Studies in Wives

ely deserted portion of the Park which he had chosen was, even so, full of walkers. A good many people, men as well as women, looked at him ple

mere matter of eyes, nose and mouth, that his looks wer

ost every man who saw him envied him-if not his looks then his clothes, if not his clothes t

herself, rather wistfully, that he was waiting for a loved on

was Fanny Burdon, and her home was in Shropshire. Germaine had a loved one, but she was already his wife, his beautiful, clever Bella, with

her go straight home with him, instead of taking her down into the crowd of people who were now seething round the Achilles statue. But

s, would assuredly be there-Mrs. Slade, Bella's great "pal," a nice pretty little woman, with big appealing eyes; also Jenny and Paul Arabi

e would b

n fact Uvedale made no secret of his infatuation for the beautiful Mrs. Germai

he had been in the old days, before she had blossomed into a famous beauty. She was then rather fond of flirting-but her husband had proved the truth of the comfortable old adage concerning safety in numbers. Bella

ainly be lunching with the

ways fluttering round Bella. He had established himself as a tame cat about the house, and he had, as a matter of fact, been very useful to

tablished people, delightful old ladies who called Bella "My pretty dear," courtly old gentlemen who paid her charmingly-

ck. For a brief moment Germaine considered Henry Buck,-Buck who wa

ed, and ever since he had stuck to them both with almost pathetic insistence. Oddly enough, he, Oliver, did not reciprocate Hen

rich, and one of those rather uncommon people, who don't know how to spend their money! Poor Rabbit had been educated at home by a foolish, wi

considering how very unornamental and uninteresting poor old Rabbit was, it was really very nice of Bella to be so kind to him. She never seemed to mind his being there, and sh

o cram everything into a visit to London. She was disappointed if every waking hour did not bring with it some new sensation, some new amusement, and this was odd

t just before Christmas, and then perhaps again just before Easter. Now she had come up alone, and settled herself into dull lodgings in Marylebone; and then-well, the young man wa

lowed her to suspect, even by as much as a look, that her presence was not welcome. Yet Fanny naturally proved "odd man out" at all those little gatherings to which her lovely sister-in-law made her so carelessly welcome. Fanny knew nothing of the delightful world in which Oliver and Bella now m

in the Park, too; and, as a matter of fact, Germaine had tried to make his wife please

hat-to go into that big, horrid, staring crowd. Why should I? It makes one look so cheap! It would only

ld not enjoy seeing Bella looked at, followed,-in a word, triumphing, in the way she

two years ago as she was now, should, for some mysterious reason, have been suddenly discove

about it-the way that Bella, his darling, pretty little Bella, had suddenly been exalted-hoisted up, as it were, on to a pinnacle. She was now what the London

man nature-or so Oliver believed-for any woman, even for such a good sort

unate that Bella's fame-that fame of which the young husband was half ashamed and half proud-had actual

in her voice, "I wonder, dear old boy, why you allow Bella's photograph to appear in all those low papers!" and Oliver had shrugged his shoulders, not knowing what to answer, but comfortably sure, in a brotherly w

had appeared in a well-known lady's paper. Why, she had actually sent the paper to him, marked! But Oliver magnanimously refrained from reminding her of this,

Bella chose to spend their income; it was no business of hers how the money was spent. Unfortunately Fanny did consider it her business, simply owing to the fact that she was Oliver's only sister, and very fond of him,-that wen

s?" Oliver had nodded impatiently. Of course he knew, roughly sp

ively. "At least that was what it was last year, for I asked Dick." Now Dick was

subaltern, with a very small private income, in a Line regiment. And it was on that small income that the loveliest girl in S

y declared it to be his intention to leave his money outside his own family, had chosen to make Oliver h

to make them rich beyond their wildest dreams, was not so very much after all. But st

had proved more expensive than they had expected. However, Dick, as trustee, had stretched a point in his brother-in-law's favour, and the slight shrinkage which had resulted in the Germaines' income mattered not at all

all their friends, or at any rate the majority of them, had motors as a matter of course, but Bella, when she was not driving

it was kept for one at a garage for fifteen shillings a week, and one looked out for a gentleman chauffeur who loved motoring for its own sake, and who had some little means of his own. With care the whole thing need not cost more

d to go everywhere, and do everything. Yet neither of them lacked proper pride. They differed from some people they knew-that is, they did not (more than they could help) live on their rich friends. Their only real extravagance last year had been

But he had no wish to confide this fact to Fanny! Fanny would be certain to blame Bella. He remembered

and quite sufficiently well connected, had not counterbalanced, from the prudent sister's point of view, Bella Ara

ntoxicating success, Bella was, if anything, nicer than before. She and Oliver were still devote

hed Grosvenor Gate for the fifth or sixth time, it struck a quarter-past one. In a sense there was plenty of ti

laced it with its back to a large tree. From there he could see everyone who came in and out of the gate, and so he and Fanny

ision, and for a moment his dark eyes rested on them indifferently. Then his gaze changed into something like attention, for he had a vague impr

t woman with the shrewd, powerful face Germaine seemed to know, did not look like a servant. Even he could see that her black clothes were handsome and costly, if rather

shionable marriage-women who, if they had lived in the London of the Georges, would have walked a good many miles to see a fellow-creature swing. But to Oli

ated; then, looking round them much as Germaine himself had looked round a few minutes before, and, the elder woman taking the lead, each d

, and he felt inclined to cut the other three minutes short, and go

began to penetrate Oliver Germaine's brain. Names fell on his ear-Christian names, surnames, with which he was familiar,

his stick, and he caught himself listening-listening wi

making the people of whom she was speaking leap up before the listener. Now and again she was interrupted by little s

hose lives, the inner cores of whose existences, were being probed and ruthlessly exposed, almost all belonged to the Germaines' own particular set,-if indeed such a prosperous and popular couple as were Olive

ople's private affairs, save in a wholly impersonal fashion. He had always avoided the hidden, unspoken side of

ome feeling outside himself, some instinct which for the

at his own table. She was one of Bella's special friends, and Oliver had got quite fond of her, the more so that he was well aware that she was in a

unds, and exposing to her vulgar companion the shifts to which the unfortunate little woman was put. Nay, more, she said certain things concerning Mrs. Slade wh

money, how they did without money. That was the idea running through all her conv

righteous indignation to have found words with which to rebuke, even to threa

his wife, the woman of whom he felt so exultantly, so selflessly proud. The allusion c

rs. Germaine. I wonder if sh

n Sunday. Why she'd be mobb

o people run after h

to see Mrs. Jersey go by. Not that I ever thought much of her figure-great, ugly, squ

t Venus style, isn't she? I suppose you've had a lot to

round and stare. She gets her looks from her mother; I remember the mother-her name was Arabin-when I was with Cerise. They weren't London people-they was military. Mrs. Arabi

lady, whom Bella's set greatly preferred to the other dressmakers in vogue. It was Mrs. Bliss, so he remembered having heard, who had introduced s

e the formidable Mrs. Bliss in the old-fashioned house in Sackville Street where the dressmaker wielded her powerful sceptre. That was before Bella had become a fash

her, larger cheques than Bella could manage out of her allowance. But that was some time ago; his wife must now have given up dealing with her; a

the speaker would probably have described as perfectly ladylike and delicate language, but its purport was unmistakable, a

that buzzes closer than another. To tell you the truth, Sophy, I'm puzzled about those Germaines. It's no business of mine, of course, but she spends three times as much as s

an army chap

elting pretty quick. Why, she goes everywhere! Last season she really wore her clothes out. They"-she waved her hand compr

ou don't bother a

not that kind; I don't work for the King of

rs. Germaine, but lately,-well, I won't say lately, but for the last eighteen months or so, she's alw

, to Oliver Germaine, it seemed a

thout looking around towards the Marble Arch; so alone could he be sure that Mr

erating with loud insistence in his ear: "She's always paid

d it to carry? There had been a touch of regret in the hard voice, a hesitation in the

ost running in his desire to outstrip his own thoughts, there came a little lightening of his bewilde

ver, thank God, knew his wife! Why, there was never any loose money in

oney-plenty of sixpences and shillings, half crowns and half sovereigns-at his disposal. Nay more, looking back, he realised that his wife no longer teased him, as she had once perpetually teased him, fo

erly unsuspecting, and even now h

as even Oliver Germaine knew by personal experience, pitch defiles. If Daphne Slade did the things Mrs. Bliss implied she did, Bella must know it,-know it and condone it. Bella was far too clever to be taken i

ad once done, in the days before Bella became a famous beauty-would sometimes hint darkly as to the wickedness of some of the people they kne

ded and old-fashioned sister,-had been right after all? Was it possible that like so many husbands of whom he had

e of a man in his own regiment who had shot himself three days after his wife's death. It had been publicly given out that the poor fellow had been mad-distra

reluctantly,-but still, if asked the plain question, he would have admitted,

rid vividness, the memory of a brief episode which at th

ngs. There came a moment when she said to him, with burning, unhappy eyes, "People think I'm a good woman, but I'm not." And she had hurried on to make the nature of her sinning quite clear; she had not passion for her

rom the seed sown by Mrs. Bliss a upas tree which for the moment overshadowed everything. He was torn with anguished jeal

their marriage, and jealous since, but that feeling had b

d courted admiration. But he had never doubted her, never for a moment thought that her love was leaving him, still less that her flirtations held any really sinister intent. He now remembered how a man, a fool of

ecome to all intents and purposes, not only another woman, but a woman of a type,-as even he

reet, and then took a turning which would ultimately lead him home; home where Bella must be impa

ow review the men and the women who composed his own and Bella's intimate circle. They rose in blurred outline against the b

lose friends, had planned to steal, to buy, the wife on whose abs

so he now told himself sorely, was not quite a fool; he had known men who hid the deepest, tenderest-he would not s

edale had offered to put Germaine on to a "good thing," to share with him a tip which had been given him by one of his financial friends. Germaine now remembered, with a sick feeling of anger, how seriously annoyed Bella had be

ow often Uvedale took his place as Bella's companion at those semi-public gatherings, charity fêtes, and so on

s anguished suspicion at another man who

edale, so Germaine dimly realised even now, was a man with a wider, more genero

this was not true. Only the other day Bella had spoken very warmly of Joliffe; when they had moved into their new house he had given them a Sheraton bureau, a very charming and certa

her; walking through the hall he had heard her peals of laughter at

w off the grinning mask. Bella had said, only yesterday, "There's more in Peter than you think, Oli

yet so constantly meeting. Joliffe had gone so far as to say something-not exactly disagreeable, but condemnatory-of Uvedale's city connections, to Germaine. Joliffe was annoy

sest pals. But what did he really know of either of them-of their secret thoughts-their deep desires and ambitions-their shames and secret sins? Nothing-nothing. Bella's husband knew

most miserable and pitiable of civilised beings, the trusting, kindl

remained grave, for he had a sensitive heart-a heart which made him realise something of what lay beneath such tales. No

ver allowed her sweet-tempered nature to be. But Germaine told himself savagely that he didn't care,-he was sorry to be so near home, to know that in a few moments he would have to command him

nfused stream of apologies and explanations. He stared at her in silence, and she thou

to say, how she was trying to explain her failure to keep her appointment with him in the

had asked him, when they moved into this house, not to use a latch-key in the daytime; she had explained to him that to do so prevented the servants keepin

egun to hate and suspect, each in their different measure, women and men. Everyone had left, that is,

the women-Jenny Arabin was a great talker and in a harmless sort of way a great gossip, always knowing everybody's business better than they did themselves-under cover of the women's chatter, he had been able to remain silent, a

bout his health-blundering, tactless, Fanny had actu

ssed the little hall. The time had now

through a hideous nightmare. If that were indeed so, then his whole life w

y her dressmaker in bank-notes if the fancy seized her. Sometimes when Bella did something that he, Oliver, did not like or a

ring liveliness and exceeding beauty still lingered in the ever-shifting naval and military society wh

face. Rabbit was certainly lacking in tact; he always outstayed all their other guests, and he never knew when Bella was tired, but

painted china knob of

he had apparently been putting something away; Germaine heard the click of the lock. She

thought you were going out

ered, "I never thought

t going to sta

n. Why did she ask whether he was going to stay in? Which of the two men who had just left the

me people to tea. So perhaps I'd better go and take my hat off. I shall only be a few minutes; do

is, at any rate. Germaine stared at the door through which h

ind at rest one way or the other. It would go far to prove or disprove the story Mrs. Bliss had told, for it would show if Bella were indeed in the habit o

d his looking at her bank-book, although, as a matter of fact he never had looked at it. She was a tidy little woman; he knew that everything under

it was a feeling which sat very uneasily on Oliver Germaine,-he took h

which in old days, when they were first married, before he ha

he little vellum-bound book and opened i

were a few cheques made out to trades-people. There was not a single cheque made out to "self" on the page at which he was looking; but-

page which bore the date of three years ago; and here, as he had

a pretty little toy which had been given her, so the husband now remembered, by Uvedale.

d ran his fingers thro

s one which bore the

ds on account about a fortnight before. It was the only bill on the file on which there still remained a balance owing. Germaine

ot-house flowers, extravagantly expensive fruit-which he had enjoyed, and of which he had partaken, believing, if he thought of the mat

ook at yours." He had not heard the door open, and Bella had crept up swiftly b

round and look

in gown, her slender waist girdled with a blue ribbon. She looked e

vy hand on her r

cried, "you'

ew his ha

a strange look that came over her face he added hurriedly, "Never mind how I found out. I

t as Bella Germaine asked the useless question she shrank back; for the first time

nd out? She had thought he would go on not knowing-for ever. That this should

again, shaken almost out of his self-contr

rds the open window; Oliver, poor angry Oliver, could no

r, trembling, down into a low chair. "Now tell me," he repeated. "Don't keep me wa

lue sash. She had become very pale, a sickly yellow colour which made her viole

u. It's a matter personal to myself. It's no business of yours. I've never sp

d from her arm. "My G

at he was feeling pen

le to ask me," she said defiantly.

ry difficult to guess which of the two,

her feet, the colour rushed back into her fa

a thing if my father had been alive! How dare you say, how dare you think, I h

he had been! It fed his anger to see that Bella had so poor an opini

said briefly. "I know it is

er-indeed

there had been in her face, had left it. She was staring at her husband as if sh

would never-never forgive him his vile suspicion of her. Was it for this that she, Bella, had always g

fore, when she had often rehearsed this scene, when she had been

ow had. Never, in her most anguished dreams, had Oliver accused her of having-a lover. But

d woman's lover, let alone mine! Why, Peter's a regular old maid!" She laughed a little hysterically at her simile, and,

is time, so he was quick to notice, Bella did

ale is really fond of you, Oliver,-do you

h him; he shrugged his shoul

close up to her husband. She lo

" she hesitated, again a look of shame,-more, of fear,-came into her

don't bel

n't bel

he truth,-and Oliver had brushed the truth aside, so possessed by insane jealousy of Pete

o frightened; men are so queer-perhaps Oliver would feel, as she had now felt for so long

isarray; the receipted bills which she had found her husband looking over were scatter

Germaine had hidden very carefully what she was now about to show Oliver as the certain, tr

, "look at this, Oliver. I think it will c

band's preposterous accusation. But she told herself that now

oment and then

o them. It was addressed in a handwriting he knew well,-the unform

liver G

t Chapel

yfa

er were add

king it to the above address,

. "Open it, and see what is ins

o pieces of paper was a packet of bank-n

up questioning

ieved to be the moment of her exculpation. Her pretty little hands, laden with rings, each one

ce grew i

e into tears. "I knew you wouldn't like it, but-but

give you money?" asked

ago," she ans

e was so kind, Oliver. He explained how awfully fond he was of us both. He said we were his only

ave you had

he said eagerly, and again

ed Oliver to take the news quite in this way; he looked

to where her husband was still standing with the e

put down all the sums she had received from Henry Buck, but in such a fashion tha

ly he straightened his shoulders as if to meet cal

no

n enormous sum,-ov

is," she sai

, and Bella thought he was perhaps going to hand her back the envelope and

k brought you to-day is

dly. "I hadn't time to

see what c

e"-her voice was trembling with self-pity-"that

at her with that same cold lo

a cry from her brought him

o me--" and, as he looked at her, still silent, "Oliver! you sure

rse I don't think anything of the kind. I accept absolut

Henry Buck and me," she cried, protestin

y human being in whom he still felt complete confidence, who,

y, what is

lodgings. Oliver had explained to the servant that he was Mrs. Burdon's broth

d. "The fact is I've made a fool of myse

looked untidy. Her smart voile gown-voile was the "smart" material that season-was crumpled. And Oliver's wife, Bella, was always so dre

ou," she answered briskl

ive thousand pounds Co

e now, for luckily we didn't put it into C

ested in D

of course it isn't," she

at it without D

d." There was a touch

housand pounds." Oliver spoke huskil

l," she said. And, as he turned to her, his face working,-"You needn't make

rest for it-whatever you're getting now," he said. "A

nny, and then again she gave hi

ave. But you know-at least you don't know, luckily for you-what it's like to be mixed up with a lot of fellows who are all richer than one is oneself

anny smiled. "You don't supp

t all husbands and wives who loved one another told each other everything; and yet, here was Fanny,

what I choose to do with my

ing the re-payment

; and added, looking away as she spoke, "

a man's dusky u

o go and live in the country. Still, let's make it seven years. I say, Fanny, you are

f the sofa. She

k. Her looks will last twice as long there, and, and-if I were you, Oliver-you and Bella I mean," Fanny got rather mixed, and very red-"we

nd feeling vaguely comforted. His sister Fanny h