Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1884-06-24
She rose, went away to her dressing-room
and rang the bell for her maid. So the con
versation ended of necessity.

the man mad been told not to ONE, he greV
more gloomy and more uneasy. For three
whole weeks he said no word to- Lady Ber
tie except in public; and even then he some
times fixed his eyes upon her in a trul,
melodramatic manner. For young MAJ
OF a cheerful disposition this seemed strange
but be was haunted by convict ion tha
Lady BERTHE was much cleverer than him
sell, and he was resolved not to be dece;yet
by her apparently light-hearted indifference,
to his displeasure.
/ The breach gradually widened until it be.
came evident to their intimate friends that
Lord and Lady BERTHE were no longer on
good terms. AS to their domestic life, il
was shipwrecked, and that very easily.-
Lately BERTHE went through her accustomed
round Of social duties, and was Just as CAV
and just as bright as ever; but she never
saw her husband except when he offered
her his arm as a matter of business. For a
little while this amused her rather; it was
like playing in French comedy to have a
sulky, jealous husband, and to be consoletl
by hundred charming creatures, all ad-
mlrable specimens of the various. approved
types OF lady killers. For consolation OF
this kind was offered on the instant. Lady
Bertle recognized, with half angry and
half-triumphant amusement, that the ad-
mlratlon offered her to-day was of a differ
ent order from that which had been hers
three weeks ago. Perhaps this sense of
power, the consciousness that there was
abundant mooilery of love ready to hand,
helped her 10 understand the value of the
real love which the world already believed
her to have lest.
One morning she sent message to he1
husband, asking him to come to her room
He came, and stood silently at attention
As before, she was looking at herself in the
glass.
| "Good morning, Bertie," shesaid, gayly,
and turned from the mirror to look at him.
Don't you think that this nonsense has
gone far enough? [ expect in the next
twenty-four hours to have at least half a
dozen projects of 'elopement submitted for
my consideration. Now the Duke wouldn't It
like scandal of that sort, would he ?''
| Perhaps not,', answered Lord BERTHE
dryly.
| ''Well, don't pronose to run away just
now-that is, if you'll be reasonable. The
present agreeable state Of things has dated,
l believe, from the day when wouldn't tell
you who my friend the Jew was. Now. !
am going to propose terms. If l take you
into my confidence will you keep what tell
you from every living soul 90
'sThat depends" said Lord BERTHE, eau
tiously.
"Then I will not take you into my con-
fidence. Consider that nothing has been
said. We will go on as we were, and things
shall take their course.''
''But I'm awfully tired of it, May. Come,
say what you have to say, and I'lf swear
myself to secrecy"
"Absolute ?"
| 'Absolute.'
"The subject must never be mentioned
when my maid is in the room; I know she
talks
81 won't forget
'sNo member of the family is to ever l,eaI
of it; I'll kill you if you tell your sister,
81 have sworn"
eyes, know, but you must swear also
not to tease me or drop hints.''
1T swear"
"Well, the Jew is coming this morni ug,
and you shall assist at the interview, if you
like. Do you see this spot, pimple-call Ii
by any bad name you like ?''
| 81 see it,
"Neii, he is going to take it off. -
"Good heavens! ! May, you don't mean
to say you'd let that man touch you?''
Cpd be touched by-by anything, rather
than have pimple on my face. But he
only does it with camel's hair brush and
some stuff that stings."
'''But this is ridiculous nonsense, my dear
May"
''Not at all. He is supposed to under
stand all about the skin, and he has invent
ed all sorts of lotions for clearing the CON-
plexion. Half the women you know en-
ploy him, assure you, BERTHE; but I don't
want anybody to know I've come to it yet. "
''But what's the good of this absurd
secrecy? He'll go and tell all these wo-
men,
'sNot he; he's too wise to risk his fees y
"There's something in that, I've no doubt.
But l can hardly believe any man calling
himself a man can have such a trade
"Well, he'll be here in two minutes; you
can stay and see for yourself that l have
spoken the truth. Are yeu going to apollo
gize for the life you've led me lately?''
"Not exactly; but I'll tell you what, May,
| elect myself your complexion clearer for
the future. We'll 60 yachting to the Med
iterranean this year; that'll take away the
spots, and you can throw this brute over
"Agreed p cried Lady BERTHE, just as a
knock came at the door,
/ Lord Bertie did not wish to assist at the
ceremony, and ne hurried out of one door as
the Jew came in at the other. But he came
back later in the morning, and went out
with Lady Berthe in her carriage in the af-
ternoon. They seemed absurdly contented
with each others society; and the many ad
mirers of the beautiful Lady Bertie saw very
soon that what they had taken for very
serious affair was nothing more than lover S
quarrel.
Lord BERTHE kept his word; he never
''told" and he took Lady BERTHE to the
Mediterranean, where they spent sort OF
second honeymoon. And at present Lady
BERTHE is independent of her Jewish friend
assistance. World.