The Man and the Moment

for her part, was certainly growing to like him. He soothed her; his intelligence was highly trained, and he was courteous and gentle and sympathetic-but for some reason which she could not expl

one had qualities which appealed to her. Her own countrymen were never cultivated enough in literature, and were too absorbed in stocks and shares to be able to ta

ng to a close before he again spent an afternoon quite alone with Sabine Howard. They had gone to the Aberg to tea, and the Princess had expressed herself too tired to walk back, and had got into the waiting carriage, making Cranley Beaton accompany her. She was not in a perfectly amiable temper. Lord Fordyce attracted her strongly, and it was plain to be seen he had only eyes for Sabine-who car

thought, in her fresh white linen, showing up the round peachiness of her young cheeks, and those curling, childish, brown lashes making their shadow. He was overcome with a desire to kiss her. She was so supremely healthy and delectable. He felt he had been altogether a fool in his estimate of the serious necessities of life hitherto. Woman was now one of them-and this woman supremely so. Why, if she could be freed from bonds, should she not become his wife? But he felt it might be wiser n

into one of the discussions of emotions in the abstract which are so fas

and spirit, while Lord Fordyce maintained that wild discords could al

he said. "Every spiritual principle and conviction may be out

her eyes wide as if

e not true what you say, but it

ked, quickly. "You were thinking of

ven causes pleasure while they are sinning; and there are others who might do the same things and would be anathematised at once-and no joy felt

forgives him. It does not depend upon looks, either-although this actual person is abominably good-looking-it does not depend upon intell

nying truths for the sake of diffidence or politeness. Moravi

ore to men than to wo

g of a man, then,

a man-but it is not a

that it was, but he

ted, "and what charmed you in it enough to make you

en a violent storm came on, furious rain and wind, and just at the worst and weirdest moment, I passed Héronac, which is a few hundred yards from the edge of the present village. It stands out in the sea on a great spur of rock, entirely separated from the main land by a deep chasm about thirty feet wide, over which there was then a broken bridge which h

nds rep

éronacs drank himself to death with absinthe in Paris, so the place was closed, and was no doubt for sale. 'Mais oui!' he told us. Simone was terrified to cross the wretched bridge, with the water swirling

you were n

main building-but in that the roof was off, but the view from the windows when we crept along to them across the broken floor was too superb, straight out to

uaint

rrangements modern and comfortable, but have left that one huge room on the first floor as it was, only with the roof mended. I spend ho

imed, "and you look only a mere child now-then, when you bought

over ei

to be wanting dark castles and solitude. What-?" a

old-I had been old

always, or will you ever let

y had got to a part of the path where the woods o

ow," she sa

e moved nea

e away all those somber thoughts I

uld you

uch-and then by tryin

dark thoughts, then-o

erly. "When it is great enough to be unselfish

things-they are

buts?" his voice

ing, a raging, tearing passion-Ca

let me prove to

y, and there was nothing but ho

end?" s

ad said it now when he had not inten

k from hi

ou know that

I have never really loved any woman before in my life. I always thought they s

ew tro

life. I could, of course, be free, I suppose-if I wanted to be-but-I am not sure. What wou

s in your past, I know it can have been nothing of your own fault, and if it were, I should not care-I only care for you-Sabine-will y

nry Fordyce had had his usual critical wits about him unclouded by l

rows are calm," but he was like all lovers-blind-and only saw and hear

. Only say that you will let me set

maginings-the idea had started in her brain, no doub

ng. You must give me tim

f free-will you not? I have not asked, and I will not ask you a si

eager and full of devotion, as they turned an abrupt corner, and there

he would just amuse her and not refer again to those serious topics unless she gave him leave. And he, accustomed to go his own way unhampered by the caprices of the gentle sex, agreed!-so under the dominion of love had he become! for a woman, too, who in herself

which is the characteristic of all her countrywomen, had reduced Lord Fordyce to complete subjection, so that he

eared up the stairs to their sitting-room

rling!" that lady said, an

to scrub the floors-just as my father's business capacity came out in me just now, and I fenced with and sampled a very noble

s had to have s

had absolutely not glanced at since their arrival at Carlsbad, so absorbed and entranced had she be

ere Mr. Michael Arranstoun had sumptuously entertained a party of his friends-amongst them Miss Daisy Van der Horn. The paragraph was worded with that masterly simplicity which distinguishes intelligent, modern journal

e sheet firmly, and perused all the other information of the day-but when she put it down, and joined i

on the balcony to breathe in the warm, s

ill, at all events, begin

"My darling!" she repl

when I am free-I do not know-only-I am tired, and I want

window wide, and looked out upon the quiet fir