Rhoda Fleming -- Volume 4

r Waring. When the cab had flown by, they fell back into their seats, and smoked; the original

music is to a poet, and the glory of the Races he had witnessed was still quick in heart, and partly

his black nature; but how had it come about? How was it that a gentleman could consent to appear publicly with such a fellow? He decided that it meant something, and something ominous-but what? Whom could it affect? Was Algernon Blancove such a poor creature that, feeling himself bound by certain dark dealing

turned to follow Sedgett into the cab; and considered that he ought in kindness to see

ortunity should come. Meantime, w

he hedges ar

eal of dust," Maj

that cabs came

do, yo

e longed so much for Percy's opinion of the strange alliance between Sedgett and Algernon

id Percy. "We shall see two or

of a gentleman consort

t per

y gave answer. "That's an odd remark on returning from Epsom. Thos

t spo

do with the poor g

l we were home again. Confound it,

fed his to

of Mrs. Love

rmured but Robert's mind was too preocc

d to keep her word f

ed to-day. I'll bet you she will, if

ble at anything. Bett

ss of wine. This sort o

't; for you

s me. I do, I declare, clean forget Rhoda; I forget the girl, if only I see Mrs. Lovell at a distance. How's that? I'm not a fool, with nonsensical fancies of any kind. I know what loving a woman is; and a man in my position might be ass enough to-all sorts

n. She admires you for what you are, and she lets you see it; I dare say she's not unwilli

ecame him. "Then why, if she does me the honour t

ankful, if you can be satisfied with her present doings. Perhaps I'll answer the oth

ation rushed ba

have a certainty of winning. How miserably dull the streets look; and the

ht of enlisting again, and getting drafted to a foreign station. Nothing but the consciousness that he was subsisting on money not his own would have kept him from his vice. As it was, he had lived through the months between Winter and Spring, like one threading his way through the tortuous lengths of a cavern; never coming to the li

dy's coloured envelope, lying on the sitting-room table. Robert opened it hur

Lovell.' This time sh

dly do less,"

writing now. She has kept her word, Percy. She's the dearest

policy of mild measur

rt repeated. He checked his enthusiasm. "Lo

roaching interview wit

elve. Let me tell you this, Robert: she is going to be married; say nothing

ed contemptuously on his feeble efforts to avenge her at Warbeach. She lived in a poor row of cottages, striking off from one of the main South-western suburb roads, not very distant from his own lodgings, at which he marvelled, as at a cruel irony. He could not discern the numbers, and had to turn up several of

"Then I have

said, "Y

trust to my pl

hat. I will not l

at the moment I am free I will

pardo

u w

o! I c

u would not listen to me: I met you after. I knew you at once. Am I changed? I swear to you I have dreamed of you ever since, and love you. Be as faded as you like; be hideous, if you like; but come with me. You know my name, and what I am. Twice I have followed you, and found your name and address; twice I have written to you, and made the same proposal. And you won't trust to my honour? When I tel

could hardly avoid being struck by the bathetic conclusion. At lea

you indeed, for I am very friendless. Oh! pardon m

Dahlia'

. Heartily ashamed of letting his ears be filled with se

of the temptations of

eway of the garden. He passed under lamplight, a

is interview were dispersed, and he had only plain sadness to encounter. He knocked at the door

liar to men, concerning the soiled purity of woman, the lost innocence; the brand of shame upon her, which are commonly the foul sentimentalism of such as can be too eager in th

s most nobly begotten of the race, and likeliest to be the sire of a noble line. Robert was less

loss upon her sin. She had sinne

the scourge of God; after which th

bare of evasion, and seen herself for what she was; pleadi

e; but Robert was distinctly impressed by her look. It was as that of one upon the yonder shor

he stubborn-twisting clipped curls of her shorn head, made her unlike women of our world. She was dressed in black up to the

I wish I could say; but

rt b

her in her lap, gazing forward on the

-"I haven't heard, but

are well, I kn

Are you in commun

At the end of some da

d my cause, and make me thank

oes not

e trusted to know her own mind, in the fi

himself that he had come; but she was poor-witted, through weakness of her blood, and out of her own immediate l

she'll give you her notions of me. Dahlia! how happy this

, trembling. "If you will, pleas

it, Dahlia. You mean

ered out

ile. They've had a terrible time. And it's true that you've consented to a hus

in a stony light of terror, like a creature in anguish before her execution

he asked, in s

ve no

ou care

was no

him; but, you see, I must, as your friend-and I'm that. Come: he loves you? Of course he does. He has said so. I believe it. And he's a man you can honour and esteem? You wouldn't consent without, I'm sure. What makes me a

er opened eyes, as if one of the minutes of Time had yawned t

it take pla

almost as the row of teet

the word was "Saturday," uttered with a feeble

oming S

N

rday

to a visibl

amed t

eerful consent to the act she was

w she answered, "I did." The

obert. "I feel to the m

ou'll live in

roa

t. But-well! Things must be as they're

smiled

you. She is fir

Where's the con

she loves me a

r sister with all her heart-al

ahlia slowly, "it is be

eature's bosom h

? I wish her to have bla

would have had me, if I had thought proper to think as she thinks, or play hypocrite, and pretend to. I'll tell you openly, Dahlia; your father thinks the worst. Ah! you look the ghost again. It's hard for you to hear, but you give me a notion of having got strength to hear it. It's your father's way to think the worst. Now, when you can show

e interrogation

," said

ay, all the better for me. Now, you won'

ay that it

ngs, not wide from here: if I'd only known it earlier!-and you and your

opped her

ou see

er to-morrow,

just as I am leaving

generous,"

she asked

nd the ship that takes you off, perhaps ever

shall know. I will not be guilty of falsehoods any more-no more! Will you go to her? T

ered he

etters that my husb

r my livelihood near my sister. It is difficult for women to earn money, but I think I can. I have done so since my illness. I have been in the hospital with brain fever. He was lodging in the house with me before. He found me at the hospital. When I came out, he walked with me to support me: I was very weak. He read to me, and then asked me to marry him. He asked again. I lay in bed one night, and with my eyes open, I saw the dangers of women, and the trouble of my father and sister; and pi

nds tight into the

s, and has worked with her needle to subsist, and can, and will, for her soul strives to be clean. Try to make her understand. If Rhoda could love you, she would know. She is locked up-she is only ideas. My sweet is so proud. I love her for her pride, if she will only let me creep to her feet, kiss her feet. Dear Mr. Robert, help me! help me! I will do anything

st at his temples, in

ject fairly launched becomes a reality in the brain-a thing once spoken of attracts like a living creature, and does not die voluntarily. Rob

a sort of signal for general happiness. But if he had to go and explain matters base and mournful to her, there would be no smile on her face, and not much gra

of her simplicity caused him to think that she might be

straight off that he has no pretension to

esitation by Robert, Dahlia

y way have strengthened her prayer. The excitement had left her brain dull. She did little more than stare mildly,

to your interest, my dear, to make your feelings come round warm t

a quietly bli

d up, she ro

aid, and seeing her answer, bent his

of transferring it. Good-bye, Dahlia. You shall hear f

hand, and wen

ng I can do fo

anyth

ss you,

what he had dreaded so much should be so easily over, set him thinking, in his fashion, on the marvel

s of his heart t

eyes, natural as they may then appear and little terrible, leave distinct, solid, and grave impressions. Something of what our human tragedy may show before high heaven possessed him. He saw it bare of an

's the best she can do: it's best

re that he said i

him, stronger in outline the farther time w