The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1878-10-19


bored and he is bored. We shall be twice as
bored together. That's mathematics, or log
&c, or something. Now daresay that Claud
THINKS have sent him away that l may con-
slder bis proposal. As if it wasn't much too
not to consider anything. 1t would be easier
TO take him than to think about it, Dear old
Cfaud! | am sure he plctures me at this mo-
ment striding up and down twisting nay
handkerchief like the woman in the play,
and muttering. ooh, Claud, Claud, why dis
tract me thus? Oh cruel man, will you not
leave me at peace?" Shall say yes or nc?
What would he say if he met Miss Betty ?
What would she say? l am very sleepvE
very, very sleepy. He pictures me in an aw
ful state OF excitement and agitation. What
must be, must. Apples turn to dust-cot.
tage and crust. I'll let things drift. 1t does
MT matter much, not much. Oh Claud! OH
cruel man! oh sleep! Pll take a nap just to
spite him.
(So she falls asleep, screened from the ewes n,
Miss Betty Tyrrel, who presently comes
10, stepping lightly and quickly
Betty. saw him 60 out. He's sure not
to come back yet. 1 am so frightened, and il
is such fun. What's the use of being in Rome
II you don't do as the Romans do? He must
have gone for his daily walk. He can't be
back yet. And if he does come, why should
care? shan't be frightened. He always
said was very cool. If he comes shall drop
him curtsy and say, GLOW do you do, Mr..
Huntley? said 1 would look in on you some
day, and here am" And he will make me
a bow, and-but probably he won't know me.
He'll take me for tourist lady visiting his
studio, and wanting to buy pictures; and !
shall say, eyes, thank you, very nice put up
that. and that; and would you be so kind as
to send them down to my carriage? yes, and
the little one there in the corner, too, please"
Why, what is it? Yes, it is,-it is the old or.
chard! our orchard! our orchard in May,
with all the bright new blossoms, as it was
when he-he used to say it was like the foam
OF the sea at sunrise. 1 don't think he ever
saw the sun rise. He was awfully lazy. How
good of him to keep this near him-the or.
chard: and little corner of the dear old
house! Oh blossoms! blossoms! you are
there now at home, and I wish was there
too, and had never come out and grown wise
and old in this horrid world! It was there
that saw him first, just there. He was fol-
lowing papa through the little gate with the
broken hinge, and he bent his head under the
blossoms. He looked so tall, and so tired
Men are very strange. The less they do, the
more tired they are. Why, here's another
picture of the orchard. How funny! 1t must
be autumn, for the apples are all ripe. But
who is the young man in the funny cap
And who are the three ladies'? And why
does he sit, when they are standing? I can't
make it out. Do they want the apple? II
you please, sir, give it to the lady with the
shield and spear. That other one is not nice,
not nice, Pm sure. don't care much fol
that picture. Are there any more apple pic
lures? No, no. Yes, here's another. Adam
and Eve, think. Yes, here is one great
g!ltteriDg coil OF the serpent. I don't like
Eve. What languid, fine-lady Eve! Whose
face is this? How handsome! And this ?
And this one on the easel? Everywhere the
same face, handsome, lazy, Indifferent. No,
no, no, he never would be happy with her.
It's Ewes face. Wicked woman! Wicked
woman!
Lady R. (Waking.) Did you call me ?
Alb. what sweet air! The day is changed.
B. Oh, 1 beg your pardon.
Lady r. tdrowsily). Are you real, or a
dream?
B. I am real. No; had better say l
am dream and melt away.
Lady K. l was just dreaming of you,
Miss Tyrrel.
B. Of me9 You don't know me. How
do you know-Imean you called me by some
name, think.
Lady R. Yes, Miss Innocence, 1 called
you 'Miss Tyrrel."
B. How can you know?
Lady r. [ am witch, for one thing; and
for another. saw your picture.
=. Has he got picture of me?
Lady R. Of course, my dear.
B. And did he show it to you?
Lady r. No; l was looking about for
curiosity's sake, and saw it.
+. You are often here, then2 Oh, beg
your pardon. l have no right to question
Hs,nv Yrrt,,x
Lady R. I am Lady Roedale; I am a
widow; I am sitting for my picture; I am
an old friend of Mr.. Huntley. Will that do !?
B. A friend.
Lady r. A friend, my sweet Simplicity.
And you? What brings you here?
b. Me? IL am an old friend too.
Lady R. An old friend! Not quite old
enough, think.
B. Oh, Lady Roedale, didn't think. 1
ought not to have come.
Lady r. It's very pretty and unconven-
tional, my dear. Somebody said that you
were so simple, that you didn't know what
was conventional and what wasn't.
B. Oh, Lady Roedale, you know-you
know that women are not like that.
Lady r. Yes, know.
B. But didn't think, I didn't think, or
l shouldn't have come. We are living Just
opposite, and saw him 60 out, and all of a
sudden l thought what fun it would be to
see his studio when he was away, and that 1
could run back and he would never know.
But if | had only known that you were here,
would have died sooner than come.
Lady R. 1t is better to live.
B. But you won't tell him9 Promise me
that you won't tell him. If you will only
never see him again,-never, never.
Lady r. DOn't he rash nv daar Won
are safe, now. You have run into the arms
OF chaperon, a duenna, a gorgon. But if
Mr.. Huntley is an old friend of yours, why
didn't your father and mother come to see
him too?
B. Because they are hurt. He went
away so suddenly from home, and The never
wrote, and they liked him so much, and they
thought it unkind; but know he never
meant to be unkind, for he was always kind,
and l know that he wouldn't be angry even
at my coming here, and-that's why.
Lady r. That's why, is it?
B. You don't think that am very bad?
Lady r. My dear, you are much too good.
have no taste for bread and milk and book
muslin. don't like mems women, but do
like you.
B. Thank you, thank you. Now I see
that he has not hattered you, not bit. 1
thought at first that he had. He had his
heart in his work when he did this.
Lady R. Shall 1 show you the work in
which his heart is?
B. Yes.
LADY Roedale draws aside curtain and
shows picture.)
B. MY picture!
Lady r. Yours.
B. Oh, let me 60. If he should come
and find me here. Oh, let fine go, let me 90.
Lady R. Too late. I hear him on the
stairs.
B. What shall do?
Lady R. Do as you are bid. Give me
your picture, quick! Now 60 behind the
curtain and be still.
(She draws the curtain carefully. Claud
enters bringing ice.
Claud. bring you ice, and something
better. The day is changed. All, the air
swels wooingly here. See how fetch and
carry! Doesn't this convince you that L
Lady R. (studying the picture) Yes, it is
pretty.
G. Where did you get that?
Lady r. Don't be angry; won't hurt 1t.
c. AS you please. It's of no value-now.
Lady r. It is much better than mine.
Indeed, it has only one fault.
G. Indeed?
Lady r. 1t is awfully fattered,
G. How can you know, when you never
saw the original?
Lady R. All, that is very true.
inf ,,1a