A Modern Chronicle -- Volume 02

ble. It had never occurred to her to think of a wild forest as an example of nature's extravagance, and so flattering was her attention while Robert explained the primary prin

anged to play a match with Mr. Spence. This gentleman, it appeared, was likewis

effingwell?" he said, as he

nt of the Holt family, Rob

ce, gallantly, "that Miss Leffing

confusion. "And I shouldn't think of spoiling your

ther day, Hono

would not

on, then," suggested Mr. Spence

ed him gr

you, I'm afraid," she added,

costume, and wore a pink shirt of a new pattern. And he stood in front of her in

matter?" s

he said. "I'd give a good deal to s

torted, and started up the stairs. Once she

peared at breakfast, coming out of his room. She paused with her hand on the waln

go off with that stock-broker. It must be that I see the Home sometime, and if I go now it i

mes seven,"

ful. Then I care not how many times. Mademoiselle, if you would but have your portrait painted as you

came a voice from the

's v

he banisters, and added: "malheureux que je suis! Perhaps

were some notes to leave and a sick woman and a child to see, which caused her to vary it a little that morning; and Honora, who sat in the sunlight and held the horse, wondered how it would feel to pl

kind. And I can't tell you how much I am enjoy

that it is giving you

d Honora, "that you won't s

ody they met had a bow and a smile for her friend-a greeting such as people give to those for whom they have only good-will. Young men and girls waved their racquets at her from the tennis-courts; and Honora envied them and wished that she, too, were a part

f-of these people,

ays have guests at Silverdale, and then there are so many things one has to attend to. Perhap

nora. "It is such a wonderful

inner to-night, and others next week-that's why I'm leav

good time. It is exciting to be in the same house with a

end was

u?" deman

ally tolerant Susan did

en

since you ask me, Honora, I have to be honest. It seems to me that his

way," exclaimed Honora, and added hastily

n la

re is a spirit of selfishness and-and of vulgarity in modern, fashionable New York which appears t

wer," sai

far end of the Silverdale domain, and were driving along the shore of the lake that lay like a sapphire set amongst the green hills. It was here that the new house of the Rober

ee the cows

ooked s

u were interested

," said Honora: "and I think y

with his hands in his pockets, dema

s to look at the cattl

onora. "I'd like so much to see some really goo

ased, "it seems strange to have somebody really want to see them," he said. "I tried to get Spenc

ewritten figures on the wall. "Do you mean to say yo

ked by his side over the concrete pavi

is voice, "is Lady Guinevere, and those ribbons are

"why, she's actually beautiful. I di

nts in a cow aren't necessarily features of beauty for in

how, to the thoroughbred ap

," replied Joshua,-wher

g questions, followed h

the pasture," he said, w

e second

t I see them

ld have believed him capable. "I'll tell Susan to drive on,

love to,"

d them returning together as the gongs were sounding for luncheon. Mrs

hua!" she exclaimed, in a tone that implied the ca

victory or embarrassment, or

r way, Mrs. Holt," she replied

ngwell," declared Joshua, which w

bored you," said the go

see bow any one could be bored looking at s

raction, to Mrs. Robert's face. Her comment upon this latest conquest, though

Mr. Spence made a remark sotto voce which should, in

She's got Robert's scalp, too, and he thought it a pretty good

sh indignantly. Perhaps she resented Mr

most natural and unspoile

h which the hours of that long afternoon slipped away, may have attributed their flight to the discovery in himself of hitherto latent talent for instruction. At the little Casino, he had bo

effingwell," he wo

would t

t you are inclined to chop it off a littl

how you mus

vain for words with which to obliterate su

its forest walls. In the distance, Silver Brook was gleaming amidst the meadows. They sat down on one of the benche

uch chance over at the convent," and she gathered th

f the provincialism which had caused her to suspect an insult. She took a cigarette, and h

usly that I smoked?" sh

sked; "any numb

per and lifted the tobacco to her

o see women sm

was something cosey about the

he added, "that y

a frightful mess of it,"

rything wel

she inquired

time. In fact, you've been something of an eye-opener to me," he declared. "If I had been b

it did not lower Mr. Spence in her

the West," she replied, laughing. "Didn't y

ough puzzled by the word, "gentlewomen, y

native place was not strong eno

uting these qualities. "Savoir faire, as the French call it, and all that. I don't know much about that language, but the wa

?" said Hono

t I was talking to M

. "And besides, I wasn't I stringing' the Vicomte. In the West we d

least out of countenance, "you made him think he was the only p

haps that was the reason why

. Spence, "but it wouldn't be a bad guess to say

bout them, at any

"I know those fellows-they make love to every

a lau

te could make love c

ddenly became

well-" he began, when she sprang to her feet

because, although I look twenty-five and experienc

But she had the incomprehensible feminine satisfaction of knowing, as they wa

themselves, and there was something "insolent" about New York which appealed to her. Peter, when he read that letter, seemed to see Mr. Howard Spence in the flesh; or arrayed, rather, in the kind of cloth alluringly draped in the show-windows of fashionable tailors. For Honora, all unconsciousl

than that of the Vicomte himself.) Mrs. Holt-with her Victorian brooch and ear-rings and her watchful delft-blue eyes that somehow haunted one even when she was out of sight, with her ample bosom and the really kind heart it contained-was likewise depicted; and Mr. Holt, with his dried bread, and his garden which Honora wished Uncle Tom could see, and his prayers that lacked imagination. Joshua and his cows, Robert and his forest, Susan

sent her love to Peter, an

shed, but Mrs. Holt, in a bronze-coloured silk, swished most of all as she entered the library after a brief errand to the housekeeper's room. Mr. Holt was already arranging his book-marks in the Bible, while Joshua and Robert, in black cutaways th

flannel suit was of the lightest of grays; he wore white tennis shoes and a red tie, and it was plain, as he cheerfully bade them good mor

id, "you're not going to

church," replied Mr. Spence,

tend to do?" as

for the week as soon a

as a Sunday newspaper

o

he exclaimed. And his

to avoid them,-expres

spoke of the pernicious effect of Wall Street upon young

his own, Mr. Spence was, so to speak, outlawed. Robert and Joshua must

declared Mrs. Holt. "I am in

inseparable; but he did not attempt to discover the whereabouts, in Sutton, of the Church of his fathers. He was not in the best of humours that morning, and his toilet had advanced no further when, an hour or so later,

ght after breakfast, and to whom he declared that her presence alone prevented him from leaving that afternoon. It was Honora who told him that he ought to be ashamed of himself. And it was to Honora

ngels in the Holt memorial window, and the inmates of the Holt Institution occupied all the back pews. Mrs. Joshua played the organ, and Susan, with several young women and a young

sermon I found in m

you would not overlook it," said Mrs. Holt, approvingly.

. Holt!" be

uring the meal, showed unmistakable signs of a fu

sh to. Since you were good enough to reconsider your decision an

length, in a wicker chair under a distant tree on the lawn, Honora beheld the dejected outline of the Vicomte. He was trying to read, but every once in a while would lay down his book and gaze protractedly at the house, stroking his mustache. The low song of the bees around the shrubbery vied

. "Ah, Mademoiselle, never in my

l, Vicomte?

nd of a menage is this, then, where I am walked around Institutions, where I am forced to listen to the exposition of doctri

laughed, "you must re

ave come here to study

heon, offered to show me his collection of Chinese carvings! I, who might be at Trouville or Cabourg! If it were not for you, Ma

ake?" ech

th the eyes of martyrdom. "It is not for my health, alas!

zzy Sunday afternoons of her childhood, when

d the Vicomte; "you

derstand them," she replied. "

e first time my eyes fell on you, I said to myself, 'ah!

site sex," ventured Honora, "m

one whose modesty forbade

. "You are not like these people. You have temperament

you mean,

self by regarding Institutions and listening to sermons in your jeunesse? It is all very well for Mademoiselle Susan, but you are not created for a rel

d reprovingly, "that y

en

cktails and read the stock reports and send cablegrams all the day long? and go to the Folies Bergeres, and yawn? Nom de nom, of what does

t thought of very highly i

u are a new count

money. Money has tak

nce?" she asked. "I have hea

is our servant. You make it, and we enjoy it. Yes, and you, Mademoiselle-you, too, were made to enjoy. You do not belong here," h

n reading, which would have bored her at home, had interested and amused her. But was it not from the novelty of these episodes, ra

ength they came out at a rustic summer-house set over the wooded valley. Honora, with one foot on the ground, sat on the railing gazing over the tree-tops; the V

said; "you reminded me of a line of Marcel Prevost,

at dinner you were too much occupied

hinking. I was thinking that you were born to play a part in many dramas, that you have the fatal beauty which is rare in al

ion indeed. And the fact that she did not tingle with anger alone made her all the more angry. Trembling, her face burning, she leaped down from the railing

ly of you!"

mes to see you like that once more. I cannot help my feelings-they were dead inde

was willing to believe he had not meant to insult her. And then, he was a Frenchman. As a proof of his versatility, if not of his good faith, he talked of neutral matters on the way b

te to Gwendolen, "your S

ittle summer-house whi

s about our country, Vicomte?" sh