Sandra Belloni -- Volume 4

myself. It requires the powers of a giantess to mix a body of people in the open air

hour was over. Their sole thought was to get through the day. A little feverish impulse of rivalry with her great pattern may have moved Arabella; but the pressure of grief and dread, and the contr

uch. They don't make too distinct a difference of tone with the different sets

Committee; and, if she has any energy left, she might

me, and handsome: he studies us too obviously. That's a mistake to be corrected, Charlotte. One doesn't like to see a pair of eyes measuring us against a preconce

ed over the stands. When his gesticulations had been observed for some moments, Freshfield Sumner said: "He

to the professional wit. "And the music-leaves go for feathers. What

tage for coming alarums and excursions. Behold! the 'female element' is agitated. There are- can you reckon at thi

ent as the women who tor

ss

"Splendid!" from his couch on the sward, a

where?" Lady Gosstre

tentiousness that told Lady G

t girls from any allusion to the classics until they have taken their degree and are warranted not to

buckets," added Lady Charlotte. "What is your opinion, Georg

ight habitual to it. "We found that there are times in war when you can do nothing, and you are feverish to be employe

e of great guns must be a new sens

mand it without at all crushing your excitement. You cannot feel a fuller ha

e, "Georgey did not wa

rlo

oke of no future. She was in unceasing rivalry with all of her sex who had a passion, or a fixed affection, or even an employment. A sense that she was wronged by her fate haunted this lady. Rivalry on behalf of a man she would have held mean-she would have plucked it from her bosom at once. She was simply envious of those who in the face of death could say, "I have lived." Pride, and the absence of any power of self- inspection, kept her blind to her disease. No recollection gave her boy save of the hours in the hunting-field. There she led gallantly; but it w

e to join us." Such was Brookfield's concerted form of reply. The use of it, together with the gaiety of dancing blood, gave Adela (who believed that she ought to be weeping, and could have wept easily) strange twitches of what I would ask permission to call the juvenile 'shrug-philosophy.' As thus: 'What creatures we are, but life is so!' And again, 'Is not merriment dreadful when a duty!' She was as miserable as she could be but not knowing that youth furnished a plea available, the girl was ashamed of being chee

inley, pointing to the leader. "See him pose a mae

plenty of matter of this kind. Altogether, as host, Mr

ather's illness at the hotel in town, and the conditions imposed on them. He nodded, said lightly, "Where's Emilia?" and nodded again to the answer, "With papa," and the

most imperative injunc

oment. "Papa's illness

here very soon, if he i

and yourself as we have

you have

d toned an additional careles

with her. It looks like ingratit

t go to town. But now Edward Burley camp running with a message from the aristocratic hei

I shall, if you've been makin

ooked twice, to confirm an impression that she was the perfect contrast to Emilia; and for t

zed all-from Lady Gosstre (aristocracy) to the Tinley set (lucre), and from these to the representative Sumner girls (cultivated poverty). There were also intellectual, scientific, and Art cir

ruel to his children." Arabella kindly reserved her opinion. "So let us try and be happy," continued Adela, determining to be encouraged by silen

gentleman. "If I might only venture

to be parried, and might have led to 'vistas,' the too sprightly young lady found h

part of it disagreeab

terrific:" she ret

ving them from a distance; and wondered whether her

her party cannot associate with you to your mutual pleasure and profit; and do you therefore blame her for not attempting what would fail ludicrously?" With herself, as she was not sorry to show, Lady Gosstre could associate. Cornelia had given

ced into a political argument) than the professional wit need employ; and as Mr. Powys's talk was getting so attractive that the

a said subsequently. It is hoped that everybody

heavens!"-her thought may be translated out of Fine Shades-"does C. really in her heart feel so blind to our situation that she can go on playing still?" When she reached the group it was to hear Mr. Powys speaki

plied:-"that his father was a baronet, an

ncomprehensible! You know, Sir Twickenham, the interest we take in Mr. Barrett." The masked anguish of Cornelia's voice hung in her ears. She felt that it was now possible Cornelia might throw over the rich for the penniless baronet, and absolutely for an instant she thought nakedly, "The former ought not to be lost to the family." Thick clouds obscured the vision. Lad

elled to behold the ambition beneath the bustling surface! Arabella was feverish, and Freshfield Sumner reported brilliant things uttered by her. He became after a time her attendant, aide, and occasional wit-foil. They had some sharp ex

ture to have living before you every day

or getting old- doesn't it? Tracy Runningbrook might make a poem about silver heads and sunset-something, you know! Very easy cantering then-no hunting! I suppose one wouldn't have even a desire

id's thoughts ran: "My time h

ceived, and was

…" Here the pitfall of sentiment yawned before him on a sudden. "I mean" (he struggled to avoid it, but was at

er in a protesting male would have charmed her bett

d, bewildered to see the loose chain he had

do ho

hav

s not insolent by nature, and co

have offered this place-Besworth. I find that my

cal, rejoinder to end the colloquy;-after which, fair f

first I had only told the woman I do not love her!" But that sentimental lead had ruined him. And, on second thoughts, how could he have spoken thus to the point,

e recalled to her that she had said he was 'her first.' She admitted the truth, with eyes dwelling on him, until a ringlet got displaced. Her first. To be that, sentimental man would perish in the fires. To have been that will sometimes console him, even when he has lived to see what a thing he was who caught the budding fancy. The unhappy caricaturist groaned between triumph as a leader, and anguish at the prospect of a possible host of successors. King in tha

to the question whether, though having to abjure her love, she loved him: "No, no; it is my Arabella I love. I love, I will love, n

ll the world's harsh language to this music, know that an hour has struck for you! It is a fatal sound to hear. Edward believed that his pleading had produced an effect when he saw Miss Adela's bosom rise as with a weight on it. The burden of her thoughts was-"How big and heavy Edward's eyes look when he is not amusing!" To get r

known as a 'shower,' stopped her performance. She struggled, and muttered passionately to be released. "We are seen," she hazarded. At the repetition, Edward, accustomed to dread the warning, let her go

murmured, with an unflurried face, laying a trembling

I was wanted?" He

sh I had not left your

hought me what, if I we

'a bore,' for asking

the guarantee of a proper interes

s very soon

mposure. "She would lose her unerring judgement in active life. She cannot we

ruth of this. "I wonder whether she can forg

giving him her full face. "No; if they are worthy of punishment. But-" and n

arity out of the windows o

arliament to be tolerant

ble public life!" smiled deprecatingly-"My dear y

tinct, another enthusiastic burst. "At the same time the honour is abo

no very good purpose,"

re but a fraction, the

perhaps," he ejaculated. "The

ll," said she; and

e an opinion, and suggesting dissent in a pained interrogation. Finally, "I confess," she said, "I understand much less than I am willing to think; and so I console myself with the thought that, after all, the drawing-room, and the…the

his own thought printed, as it were, on

essed to his heart; and her attitude struck a doubt whether his other hand was disengaged or her waist free. Adela walked nervously on without looking at the baronet; she knew by his voice presently that h

by Braintop, to this effect: "My dears all! I found your father on his back in bed, and he discharged me out of the room; and the sight of me put him o

la said-"You will do us the favour to stay and amuse you

e do?" Arabe

the Tinleys,"

but Mr. Pericles defeated her by constantly sending to her for advice concerning the economies of the feast. Nevertheless, she exhibited good pretensions to social queendom, both personal and practical; and if Freshfield Sumner,

s. One, to wit, "Is there to be dancing to-night?" being answered, "Now, if you please," provoked sarcastic cheer

e calm closed lips of his mistress), "poor mortals are

no barrier,

ty neve

am I to b

a potent stroke. "Not

u never

laugh and a starting blush, Arabella said: "That visual e

aven?" Laura touched her thus for the fami

ry great changes are demanded

otter than below,"

off so well, not to go. The sunset fronted Besworth Lawn; the last light of day was danced down to inspiriting music: and now Arabella sent wor

th the gaiety of an unoccupied mind. Her sisters had aforetime more than once challenged her supremacy, but they bowed to it now; and Adela especially did when, after a ringing hit to Freshfield (which the Tinleys might also take to their own bosoms), she said in an undertone, "What is there between C. and-?" Surprised by this astonishing vigilance and power of thinking below the surface while she performed above it, Adela incautiou

capable of mixing with any but their own set, and thus be stamped publicly for what they were. She had struggled to repress it, and yet, continually, her wits were in revolt against her judgement. Perhaps one reaso

el of a dazzling run of small-talk, throwing intermittent sparks. Laura Tinley would press up, apparently to hear, but in reality (as all who knew her could see) with t

dear?" ech

." Arabella was half ashamed of the rudeness to wh

erything," Lau

"Mr. Pericles will have music, so there can be no talking." This, with the soupcon of a demi-shrug; "You will not suffer much" being implied. Laura said to herself, "I am not a fool." A moment after, Arabella was admitting in her own mind, as well as Fine Shades could interpr