The Washington critic., 1886-10-14
THE GENERALS VISIT.

The General was q small, well set.up,
elderly young man, with close cut
grayish hair, q step still springy, and
an alert, wide awake look in his still
bright eye.
Mrs. Mainwaring, on the other hand,
was massive and distinctly middle.aged.
There could be only year or two be-
tween them, but the advantage was on
the Generals side. He had, indeed,
advantages over his wife other than
looks and age. He was an agreeable,
courtly old soldier, who had seen men
and cities, and could discourse pleas
antly on most topics. She was loud
voiced. ill.naturcd and not precisely
well.bred; u soured, discontcnted sort
of creature, who had grown old with
very bad grace; full of swagger and
pretension, not In talk only, but in
manner and appearance; much given
TO over-dressing, fond Of snowy cos.
tunes In the very latest fashions.
adorned also with a superabundance of
costly jewelry, diamond brooches,
bracelets, pendants and many glitter
ing rings.
Not q little Of the disfavor she had
earned was due to her ill.treatment of
her too submissive spouse. Hercules
was cruelty hen.pecked, and Omphale
was as cordially disliked.
Mrs. Mainwaring bullied her hus.
band increasingly; claimed his undi-
vided attention, ordered him about.
sent him on messages, made him fetch
and carry wraps, footstools, scent bot
ties, books. She kept him always at
her elbow, in or about the hotel, when
he would have much preferred hand
at lawn tennis or day on the hills.
1t was his untiring, even tempered
devotion to this overbearing, exacting
old woman that gained him so much
Commiseration. He never SHE'D or
proved restive--never in public, that is
TO say.
In private the worm sometimes
turned, at Auchnashalloch the sorely-
tried General for once essayed to as.
sert his independence. A warm invi.
tation had reached him from neigh.
boring shooting lodge-that of very
great parsonage. He meantto go, he
said.
without me? Impossible! l am
tonished-amazed you should think
of it," she declared, point blank.
You could not have been asked"
"The duke knowsyou are married"
eyes, my dear, and you know he
isn't. 1t is to be mans party, in a
bachelors house. / shall certainly go.
have not seen August since he was in
the regiment, and | should like to
know how he bears his honors."
And pray, what am to do here. all
alone ?" said Mrs. Mainwaring. quickly
shifting her ground. What will
people think of me2 What will
people say? Am to shut myself up
In my room? / cannot appear at the
table or go about unattended"
LIT will only be for four. twenty
hours. Besides you will have Melaine.
Your maid will play propriety If you
feel so shy"
The sting of this was in the insub
ordination it implied.
"You must not-shall not accept 7"
cried Mrs. Mainwaring, vehemently.
"lf you persist, l shall go straight
"That would be a pity after coming
so far" replied the general, coolly
"However, If | don't find you here
when get back, l shall know where
you have gone.'
Mrs. Mainwaring was by this time
furious; she fairly screamed with rage.
The General, accustomed to these fits
of simulated Mysteries, merely rang the
bell. All this had taken place In their
bedroom, where Melaine, Mrs. Main
warnings French maid, promptly joined
them.
"Madame is suffering-ill?" cried
the maid, taking her mistress hands,
and adding, as she looked rcproach-
fully at the Generals: .Oh, monsieurl
what have you been doing to her? You
are too cruel"
"Bahl ii is only her nerves." an.
swered the General in very correct
French, "or she's too tightly laced, as
usual. Sec to her and come and tell
me by.ardby how she is. You'll find
me-in the garden or by the stream. "
"Bien, Monsieur. In half an hour"
answered the maid somewhat pertly, in
the same tongue.
1T is not much, dare say-a little
migrdiRe. Temper's the right word,
Melaine; but do what is needful."
"What did the General say to you ?''
asked Mrs. Mainwaring, quickly. She
had only smattering Of French, and
was suspicious, after the manner of an.
Cient wives.
30, but very little thing, madame.
He was concerned for you. There, lie
down; you will soon be more com.
posed, madame"
The news Melaine took the General
half an hour later must have have been
Ieassuring, for lie laughed merrily
They were seemingly very good
friends, these two, the master and the
French maid-companions of tho
chain, fellow sufferers and victims oI
the same petty tyranny, who Otter
sympalhi2ed with one another under
the yoke they bore.
Melaine was a typical soubrette
brighteyed, vivacious, with ready
tongue and provoking smile, She
was the belle below stairs much
feted in the stewards room, where the
gentlemen's gentlemen and the ladies
maids lived; while more than one oi
the guests up stairs had been seen tC
follow with approving glances the
small.footcd, neat wasted French
woman as she passed In her pretty
Coquettish attire,
The General, after the manner ofmeI
who seldom rebel, had 1t entirely his
own way. He started the same even
ing for Strathbogle, hostelry hal
way on his road, where he was to bt
met next morning by carriage from
the castle He was due back from
Auchnashallooh early on the third day
The story somehow had got abou
In the hotel. The ducal invitation ha(
cast certain reelected lustre on tht
rest, but people talked and mos
chuckled because Mrs. Mainwaring har