The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1881-06-02
A STOLEN PLEASU RE.

to the Armenian Convent. L KNOW tnat
I am violating all the Venetian proper
ties by not addressing this note to Mrs.
Langton. butt shall call for you at
hall. past l, and if you 90 not care to go,
shall proceed on my journey alone.
"Devotedly yours,
This note was read by a girl standing
in food of spring sunshine against a
high. balconied window. When she had
finished, she gazed long and wistfully
upon the expanse of water ripping with
a metallic CLEAN in the spring wind,
across which boats were dartlng, rocking
from side to side. She crossed the room
to where q small woman with face that
bore traces OF former negative pretti-
ness was seated, embroidering table,
cover. with cup of tea by her side.
"Auntie, Mr.. Vane writes to ask me to
90 to the Armenian Convent with him.
Nav II"
"How can you ask such a question,
Dotha? You know perfectly well shall
not permit it. It's not a suitable thing
for you to do. Mr.. Vane is too cOnspicu-
GUS man for you to 60 out with. l saw
Mrs. Graves look at you in very strange
way last evening when you were talking
with him. Remember, your reputation
is all you have
II wish had no reputation" said
Miss Nevil, bitterly, ''if my youth must
be spent in thinking of what Mrs.
Graves or Mrs. Brown, or some other
woman may or may not say OF me. 1
wonder if girls in America have to do
the same thing. 1 wish I lived there y
"How ungrateful of you, Dotha, when
YOU know what sacrifices l make and
have made to keep you in Europe"
"Is that the only objection you have
to my going, that some OF these women
may talk about me over their tea?"
''The principal! one. 1 am glad Mr..
Vane is going away soon. These atten-
ions of his are very compromising.
''Then will take my risks into my
own hands, and go out with one of the
few men 1 have ever felt any interest
ill.,"
"You shall see your mistake, Dotha,
when it is too late. must beg to waive
all responsibility. If you bring scandal
upon yourself, do not blame me-"
Mrs. Langton was disciple OF the
hybrid social system that prevails among
Americans on the continent of Europe.
While she was more than anxious to set
tie her niece in life, suitably, at all
events. brilliantly, if possible, her pro-
found respect for the censorious tongues
of the chance acquaintance with whom
she exchanged calls and kettledrums led
her to keep the girl so we'll protected that
only the recklessness of defiant spirit
caused her to make for herself those OPP
portunities, unconsciously, which her
aunt neglected to make for her. Mrs.
Langton, like many another European
lied American, quite Ignored the fact
that marriages which were supposed to
spring from attraction could not be
brought about in the same manner as
those of convenience.
Eliot Lane had fallen in love with
Miss Nevil the first day he had seen her
in st. Marks, where he was making a
study of the arches. She harmonized
with the tawny sunlight that crept like
a sentient thing among the shadows as
she sat IL ere in front of the brown By
zantine Madonna, the wishing shrine,
every wish before which comes true. He
was especially struck by the purity of
her profile, certain flower like droop of
her head. and when she rose, the wistful
lOOh III ucT eyes. MdS nOt lOhS OCAoiC
he met her somewhere, and Mrs. Lang
toE, having asked him to her house, he
became frequent visitor, more fire.
quent, indeed, than that good lady
deemed discreet, inasmuch as she dis
liked everything pronounced or con-
spicuous, and Mr.. Vane was certainly a
conspicuous person. Every one in
Venice knew him by sight and name.
He was called the handsome American.
He was man of the world, no less than
an artist; he was rich, he was well con-
nected, he sold his pictures only when
he chose; consequently, he did not feel
the need of constant attendance upon
teas, and the tea-drlnking circles re-
venged themselves by circulating reports
concerning him, which. when they were
repeated to him, he regarded as highly
amusing, and was as suave and winning
toward his detractOrs as if they had been
singing his praises. He was bit of a
philosopher, this Vane. Human nature
entertained him, and his rule Of life was
expressed in the word "sudacity."
A few hours later gondola passed
near the bridge at the side of Mrs.
Langtons apartment, and young man
sprung out and strobe with the step Of
an athlete up to the door, to be met by a
slight girl dressed quietly in gray.
Certainly no one in the tea-drinking
circle that had begun to regard Miss
Eav;1 90 ui11 and a lfkla don