A Modern Chronicle -- Volume 02

hat followed. Robert, who went off in the middle of it with his family to the seashore, described it to Honora as a normal week. During its progress there came and went a missionary from China, a

omprehended the feelings of Christopher Wren when he conceived St. Paul's Cathedral, of Michael Angelo when he painted the Sistine Chapel. Even the serious young lawyer succumbed, though not without a struggle. When he had first seen Miss Leffingwell, he confessed, he had tho

er unselfishness, endeare

lady. "You have a remarkable gift with people for so young a girl, and

ave been some truth in the quotation of the Vicomte as applied to her -that she was destined to be loved only amidst the play of drama. If experience is worth anything, Monsieur de Toqueville should have been an

a kind to make a gentleman of the Vicomte's temperament and habits ecstatically happy. And Honora was filled with a strange and unaccountable delight

can womanhood was studying him. Thanks to a national System, she had had an apprenticeship; the heart-blood of Algernon Cartwright and many others had not been shed in

wed her with such a gift that she could read the daily temperature as by a register hung on the outside, without getting scorched. Nor had there been any design on her part in thus tormenting his soul. He had not mean

gh the garden with Mr. Holt-a custom which he had come insensibly to depend upon. And in the brief conversations which she vouchsafed the Vicomte, they discussed his novels. In vain he pleaded, in caressing undertones, that she should ride with him. Honora had never been on

ake long promenades with the architects and charity wo

ak are not dangerous," answe

egrees. Frenchmen are not the only branch of the male sex who are compl

sations were in that language. If there were duplicity in this, Honora did not recognize it. "I stay here only for

d that we talk an hour at least, altogether. And then, although I am very young a

without perceiving it-you who are so heartless. And

ing a new accomplishment when I have the opportunity,

like the great animal of Joshua when he wants his supper? He is without espr

f all machinery," sh

hought you were like so many of your countrywomen in

re, Vicomte," sh

ake a specialty of country houses, and promised some day to order one: he disputed boldly with the other young man as to the practical uses of settlement work, and even measured swords with the missionary. Needless to say, he was not

em. And in this diversion she was encouraged by Mrs. Holt herself. On Saturday morning, the heat being unusual, they ended their game by common consent at the fourth hole and descended a wood ro

on. He had laid down his coat; his sleeves were rolled up and his arms were tanned, and

retty good time, hav

, but the look she flashed back at him

been a very apt pupil,

another week" He paused, and an expression came into his eyes which was not new

et at this announcement

t stand Silverdale muc

wardly for Mr. Spence. But Honora was silent. "I had a letter

id Honora, detaching a copper-gre

iderable importance, for which I am more or less responsible. Someth

have to wait for things to happen to them. A man can do what he wants. He can go into Wall Street and

smilingly, "it's w

wn the vista of the wood road by which they had come. He fl

ve I known y

star

little more than

longer than

g; "I suppose it's because we've

Mr. Spence, "that I h

there was a certain haunting familiarity about this remark; some other v

ve any idea of. You're adaptable. Put you down any place, and you take hold. For instance

istic lack of apology and with assurance. She stole a glance at him, and beheld the image of a dominating man of affairs. He did not, it is true, evoke in her that extreme sensation which has been called a thrill. She had read somewhere that women were always expecting thrills, and never got them. N

ss me a litt

"and I shall be curious to know

boasting that I can give you what you desire in life-after a while. I love you. You are young, and just now I felt that perhaps I should ha

d, no idea that he would propose, no notion that his heart was involved to such an extent. He was very near her, but he had not attempted to touch her. His vo

sed her

ghtened you

he first time in his life, perhaps, he was awed. And, seeing him helpless, she put out her hands to him

d," she said. "Yes,

. His arms were empty now, and he caught a glimpse of her poised on the road abov

e. He tried to think, but failed. Never in his orderly life had anything so precipitate happen

id thickly, "I

, and a smile quivered at

u thinking o

r," said Honora. "But we shan't tell her yet, shall we,

eing deserted, he

henever you like,

shua's trotter to lunch-much too rapidl

there and not give it away," h

tree," whispered Honora, laughing, "o

t help it. It won't come off. I want to blurt out the news to eve

uld bring forth. The incredulity, the chagrin, the indignation, even, in some quarters. He conc

our was high, and his expression, indeed, a little idiotic; and he declared afterwards that he felt like a sandwich-man, with the news printed in red letters before and behind. Honora knew that

on account of the h

had gone very rapidly,

axing moods she i

he would not trust her newly acqu

s. Holt," she explained, "because w

am modern enough to approve of exercise for young girls, and I am sure your A

e she will,"

stiff, and his manner of twisting his mustache reminded her of an animal sharpening its claws. It was at this moment that the b

bad news, Honora,

le dazed. "He's in New York. And he's corning up o

on your bureau at Sutcliffe. He had such

older than I. He used to wheel me up and down when I was a baby. He was, an errand boy in the bank

ay in life," said Mrs. Holt. "And since he is such an o

, Mrs. Bolt,"

he thought of Peter's arrival at this time. L

ndeed Mrs. Holt herself. Honora meant to tell Susan the first of all. She crossed the great lawn quickly, keeping as much as possible the trees and masses of shrubbery between herself and the house, and reached the forest. With a really large fund of energy at her disp

into her life did not appall her in the least; but she had, in connection with it, a sense of unreality which, though not unpleasant, she sought unconsciously to dissipate. Howard Spence, she refle

the castle than of the rock: of the heaven he was to hold on

would come on to New York to visit her often, and they would be proud of her. Of one thing she was sure-she must go home to them at once-on Tuesday. She would tell Mrs. Holt to-morrow, and Su

g so was painful to her. But she was aroused from these reflections by a step on the pa

the bench beside her. Her first impulse was to ri

es of a Monsieur Lecoq," she remarked.

troke of the sun to find you. Why shoul

ur ingenuit

e, I am not blind, Mademoiselle. It is plain to me at luncheon t

int is lower," s

the sound of the music of that low voice. It is in the hope that you will be a little kinder, that you will understand me a little better. And to-day,

replied Honora. "I am sure you will

shrugged h

you is thrown away here. You possess qualities-you will pardon me-in which your countrywomen are lacking, -esprit, imagination, elan, the power to bind people to you.

!" she e

fts are rare-they are sublime. They lead,"

brant note of passion. She was a little frightened, but likewise puzzled and interested. This wa

stood upon a thickly wooded height,-a chateau with a banquet hall, where kings had dined, with a chapel where kings had prayed, with a flowering terrace high above a

alas! come to your country. And I ask you to regard with some leniency customs which must be strange to American

e blood mountin

nor am I wholly impoverished. I have soixante quinze mille livres de rente, which is fifteen thousand dollars a year in your money, and which goes much farther in France. At the proper time, I will present these matters to your guardians. I have lived, but I have a heart, and I love you madly. Rather would I dw

ver with feeling, and she let herself wonder, for a moment, what life with him would be. Incredible as it seemed, he had propo

hat you cared for me-that way. I thoug

aimed bitterly. "And you-

d you," she replie

enga

gaged! Ah, no, I will not believe it.

his words. At the same time, she was indignant. And yet a mi

. Howard Spence, although I

echless, staring at her, and then he

ave deceived me. I am not sane. You are goin

"you forget yourself. Mr. Spence i

became himself, although his voice was by no means natural

adieu. You will be good enough to co

isappeared behind the trees near the house. When she sat down on the bench again, she found that she was trembling a little. Was the u

r mind to linger on the supposition that Howard Spence had never come into her life; might she not, when the Vicomte had made his unexpected and generous avowal, have accepted him? She thought of the romances of her childis

omtesse, i