The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-06-19
THE DOUBLE LIFE.

His hair was light and his eyes were pale, keen,
cold and cruel, and had IN them at times wicked
light d. az = -s'~'.s -
He had returned impoverished in purse, nampered
by debts, worn our by dissipation, with the liked re,
solve OF urging 10 contamination his claims upon
At sight Of ner SIS radiant In her beauty his face
nusns With tas4rhsss end ls came forward rap.ss'y
Lord Hampton, delighted, sprang up to greet him.
The Lady Beatrice permitted her returned sutton
10 clasp her cold, jeweiled hands. greeting him po
litey, even kindly. her manner warming under his
manifestations Of extreme delight She welcomed
him home aud colored slightly under bus gaze OF
eager admiration. 80
gan to hope that his conversation had had the de
sired effect an9 tnat he daughter might be persuaded
to crafty his deares! hopes. r...oa a.
trance,h said Lord Adowe, smiling when the greet
ings were concluded. ~ told the porter who knew
me at once that would announce myself, as used
10 DO. find the place unchanged; not SO, nope
its hostess.n
He looked earnestly at his lovely hostess, whose
manner had resumed its usual hauteur and reserve
II never change. Lord Adlowe,n she replied sig
ni6cantly. az have always been your friend ana
well wisher l am still the same.n
Nothing more ~ whispered the guest In low
and eager Tone
The Increasing GOODNESS OF the lady's manner was
sufficient answer.
Nothing daunted by this reception, Lord Adlowe
exerted himself TO please. Beatrice unbent slightly
as she became interested in his remarks. His lord
ship had changed during his long absence; many OF
his former prominent traits seemed subdued, and
his hostess began to believe that she should find HIM
an interesting study.
In the midst OF her musings and speculations
dinner was announced. The Lady Beatrice took
the arm of the guest and the three descended TO
the dining room, a handsome apartment, brilliant
with lights and fire and flowers. The repast was
seasoned with witty remarks from Lord Adlowe.
The lady listened smiled and REPLIED but there was
no heart In her words or her mlrth. The dinner
over, the guest escorted the Lady Beatrice to the
door, and then returned TO his wine and the COM
"The Lady Beatrice is more beautiful than ever %
he finally sighed "And sne is scarcely less cold than
when she drove me from her.n
ado not despair. my boy,n responded the Earl
kindly. 81 don't pretend TO understand Beatrice
but there is no ice that the sun cannot met. be-
leve she will yet reward your long and unwavering
devoion-n
~ know she willr' said Lord Adlowe, with a
smile, and with a strange light leaping to his eyes,
~ can ind my way to her heart at last, my lord. In
less than six months shall be your sOn-ln.law.
VIII 60 up 70 the Lady Beatrice and endeavor to win
her favor, while you are occupied with your wine
and cigars"
He excused himself. and fastened back to the
drawing room. The Lady Beatrice sat before the
fire alone. She looked up at his entrance, greeting
him with a smile. Drawing an easy chair as near to
her as he dared, Lord Adowe bent upon her gaze
The Lady Beatrice moved uneasiy under his gaze,
II seeming TO her to be scrutiniZng as well as ad.
mirng She fancied he was trying to read her soul,
and she took up the small hand screen she had be-
fore held, saying with an appearance OF polite III
terest:-
II understood my father to say, Lord Adowe, that
Trevelyan, In town i'
s.No he IS at Trevelyan Park was the response
az shall run down TO see him tomorrow. | hear
that my uncle is more misery than ever. The town
house IS let, and he confines himself closely to the
park, leading a savage and morose eXistence.n
~ have heard the same" replied the Lady Bea.
trce. Lord Trevelyan has changed greatly during
the past fifteen years You VIII visit him to.mor
rows
ayes. My uncle is very exacting and would hard.
ly forgive me II he knew that had visited here
before coming to him. People. would talk, too If
mi AdInwo
smiled; 'for at his death he will leave me one OF the
richest men In the kingdom. You know that my
rey Trevelyan, my cousin. Had Georfrey lived |
should have little TO look forward to-"
lord Trevelyan is ionder Of you than he was Of
your cousin, is he notf" asked tie Lady Beatrice,
staring into the IRE.
ale processes to be-" was the reply. al hope he
deadly enemy Geonrey had no tact to manage i him.
Poor fellow Godfrey was not fitted to cope with
the world. II he had lived he would have covered
'Not so p interrupted the Lady Beatrice hot
Gusn glowing IN her eheeks and an angry light
shining In her eyes. "Geofrey was Wild, passion
ate boy with great faults, perhaps, but also with
"Do you number his assault upon ana robbery of
his uncle among the former or the atterf" question
ed Lord Adlowe, with ironical emphasis. "n Geof.
frey were alive ne added impresslvey; my uncle
ishment. Lord Trevelyan is very vindictive In his
disposition
''He might forgive and forget since he believes
Geofrey dead" said the Lazy beatrice Ia a low
tone and with averted face.
1T is seventeen years since we heard that GeofYrey
was dead Is 1t notr asked Lord Adlowe, as II
musingly, but with the keenest and most furtve OF
glances directed towards his hostess. ave received
"A Brazilian paper-I think IL was Brazilian; at any
rate IL was South American-with q notice OF his
death in its columns. We also received letter from
some spaniard or Portuguese stating that Georrey
had died at his house and had begged him with his
last breath to write tidlngs OF his fate There was
included in the letter certificate OF burial. Upon
these data we believed Godfrey TO be dead.m
|
THINK said the Lady Beatrice, in a loud voice.
''of course It was conclusive replied Lord Ad.
lowe. "But have doubts sometimes OF its truth.
What II the whole story OF the death were impos.
turef Godfrey knew that our uncle hated MIN
enough TO pursue him over the whole EARTH He
would not have dared return 10 England for fear OF
Imprisonment and disgrace. II is not probable that
Geonrey should have forged proofs OF his death,
changed his name, and settled down somewhere In
a distant country to await news OF my unce's DEATH
Lord 1revelyan dead. Godfrey can walk the earth
again without fear, rich and titled man.r
"a rather ianciful explanation, think" said the
Lady Beatrice. IN voice nrmer than usual ''ff II
were true, and Godfrey were 10 return, you would
not be pleased, suppose"
Lord Adlowe's face darkened at the bare posslbn.
lily OF such an event.
SAID Gle is Lord Treyeyan's brothers. son. and
OF course the nearest heir. II Geofirey were TO
come back at my uncle's death he would inherit
the Trevelyan title and fortune But eighteen
dead ~
He uttered the last words In tone OF relief His
apprehensions had been quoted by the manner OF
the Lady Beatrice For years he had been tormented
by occasional doubts OF his Cousins death, and he
had finally persuaded himself that II living Georrey
Treyelyan would have communicated the fact TO his
former betrothed He had watched her keenly and
closely, and had become convinced that she believed
Godfrey dead
The next words Of the Lady Beatrice confirmed
this opinion.
"The spaniard wrote that Godfrey died OF fever,-
she said. quietly. lle was worn out by his long sea
voyage and his anXleties. He ventured out i'm
pTudenily the day arer anding, exposing himself
TO the MONDAY sun. We know that Geoffrey went
10 South America, for he wrote me long letter
within an hour OF his going ashore lie wrote 20 his
uncle by the same post, but Lord Ireveyan declared
TO Inc that he never received the letter. Some one
must have intercepted IT.
Lord Adlowe flushed guilty.
81 have always thought that Godfrey had some
enemy who melted his uncle against him,r pursued
the Lady Beatrice ''When Godfrey was a lad his
uncle loved him. He grew to hate him as he grew
older, but II must have been because some enviOus
person spoke falsely against poor Geoirey, making
mis- faults into crimes, and inducing Lord Ireveyan
TO believe that the boy desired his deatnr
Lord Above moved uneasly IN his chair.
owe have chosen an unpleasant subject 20 con-