New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-07-17


where. as have pretended. his character was
understood. But even in understanding it, we
have dealt, we are aware and confess. hardly with
this ninetccnth century man who had done nothing
than all the cannns of his age declared it. his
duty to do. He erred, PERHAPS III loving Anne. ana
IN lliIlG hpf 80 AT hlsti Ioi ne ought To nave
taken 1t into consideration that he would nor bp
allowed to marry her, Notwithstanding the bias
toward the romantic side oi such questions which
the world processes in words. But then lac was led
astiay 10y another wave of popular opinion, that
winch declares with much apparent reason that the
race of cruel fathers Is extinct the tCdo and
that no Slr is ever really prevented if she chooses
TO stick to him, from marrying the man of her
heart CoSmo had believed this dcvouty till lie
Was forced ov events to take up different opinion :;
and from that moment every in partial observer
must allow that he acted up to the highest tenets
OF the modern creed. As soon as he perceived that
IT. was really likely that Anne would be deprived
or her fortune in consequence of her adherence
to HIM, he did everything man could do, within
the limits permitted to q gentleman of the period,
against himself. He could not say in 50 many
words, You must keep your fortune, and throw
me over; shall not mind it, But he near said
II as person of perfectly good manners could do.
III is not for man to take the initiative in such
,"No pccauNe women aiwaNs more 1o0llsh IMAM
men are very likely to be plqued on the side OF
their generosity, and to hold all the more strenu-
ouSiy to a sc-denying lover, the more he does not
wish to bind them. In this point his position was
very difficult. very delicate as anyone may per
ceiye; and when In spite of all his Inconsistencies
and hints, and suggestions. Anne's sacrifice was
accomplished, and she WAS actually cast OIL by her
angry father. with no fortune, and nothing TO re-
conpense her but the attachment of a bar
rister without occupation, and an empty on
eagement to nlm which it was impossible in
present circumstances to carry out, 1t would be
dilfcult to imagine anything more cmbar-
RAISING than his position. She had made this sacri
flee, which he did not wish, for him; had insisted
on making IT, notwithstanding all that he could
venture to saw and now of course looked to him for
gratitude, for requital and an imprisoned sense of
all that she had done and rclinqushcd for him,
Notwithstanding THAT it was the very last thing in
his mind that she should rclinquish anything tor
him. What was he to do? If the man
pcraied was there much wondcr9 He could no
more, according to his tenet throw her over than
he could marry her. Both Were alike impossible.
1t was strictly according the laws of society, that
man should decline to marry when he had moth
ing to marry upon; but it was not consistent with
those laws Oat least according to the Interpretation
of them accepted bv men of Cosmos type that he
should throw the lady over soon as she had lost
her fortune: Here accordingly arose Il dilemma out
of which it was impossible to come unframed.
Cosmos very, heart was impaled upon these forks.
What could he doi He could not marry upon
nothing, and bring his wife down to the position of
household drudge, which was all 50 far as he
knew that would he practicable. For Annc's sake
to her honestly, \ on are poor and am DOOR, and
we cannot marry. What could he doH He was
blamed blamed brutality, and without conSideTa-
tlon, by most of the people round people like the
Ashieys. Tor instance who would have plunged into
another. and never would have found out what its
CHARACTERISTIC difficulties were. But to Cosmo
these difficulties lied up the whole horizon. What
himself and Anne into al thc horrors of pcnniless
marriage was impossible, simply impossible: and to
separate himself from her was equally out OF the
question. II The reader will contemplate he posi-
liOn on al SIDES, he VIII, sure. be brought
see that, taking into account the manner of man
Nosno was. and his circumstances, and all about
him. the way i'll which he did behave PcrplcNedly
Keeping mp his relations with her family. showing
himself as useful as possible, but keeping of all too
familiar consultations, all plans and projects for
the future, was really the only way open TO him.
lie was not romantic he was not regardless of con-
sequences; being man of his time how could lie
make himself so ! and what else could he do
When he received one day quite suddenly, with
ont any preparation. that letter which Anne had
given to Mr. Ashley read, il came upon him like
thunder bolt. tnb fn fhu
after the first shock he surprised by il found
1T unnatural; he did not experience any of these
feelings. On the contrary ii WAS, so far as know,
af,cr rs has been said the first shock relief his
mind. 1t showed him that Anne, too, had per
startled by her ciear-sightcdncs~ but il gained his
appreciation as he most sensible and secinly step
hurt him acutcly. and made him tingle with in
jured pride and shame. 1t does not come within
than the nineteenth ccntury.that woman should
have 1t III her power To speak so. II gave HIM
acute pang. 1t penetrated him with sense of
shame; it made hun feel somehow: to the bottom OF
his heart that he Was an inferior kind of man
and that Anne knew II 1t was all according to the
canons of the situation, just as a sensible woman
should have behaved; just his own proceedings
were all that sensible man could do; but 1t hurt
nun al the same The letter, with that calm of
tone which he suspected to mean contempt seemed
to him to have been fired into him with some sharp
twangling arrow; where II struck 1t burnt and
smarted, making him small in his own esteem, petty
and miserable; Notwithstanding which he had TO
reply To 1T III the same spirit in which il was
written to use a phrase which was also of his
time. He did this, keeping up appcarancrs pre-
tending to Anne that he did not perceive the sen
timcnts which her letter yelled but accepted il as
the most natural thing in the world. 1t may be rs
well to give here the letter which he wrote in reply
DEAREST ANNE,-Your letter has indeed been a
surprise to me OF the most dolorous kind.
Yes, understand. There is need. as YOU saw
for explanations-siX words nor six hundred, would
not be enough to say what should have TO say if
began. But Will not. / refrain from vcxiug You
with protesatlons, from troubling you with rcnOn-
strances. circumstances are against me 50 heavily
so Overwhelmingly that nothing | could say Wouid
appear like anything but folly in the face of that
which alone | can do | am hepess-and you are
clear-slghted ana perceive the evils OF tins long
suspense, without allowing your clearer Judgment
TO be BATTERED, as mne has BEEN by the fooshness
OF hope.
s. What then | sayY If must / accept vour
decision. That is the sole ground which 1t can
be put. | Will not bind YOU against your will-that
is out of the question: that is the one thing that is
impossible | Will never give up hope that some
change may come i'll the circumstances or in your
oluton till-somcthlng happens to show me that
your friend, for that would be folly. | am more
than your friend, or | am noihing-but / will sign
myself yours as You are, without any doubt, the
woman whom | will always love, and admire and
reverence, beyond any woman in the world
COSMO DOUGLASS
And this was all quite true. lie did love and ad-
mire her more than anyone in the world. fl was
the curse OF his training that he knew what was
best when he it. and desired that-though often
men of his kind take up with he worst after and
are contented enough. But Anne was still his type
OF perfection she was beautiful to him and sweet
and delightful-but she was not possible Is not
that more than any beauty or delight And vet
Notwithstanding the acute pangS which he suffered
don't suppose one individual out of hundred who
reads this history Will be sorry for Cosmo They
Will be sorry Tor Anne, who does not want their
sOrrow half SO much.
lie had very melancholy time after the Mount
fords went away. He had not accepted any invita-
tons for August, beng, indeed, in a very unsettled
mind, and not knowing what might be required of
nm nm; lie stayed In hs chambers alone with many
OF his llfe II was a poor sort of life when he