Sandra Belloni -- Volume 2

appeared to be that the bare fact would tell him enough and inspire him with proper designs. No reply being sent, a second letter arrived, formal too, but pointing out his duty

"Now, mind, I expect you to keep to your agreement," he said. Gradually they were led on to perceive that this simple-minded man had understood their recent talk of Besworth to signif

d. It was of another t

s hand

rling

sten! your place is here, for many reasons, as you will be quick enough to see. After dinner, papa took Cornelia into the library alone, and they were together for ten minutes. She came out very pale. She had been proposed for by Sir Twickenham Pryme, our Member for the borough. I have always been sure that Cornelia was born for Parliament, and he will be lucky if he wins her. We know not yet, of course, what her decision will be. The incident is chiefly remarkable to us as a relief to what I need not recount to you. But I wish to say one thing,

ence, papa is silent in the house as to the

he feeling. The 'Twickenham' seems to perform a sort of educated monkey kind of ridiculously decorous pirouette and entrechat before the 'Pryme.' I think that Cornelia feels it also. You seem to fancy elas

netic? Why should we conceal it from ourselves, if it be so? I think it a folly, and fraught with danger, for people not to know their characteristics. If they attract, they should

ss, I doubt whether I ha

rice aff

de

Emilia to Richford for a week. P

sked, with the usual injustice of men, who demand a statement of facts, forgetting how few there are to feed the post; and that indic

ones; and the double-meanings were monsters that ate one another up till nothing remained of them. In the end, however, he made a wrathful guess and came to a resolution, which brought him to the door of the house next day at noon. He took some pains in noting the exact spot where he had last seen Emilia half in moonlight, and then dismis

the new plan of trea

"To act a farce for the

ets downstairs. I see

g them behave l

hoolgirls. Nor was there a lack of justification; for when they came down to his shouts in the passage, they hushed, and held a

quarrelled with her, and she has shut her door, and you have shut yours. It's quit

fill the awkward pause. His sisters maintained the opera-stall posture of languid attention, contesting his phrases simply with their eyebrows, and smiling. He was no match for them while they chose to be silent: and indeed if the business of life were conducted in dumb show, women would beat men hollow. They posture admirably. In dumb show they are equally good for attack and

n is here," said Arabella's c

Mrs. Chump, who advanced, a shock of blue satin t

as good, if his object was to be familiar. And if that was his object, he was paid for it.

like a man who presume

How a little fella like Pole could go and be father to such a mighty big son, with your bit of moustache and your blue eyes! Are they blue or a bit of grey in 'em?" Mrs. Chump peered closely. "Th

d," quoth

ur honou

my h

s), "I'll stop; and just thank your brothe

elf. "See, now! It's jeal'sy of me, Mr. Wilfrud, becas I'm a widde and just an abom'nation to garls, poor darlin's! And twenty shindies per dime we've been havin', and me such a placable body, if ye'll onnly let m' explode. I'm all powder, avery bit!

" was smothered. Adela behaved better, being more consciously under Wilfrid's eye; s

mp; "duty to begin wit

fru

golden hazy future they figured for themselves, and which was their wine of life. An intellectual adversary they could have combated; this huge brogue-burring engine quite overwhelmed them. Wilfrid's worse than shameful behaviour was a common rallying-point; and yet, so absolutely critical were they by nature, their

; and was a languid, long-legged, indifferent cavalier, representing men to them: things made to be managed, snubbed, admired, but always virtually subservient and in the background. Now, without perceptible gradation, his superiority was suddenly manifest; so that, irritated and apprehensive as they were, they could not, by the aid of any of their intricate mental machinery, look down on him. They tried to; they tried hard to th

t a yacht, Mr. Wilfrud, won't ye have a g

by the aid of a tel

to come

ot elected

n born a lord, or would just get yourself struck a knight on one o' your shoulders,-oh, Chump!" I'd say, 'it wouldn't be necessary to be rememberin' always the words of the cerr'mony about lovin' an

me, the ladies went out from the room. It was foolish, for they might have watched the effect of certain vinous innuendoes addressed to Wilfrid's apprehensiveness; but they were weakened and humbled, and everything they

ttered powers. At the hour of eleven he sent for Arabella to come to him in the library. The council upstairs permitted A

pect for the peculiar genius of the house of Pole had vanished: "I sent for you to talk a wo

" said A

sound? You listen to Adela, young as she is; or a look of Cornelia's leads you. The result is the sort of scene I saw this afternoon. I confess it has changed my opinion of you; it has, I grieve to say it. This woman is your father's guest; y

o a miserable misconc

er. That is the essenti

pan would

be sweepingly interpreted as a piece

"There are some forms of coarseness which

suffer under a constant repulsion. Pray, do not use these phras

protest. I disapprove the form of your protest nothing more.

frid, of your wa

ture is not so bad; she is good-hearted. It's hard that you should have to bear

endure the evil and de

ow

renounced

edge of your chairs, this afternoon, as if Edward Buxley had

nt that something more is invol

l eagerness, as one who believes in t

ou make his home disagreeable, you are taking the right method to drive him into such a course. Ha! I don't think it's to be fea

igation. Besworth was nothing to me till you cried it up. And now I won't detain

wits. Seeing that she was now ready to speak, he opened the

isters, a message came requesting Adela to descend. The ladies did not allow her to de

e a rogue, you know, and a charming one, as I hear a friend of mine has been saying. Shall I call him out? Shall

familiar style of converse-part fun, part flattery-di

hat you called me

or the Puritan sister,' thus: you sit on the extre

hat perfectly ridiculous sc

easy stages to

Adela, who is President of the Council of Three. I hold that young woman responsible for all that they do. Am I w

y darling," quoth Adela s

issed her

ess

t is that talks of me in that objec

nvey that i

simply that I ma

m buried, then, simp

now Lady Charlotte; you will take to one another. She likes you, alre

ut, if Lady Charlotte means by dash-am I really wanting in it? I should defi

ur dispute. You don't differ about Besworth: or, didn't. I

" emphasi

hend. She won't take me minu

ut you did not-offer

wor

is eyes slanti

ld still wish it," cont

ich makes it impossible,

You remember your old

ed to swear alwa

petitions pardon for this her utmost sin

preferable name. If she has the ambition, it elevates her. An

under-lip a d

d-why treat such ma

to treat ninety thous

uch?" Adela g

I take her down to the yacht, one of Lady Charlott

ellent idea to take

nd I'll do it

ar the reflex

not in the habit of sittin

ously: "Wilfrid, dear! you wa

ld behave civilly to

you to entertain it for a moment. If civility

and acting in concert-one tongue for three women- -are a sort of missish, unripe nonsense, t

d back to her sisters, bearing a message for Cornelia. This lady required strong persuasion. A word from Adel

nd down, with his arms f

tood in th

eak to me, Wilfri

gainst your taste. We'll shut the door, and sit down, if you don't mind. Yes,

ask, wh

arriage a matter f

: as the c

age yet. I congratula

hank

pt it, of

t it, ce

passage, Wilfrid remain

to feel

n the world, I ought to show something in return. When you wrote about Besworth, I knew it was as good as decided. I told her so and-Well, I fancy there's that sort of understanding between us. She will have me when... You know how the poorer member

der than you, Wilfr

e added, "is she not a

did not e

as it not in

say, it strikes me disagreeably;

onable that I should ma

suredly, not

on the whole, in favou

Wil

this offer that has

traitorous feint had thrown her o

e me marry one

u are going to do your best to

am quie

you how deeply

of all. Think of the horror of a loveless marriage, however gilded! Does a woman make stipulations ere she gives

d her head in

old trick of blushing, too! Why do you tremble? By the way, you s

busi

ov

od overflowed

is been?" his vo

as at his knees, and must

hi

if you'll take advice. I've always known your heart was generous and te

lfr

t plain

d that st

eard of it, guessed it, and now see it. Ho

w f

ingly. It touched his heart, where a great susceptibility to passion lay. As if the ghost of Emil

ion was dew of

ia been quite

! very. And sing

s che

mp. Her eyes are

ied with ever

d she be

er for that escapade-I mean, when

d to the subject, o

frid echoed, with a grimac

ui

she doesn

shoul

ssed to have suspicion the que

visits of Mr. Powys, who spent hours with her, like a man fascinated. She flowed

suppose there's no

agem

hey call, plighted yo

recognized the fruitlessness of th

gaged to

," said Wilfrid. "An eng

by

her. Now, I have been straightforward with you: will you b

speech, was to be expected. She seemed, after the fashion of women, to have got accustomed to

e are in a serious plight. You should be civil to this woman for se

Wil

ney well thought

e school been

ot the ordinary notion of wanting money, but the more we

tempted to think so

are guilty of. Now, you know I am fond of you; so I'll tell you this: you have a chance; don't miss it. Something unpleasant is threatening; but you may

dly close to him.

-this

here is somethin

re is no doubt of the Pater's inte

mean

s to mar

ou, Wi

ts me out. There-there!

do

possible?-are you an accomplice

shot an odd look at her. He is to be excused for not perceiving the grandeur of t

. You must be aware" (and he leaned over to her with his most suspicious gentleness of tone) "you are aware that all organs must be fed; but yo

ornelia, closing her

the springs of kindness in his heart cause

rather than your exultation over t

se Cornelia swe