The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1885-07-26
PASSIONS SHADOW.


crowd passing to and fro like cloud O
brilliant butterflies. Her ladyship wa
sitting apart, in leafy nook, with Sii
Philip Rayner. She was neither hearken
ing TO the music nor contemplating tn
mob she was thinking Of the story he ha,
Just related. Lady Ausburgh was one o
those women who are elected with their will
or without II as a general mother. confesso
by all the men and women Of their acquain
lance. Never did she, by look, word, o.
deed, betray any Of the oft-times dangerou
secrets confded to her ear--breathed will
as much confidence into that little pinl
shell as into the ear Of cowled priest
Nobody had ever discovered any Of Lady
Ausburgh's own affairs, although everybody
felt sure her condolences would be hugely
interesting she had always been known al
an atrocious flirt, but nobody ever sought I,
win or surprise what she chose 10 withhold
She claimed now to be an old woman, II
virtue of her forty.fve years, while com
placently aware that she looked scarcely
more than thirty.
"But," she protested, shaking out the
lace at the edge OF her toy sunshade, al
that Is only nonsense"
I" 1t appears so, no doubt" answered Sil
Philip, almost Grossly.
"Men are such absurd, irritating fools,
pursued Lady Ausburgh. "The longer
live and the more see Of men, the more
realize that the angels may well weep ove
their crotchets and fancies."
You are severe, yet probably just" SAID
Sir Philip. "May get you an ice %
"No, thanks. want to point out to you
how really ridiculous all this matter Is" re-
marked Lady Ausburgh.
at ia rather too bad to be laughed at,
when ous has told story which nigh
easily rise to a tragedy" grumbled Sill
Philip snlkily.
"My dear friend, am not laughing q,
you," answered her ladyship. "Ispeak fol
you good. know that once man Is seized
with passion for some particular GIRL the
wsest philosopher in the world might out
talk Demosthenes, with the satisfaction o.
finding he would spend his time more profit.
ably talking Greek to chawbacon. Now,
is II not nonsensical to use the word
tragedy--you will own that"
"What are the component parts Of q
tragedy Is II not tragedy when mans
life ia spoiled ?" demanded Sir Philip.
"Why should mans life be spoiled by
such childish longing and craving as you
babble Off YOu choose 10 pet mp and nurse
fancy for girl whom You have not seen
for ten years, and who may he dead or mar
ried for anything you can guess 10 the con.
trary."
az do not nurse the fancy. II is fixed,
unalterable love, iutwined with my heart
strings. cannot rid myself of It, II would.
Elice Dayrell cannot be dead" Sir Philip
turned visibly pale, and his voice faltered.
Married. do not believe 1t. She loved
me-that l know-deeply, passionately."
The love of girl sixteen is neither deep
nor passionate" said Lady Ausburgh, con-
tsmptuously. "And II she ia as lovely as
you say"
"Shs was the most beautiful creature
ever beheld." cried Sir Philip.
"Hm. Every laddis thinks his lsssis
the most peerless being the world ever saw.
But II she is this exquisite Greek goddess
kind Of young woman. do you think it con-
ceivable that nobody has coveted her as q
Even II she had no money, she is handsome,
can sing divinsly, you say-pooh, nothing
would persuade me that she is not married,
If alive.''
It would he ten thousand times more
endurable to learn that she is dead" ex-
claimed Sir Philip.
Probably. And you are going TO renew
the search for her It ia a pity you ever
lost her IL your affections are 40 irretrievably
fixed on her. There does not seem much
likelihood of your finding the young woman,
but sometimes people reappear on the
scene in the most sudden and unaccountable
manner. Let me see. She ran away, you
said She must have been foolish, Eighty
kind of puss, or else very bad tempered"
"Shs was neither. Ellice Dayrell was
true, good, angelic-too good for me. She
deserved better fate. 1t was all my fault
and my mothers. must say that al.
though she is dead"
And You have nothing to trace her by
II she-you must forgive me for hurting
your feelings, my dear friend, but-now
surprising she was dead"
81 will not suppose it," vehemently in
terrupted the young man.
"Nof Very we'll. But have you the
slightest clue to give Of her IDENTIFY It
appears she and those connected with her
determined to erase all signs by which you
could follow her." persisted Lady Ausburgh,
laying dainty little gloved foreangsr Of one
hand on the equally coquettish foreanger of
the other. "Come, I really am interested
in this history of yours. To begin. Her
name was--is, shall we sayH-Rllics Day
rell. She was no relative of yours %
"Shs was very distsntly related to my
answered Sir Philip. "The only
other relative she knew of was an old
aunt"
"Who hated you and your mother 2'
al believe so-though why goodness
only knows. The old lady lived in a horri-
BILE ogrs's den somewhere in the Highlands.
saw her once, the most awful-looking old
witch ever visible outside Macbeth or
Grimm's Goblins.''
"Well, what is the band playing now
Is it."
81 don't know. didn't know they were
At once, and hate stories to be continued at
our next meeting. This peerless Ellice,
you fell in love with her, and she responded
TO your tender devotion"
"rm sorry told you anything about II"
growled Sir Philip.
"May you never commit more foolish
action than making choice OF me as cona-
liant this day." laughingly said Lady Aus
,urgh. "Itis getting terribly late. Ishould
ike TO see IL have mastered the outline Of
The story. Don't look so savage. Lady
Raynsr obi scted to this little episode ~
+" She was In the most COMPOUNDED rage
anybody can imagine" said Sir Philip.
+" Yes And the beautiful Rlllcs lived in
! dream of bliIs, aud did not know any
bird Of this cross current until that even
ng, when you gave that unluoky promise I"
1--WE were bstrothsd--engagsd. What
10 you call IN had asked her to be true
% me, aud all that kind of thing, You know,
md that evening something or somebody
aroused my mothers suspicious. Rllics was
playing In the drawing. room she sang and
played exqnisitsly. II was something Won
iarful for q girl of SIXTEEN"
Z" You have fully enlarged on her various
,srfections already. And your mother be.
yan to talk to you on the terrace just outside
he window 20
f" She did. Wespoks in German. Neither
my mother or | had the least idea she I'M
lerstood German. We both got terribly ex-
,ited, and have no doubt must have talked
oud. Ny mother spoke with bitterness and
contempt of my dear love, my promised
wife,"
"And your
"You must make allowance for circum-
stances. / sdorsd my mother. and had been
Influenced by her from earliest childhood, and
was then hardly twenty three. was de-
srmined never to give up my darling, but !
cared. while | loved, my mother. She
allied against Rllics, spoke Of her psnnilsss
condition, her infsriority in social rank, and
10 on. We argued out the question, had
Utmost q quarrel, in fact then my mother
,ouan IN cry Then how IL hannanad I