +wrongly, and do not love each other +afterwards, in the fullest way, after +such a dedication as they have +made—with such ties and confidences, +and intimacies between them, so sacred, +and so close, and so delicate, and so—so—oh, +Beatrice, don't look at me +like that! You know what I mean."</p> + +<p>"I am trying to follow you, dear."</p> + +<p>"You are married yourself, and you +know how it is—better than I do. Yet +<i>I</i> know, too. If I were married—if I +were Roden's wife——"</p> + +<p>"You would lie down at his feet +and let him clean his boots on you, if +there did not happen to be a door-mat<span class="pagenum">[281]</span> +handy—oh, yes, I quite understand +<i>that</i>."</p> + +<p>"I would never make demands upon +him that he should love me always," +the girl proceeded, with a gentle +solemnity that this kind of flippant +witticism could not discompose. "I +would never even ask him if he loved +me. It would seem to me a coarse and +insulting question, and it would tempt +him to doubt whether he did. If he +went away from me, I would never say +to him, 'Write to me often—write me +long letters.' It is so stupid of people +to do that! Of course, if he wanted +to, he would; and if he did it because +he was asked, his letters would be valueless, +and worse. He should never have +to think of me as a mortgage on his +life and his happiness—he should do<span class="pagenum">[282]</span> +as he liked—he should love me as he +liked. And if ever he left off loving +me, I should know he could not help +it—I should not blame him—I should +not ask him why. I should <i>feel</i> it in +a moment—I am sure, long before he +did—as one feels a chill in the air +when the sun goes in, even if one's +eyes are shut; but I should never say +a word about it. And yet——"</p> + +<p>"And yet it would never occur to +him, you think, to provide himself with +a more congenial companion?"</p> + +<p>"Beatrice, I cannot talk to you, if +you make those suggestions."</p> + +<p>"I am only making your own suggestions, +my dear. You said it was a +degradation to love to keep it under +lock and key."</p> + +<p>"And I said I was not speaking of<span class="pagenum">[283]</span> +married people. You <i>know</i> there is +something—whole worlds of things—besides +love to be considered in their case."</p> + +<p>"Married people are just as human +as single people—and so, for the matter +of that, are nuns who have taken the +veil, I suppose. Vows, if I understand +you rightly, are immoral; and the +dictates of nature should be obeyed. +Nature is uncommonly likely to dictate +to man who is not in love with his +wife that there might possibly exist a +more desirable woman."</p> + +<p>"I don't know how to explain +myself," said Rachel, who felt herself +in a distressing entanglement, and yet +was conscious that her principles were +being utterly misconstrued; "but I +know that <i>that</i>—what you allude to—would +be an impossibility."</p><p><span class="pagenum">[284]</span></p> + +<p>"Well, I daresay it would," said Mrs. +Reade, after a pause. She was suddenly +struck with the impropriety of +insisting upon strict logic in the discussion +of these delicate matters, all +things considered. Yet she was not +quite content to leave off at this point.</p> + +<p>"Put Mr. Dalrymple aside, Rachel. +Suppose you were yourself married, not +to him, but to someone you did not +particularly care for?"</p> + +<p>"That could never be," the girl replied +quickly.</p> + +<p>"Oh, I don't know. It was very +nearly being, I may take leave to remind +you. None of us can forsee what will +happen, and 'never' is a ridiculous word +for a child like you to use. You will +not live an old maid for fifty or sixty +years because you are disappointed in<span class="pagenum">[285]</span> +a lover whom you have known for a +few days—don't you believe it."</p> + +<p>"I will make no vows," said Rachel +with a faint smile; "but I express to +you my sincere conviction that I shall +never marry anybody. If I do—and I +can't say I <i>wish</i> to be an old maid—I +shall tell the person, whoever he is, all +about Roden, frankly."</p> + +<p>"Of course you will. And very +probably he will like you the better for +that frankness, and be quite willing to +take you on your own terms. But +then, suppose after years of married +life Mr. Dalrymple turned up again, and +you found you felt towards him as you +do now—what then?"</p> + +<p>"What then?" repeated the girl, +much disturbed and a little affronted; +"I should not recognise that I felt so."</p><p><span class="pagenum">[286]</span></p> + +<p>"But suppose—for the sake of argument—that +you could not help yourself?"</p> + +<p>"I hope I could help it, Beatrice. I +should not allow him to remind me of +the past."</p> + +<p>"Would not the past suggest itself +sufficiently? Ah, my dear, he is a very +strong man! And you are as weak as—well, +we needn't say anything about +that. If he wanted your love back, and +you had it in your heart——"</p> + +<p>"If he did," interposed Rachel; "but +I know he never would—I should love +him no more."</p> + +<p>"Would that be in accordance with +the terms of your philosophy?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, it would. For nature makes +us with many capacities. Some of them +counteract the others. Don't talk of these +things any more, Beatrice—I don't like it."</p><p><span class="pagenum">[287]</span></p> + +<p>"Very well, dear; I won't."</p> + +<p>The little lady got up from her seat +on the floor, opened a window, put the +teacups on the table, and asked her +cousin if she had seen the beautiful +Persian tiles that Mr. Kingston had +just had sent out to him for one of +the dados in the new house.</p> + +<p>Rachel responded absently, gazed for +a little while in silence upon the sleepy +garden full of flowers and humming +bees, and as Mrs. Reade had expected, +returned herself to the abandoned topic.</p> + +<p>"At any rate," she said thoughtfully, +"there is one thing I would always do. +I would tell the truth. I would never +have secrets. I would sooner do the +wrongest thing, the wickedest crime, +than hide it. If I <i>feel</i> things in my +heart—well, my husband, if I have one,<span class="pagenum">[288]</span> +shall know all that I know. And I +will never do anything that he—that the +whole world—may not see."</p> + +<p>"Does that seem to you so easy?" +inquired Beatrice, settling a top-heavy +rosebud in a slender Venetian vase. +"Did you never have any secrets that +you were afraid to tell?"</p> + +<p>The girl was silent for several minutes. +She was crimson to the throat, and her +face was turned away from her companion.</p> + +<p>"I will do what is sure to be right +and—safe," she said at last, falteringly; +"I will never marry anybody, if I do +not marry Roden."</p> + +<p class="h3">THE END OF THE SECOND VOLUME.</p> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's A Mere Chance, Vol. 2 of 3, by Ada Cambridge + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A MERE CHANCE, VOL. 2 OF 3 *** + +***** This file should be named 38084-h.htm or 38084-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/8/0/8/38084/ + +Produced by Darleen Dove, Shannon Barker, Matthew Wheaton +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images +generously made available by The Internet Archive/American +Libraries.) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +http://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at http://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +http://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at http://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit http://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: http://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + http://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. + + +</pre> + +</body> +</html> diff --git a/38084-h/images/c01.jpg b/38084-h/images/c01.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..781a274 --- /dev/null +++ b/38084-h/images/c01.jpg diff --git a/38084-h/images/c01e.jpg b/38084-h/images/c01e.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..7193108 --- /dev/null +++ b/38084-h/images/c01e.jpg diff --git a/38084-h/images/c02.jpg b/38084-h/images/c02.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..671acd0 --- /dev/null +++ b/38084-h/images/c02.jpg diff --git a/38084-h/images/c02e.jpg b/38084-h/images/c02e.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..57ec8a5 --- /dev/null +++ b/38084-h/images/c02e.jpg diff --git a/38084-h/images/c03.jpg b/38084-h/images/c03.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..268476d --- /dev/null +++ b/38084-h/images/c03.jpg diff --git a/38084-h/images/c03e.jpg b/38084-h/images/c03e.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..016e80c --- /dev/null +++ b/38084-h/images/c03e.jpg diff --git a/38084-h/images/c04.jpg b/38084-h/images/c04.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..0b85f1b --- /dev/null +++ b/38084-h/images/c04.jpg diff --git a/38084-h/images/c04e.jpg b/38084-h/images/c04e.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..b925fcb --- /dev/null +++ b/38084-h/images/c04e.jpg diff --git a/38084-h/images/c05.jpg b/38084-h/images/c05.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..f1a674c --- /dev/null +++ b/38084-h/images/c05.jpg diff --git a/38084-h/images/c05e.jpg b/38084-h/images/c05e.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..626d6c9 --- /dev/null +++ b/38084-h/images/c05e.jpg diff --git a/38084-h/images/c06.jpg b/38084-h/images/c06.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..aba814c --- /dev/null +++ b/38084-h/images/c06.jpg diff --git a/38084-h/images/c06e.jpg b/38084-h/images/c06e.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..bd3a579 --- /dev/null +++ b/38084-h/images/c06e.jpg diff --git a/38084-h/images/c07.jpg b/38084-h/images/c07.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..2437b2b --- /dev/null +++ b/38084-h/images/c07.jpg diff --git a/38084-h/images/c07e.jpg b/38084-h/images/c07e.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..2438251 --- /dev/null +++ b/38084-h/images/c07e.jpg diff --git a/38084-h/images/c08.jpg b/38084-h/images/c08.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..781a274 --- /dev/null +++ b/38084-h/images/c08.jpg diff --git a/38084-h/images/c08e.jpg b/38084-h/images/c08e.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..9337b98 --- /dev/null +++ b/38084-h/images/c08e.jpg diff --git a/38084-h/images/c09.jpg b/38084-h/images/c09.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..fb0ea96 --- /dev/null +++ b/38084-h/images/c09.jpg diff --git a/38084-h/images/c09e.jpg b/38084-h/images/c09e.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..b925fcb --- /dev/null +++ b/38084-h/images/c09e.jpg diff --git a/38084-h/images/c10.jpg b/38084-h/images/c10.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..f935ea5 --- /dev/null +++ b/38084-h/images/c10.jpg diff --git a/38084-h/images/c10e.jpg b/38084-h/images/c10e.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..016e80c --- /dev/null +++ b/38084-h/images/c10e.jpg diff --git a/38084-h/images/c11.jpg b/38084-h/images/c11.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..671acd0 --- /dev/null +++ b/38084-h/images/c11.jpg diff --git a/38084-h/images/c11e.jpg b/38084-h/images/c11e.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..57ec8a5 --- /dev/null +++ b/38084-h/images/c11e.jpg diff --git a/38084-h/images/c12.jpg b/38084-h/images/c12.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..cf50d07 --- /dev/null +++ b/38084-h/images/c12.jpg diff --git a/38084-h/images/c13.jpg b/38084-h/images/c13.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..2437b2b --- /dev/null +++ b/38084-h/images/c13.jpg diff --git a/38084-h/images/d-i.jpg b/38084-h/images/d-i.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..5ea80c9 --- /dev/null +++ b/38084-h/images/d-i.jpg diff --git a/38084-h/images/d-m.jpg b/38084-h/images/d-m.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..103108c --- /dev/null +++ b/38084-h/images/d-m.jpg diff --git a/38084-h/images/d-p.jpg b/38084-h/images/d-p.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..1e0848c --- /dev/null +++ b/38084-h/images/d-p.jpg diff --git a/38084-h/images/d-r.jpg b/38084-h/images/d-r.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..8e1c0c6 --- /dev/null +++ b/38084-h/images/d-r.jpg diff --git a/38084-h/images/d-w.jpg b/38084-h/images/d-w.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..b4c8109 --- /dev/null +++ b/38084-h/images/d-w.jpg diff --git a/38084-h/images/logo.jpg b/38084-h/images/logo.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..ba10928 --- /dev/null +++ b/38084-h/images/logo.jpg |
