New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-08-12
AN AMBITIOUS WOMAN.
A NOVEL.
BY EDGAR FAwCErr
xuaor Of 81 6sxtismo~ OF L@su'e "A H'pesess
Case" etc.


Case" etc.
$50 XII.
Oh. wan wholly unprepared for the intelligence
= fav DAYS later, that Thurston had gone. In the
,noss sudden manner, to Europe The Bergemanns.
,uother and daughter, were both amazed Dy tho de-
-.r+rrs of their legal adviser without premon-
fc,v word from him on the subject. and apparently
a. such brief notice. Claire, In the midst of her
ovn CONSERVATION. sharply dreaded Jest some sus-
n;cion should dawn upon them that she was con-
cerped in this precIpitate change. But If Mrs.
Bnreemann let fall any hint that such was her
hel,ef IL was made In the hearing of Sophia alone;
and the latter bad secuted from the first, as we
know all idea that Thurstons regard for her friend
could parake of lover like tenderness. The letter
which he had written to his CLIENT announcing
that he had sailed. gave reason for tins abrupt
eourse. II was letter somewhat copious in other
respects. however, and made thoroughly plain the
fact that the partner of him who wrote 10 would In
every way defend and supervise the interests OF
Nina Bergemann. 81 shall probably be abroad
number of months" ran Thurston's written words,
sbut during that time rest that all details Of
Che sIghtest Importance with respect to your affairs
shall be safely communicated through MIR. Quad
wick"
Mr. Chadwick soon afterward presented himself.
He was lank man, of blOodIess complexion and ir-
reproachable manners. 81 think he's regular wet
blanket said Mrs. ~Bergemann, with critical
cruelty, after dear. higb-toned Mr.. Tnurston. He
srss hi g,-toned Clare, wasnt he, now y she perse-
vered, with q sidelong, tlmorous look toward
Sophia, who CHANGED, besides Claire to be present
at the Time ate
Now, Ma n broke in Sophia, accompanying this
voca,lye with tart gesture OF remonstrance
~Claire doesn't know bit better than you or do
III No
Claire -
al think almost everybody who ever met him."
said CLAIRE. answering the appeal, must have seen
1t very clearly"
She spoke this with nice composure. But she was
fnwardly dismayed. wounded. almost tor
tured Fer many succeeding days she coDtrived
10 absent herself from all Sophia's guests. Brady
had totally disappeared from her experience;
he no longer presented himself at the houss. He
was secretly fearful that Claire might publish the
fact of his proposal broadcast among the adherents
with whom he stood supreme as their moneyed and
autocratic leader He suffered those torments of
humiliation which only small soul, with small
views Of things and an immoderate vanity. has
learned the petty trick of suffering 1t is by no means
hyperbole to state that he inwardIy cursed Claire
for being the grl within whose power he had put 1t
20 Say that she had actually repelled his superb
wholesome creature would be idle for the chron-
iclcr, especially since henceforth he drops out of
our record somewhat as Slocumb did. and with
scarcely more ohivalrous exit.
Claire now passed through period OF extreme re-
pentance. Her old longings had vanished /; she
silently planned tor herself, with ascetic enthusi-
ssm a future of humility and obscurity. She was
esalot in totally new way she had abandoned all
thought of marrying, and had conceived the idea OF
mentally fitting herself to become governess.
With this end. she spent hours in the library. In
capable of dong anything by halves, she now bent
tho full force of her strong will and capable intel
isot toward obtaining proper educational compe-
teDcs. She swan far out. to speak. into the blue
waters Of knowledge and breasted them with good,
vigorous strokes She was, for the time at least.
passonately in earnest Thurston's farewell words
rang ineessantly through her memory. she would
crush down all that American push" once and for
ever She would steer from the perils against which
be had warned her, by one broad. divergent swerve.
Her semorse and her resignation held poetic ardT
Of Knship. Her past longings had indeed been
folly AID as such she would unvaryingiy treat
them. She would be consistent henceforward, and
seek only what lay within her lawful scope OF
action Sac was like the convert to new faith,
Snd she had all converts intensity OF feryor.
From her two friends. however, she chose to guard
With canton the secres of this change Ii was now
early portion of june and the fierce heat OF sum-
nsr had literally lespt down ON the city after
several weeks of raw. Indictment May weather. The
Judgment long ago passed upon our climate, that It
has summer an autumn, a winter. but no spring.
had never been more fully confirmed. The city
vas wrapt all day in torrid browse; the pave
ments lay either in bleak glare or breathless
shadow. On the benches of the parks, where spots
0dusk were wrought by overbrowing branches,
sxoaps of jaded citizens hudded together In moist
discomfort. The cars tinkled sleepily the onni-
buses Jagged in rambling sloth |; foul smells besot
ths nesrils from genteel cutters or tho door
ways Of high priced restaursnta People looked mp
q the woo-like pallor of the sky, and wished that
twould darken into the cooling gloom of thur
deutorm.
But Claire scarcely minded the heat She had
knssn the fstid missries Of Greenpoint summer
nose SPACIOUS chambers and halls of the Berge-
nxnas solid built mansion were delicious indeed
b contrast Striped awnings had been affixed to
eosh window whose scalIoped edges would flap In
chance wsftures Of breeze while the stout bunting
sSsvs them changed the sunny rigors outside TO .
oOatinual soothing gloom. It was true that she
had no sympathy with hot weather; she liked an
atmosphere In which quick movement was
Pleasantly possible. But she was never
sneless very much at her ease mere
endnow. She read; she studied; the library,
safhsd in tender dimnesz. pleased her with Its
vague rows of books. its rough rich earpeting It's
oasx massive wood-work- She had for time. that
@gsiats feeling OF the scholar Who clothes him
~ With silence. solitude and repose. and who lets
eater world touch him through soft. impersonaL
yseossnt mediums During this interval she was
.paessly happy. 1t was the old
sQrrcnder Of tho dtsets Literature
~ henceforth to be her cult, her
sx fhs mere process Of reading had always
&c enc OF ease and speed with her. Past training
- - her now In the way Of msthed and System.
nsd learned how to learn Her French readings