The Hermit and the Wild Woman and Other Stories

on the threshold of her sitting-roo

sed legs and head thrown back, in an attitude which h

not the summariness of the Bar

him?" Mrs. New

s;

m, because there's a dress-maker there, and she won't go because she is waiting to be paid

retired to the embrasure. Mrs. Newell flung herself d

nd him? You've t

alked with him

movement. "That's too

sn't co

you

ime to thin

no time-did yo

emember that he has plenty. He

t's too much. When he thinks

fused at once if I had

"It's too hard, after all I've done! The trousseau is ordered-think how

ed abruptly from his stu

aven's sake don't spoil e

usly. "What's the meaning

in the place of a man on wh

owingly to Garnett, and walked toward the

shold Mrs. Newe

m into the antechamber; and Garnett remembered the dre

small flat packet which she vainly soug

ed; but whether she referred to her husband o

not indeed tell her the arguments he had used to shake her husband's resolve, since in his eloquent sketch of Hermione's situation there had perforce entered

well exclaimed; and after a moment she added drearily:

is final talk with Mr. Newell. But as he was passing through the ante-chamber a side-door opened and Hermione stood before

!" she said

he had never supposed her capable of suc

s with the dress-maker," she explained, closing the door

our servic

o see him to-day," the girl went on, standing close to

cluded her name in her mother's plea to Mr. Newell. He had supposed her to be either unconscious of the transaction, or else too much engrossed in her own happiness to give it

one continued. "Of course it is the custom-people will think it odd

s not yet

so when I saw M

refused-he has promis

d it-he hate

It seemed to arouse

-it would!" s

e tone with which she went on, laying her hand on his arm: "Mr. Garnett, he

a shock of awe. What abysses o

Miss Hermion

he marriage or the du Trayas will break it off. They don't want it very much, at any rate," she added wi

o your father," G

But that makes no difference, Mr. Garnett.

point-after all, n

ot a child when he left us.... I was old enough to see ... to see how it must hurt him e

t. "My dear child, there is no need

t be made to see us!" she said imperatively. And as Garnett remained silent she went on: "I

ee you at this mom

r face with s

hen; tell him what

st thing," he reflected inwardly; but he did not give utterance to the th

tever you wish

I am in earnest?" s

ite sure

ve said-I want him to be left undisturbed.

ace in preference to his own lodgings. It was clear that he did not wish to admit the young man any further into his privac

d at the young man's approach, and said at once: "You

me away with a refusal, I have come to s

uised wonder, in which an undertone of disa

se for me, after all

the message with which she had charged him. He remembered her words exactly and

ionally casting a crumb to his flock. When Garnet

ied Garnett with a

ngenious woman." Mr. Newell shook out his remain

that these people will use my refusal as a

ear-she told

r the young man rath

ch look at these things differently. He's only twenty-three and his m

ell assented. He rose and picked up the half-smoke

rench weddings, anyhow? A dre

that for the moment he could only stammer ou

ague laugh and added: "One way or anoth