Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-01-23
WEN
MUCH ADO"-A NOVELETTE,.
BY FRANCES HODGSON BURNETT,
Author of Lowrie's" ~Iousiana" Etc. Etc
Copyrighted 1851
(C0nctudedl


20 dispel this ailment by promenading the ter
race or at least that part OF it which lay at the
foot of Mrs. Huntingdon's lawn-for the rest Of
the evening.
Nell could see his face quite plainly in the
moonlight. And IL had never been such a beau
tiful face In its brightest glow as 1t was in its
sadness and pallor. And why was he there
Bad as he was there must be some strong feel
ing which impelled him to come to the place
and haunt 1t so when there was nothing to be
gained. 1t was what man with q warm heart
and-yes, q tender love filling it-might have
done.
Nell leaned against the uncovered trellis
trembling, and soon on the leaves near where
her cheek rested great drops fell and shone.
"Why are you not good?" she whispered
brokenly. "Why are you not gentleman-a
man? Ishould-like you-then. could not
help Ii. on, can scarcely help il nOwf'
And at that very instant, as though he had
heard the words-though he had not-he stop
ped just below where she stood and looked up.
And then he came up the steps and walked
towards the arbor. There was nothing to be
done. 1t was impossible to go away. There
was no time. As she made her involuntary
step towards the entrances step which
brought her into the full moonlght-he
reached her and they stood face to face. 1t
was as IL he had received an electric shock. A
sharp tremor shook him for an instant. Nell
looked up at him and then looked down.
"Will you let me pass?" she said in q low
voice.
al can't" he said with a desperate, mis-
cradle effort "until you tell me why you did
that heartless-that cruel thing 70 me this after.
noon.'
Nell could not speak. She put her hand upon
the trellis to steady herself This was too sud-
den.
"You ought to tell me-" he persisted. "You
do c,,oI,
thing as that through caprice-a woman like
you. I may not be a very attractive fellow
j may go wrong sometimesI know I'm hot
headed and rash-and Obstinate-and have
q deuce of a temper-and perhaps you have
a right to dislike me, but you might have
spared me that. Why did you do it?" passion
ately.
"You-you know whyr' cried Nell "Do
not-presu,ne to-ask mer' Yet the words were
not spoken valiantly and her voice was not so
clear as she had intended it to be.
thing going to turn against me- have tried
Il have tried TO keep things straght-but 1t Is
no use-and you might have helped me-if you
az" exclaimed Nell with pride.
"Yes-Your' fiercely. '' There have been
women before this who have not felt themselves
too good to help men who could be helped by
their kindness Even If you had not cared
much for me-if you had been a little kind
but to XIII a man at sucn a time as this Do
you think have not trouble enough Do you
think don't feel the disgrace-and bitterness
failed. came back here more crushed than
you know! longed for sight of your face
and a kind look. You have never given me
one vet, butt seemed as If now you might,
perhaps. And you struck me down1when
Then Nell lifted her head. '''
allow dare your she said. "How dare your
"Darer' he echoed with fire and defiance
is there in loving a woman? What man, if he
Is a man at all, cannot dare that much? A dog
love you. Perhaps, 1 am not quite the worst,
helpit-neither'swith a break-"neither can L"
"Iet me pass" said Nell. 81 wish to leave
you. We have nothing to say to each other!'
She began to tremble. She did not wish to
leave him. She wished to stay-to hear him
CRY out against her and arraign her-tO hear
him say any thing. That was the worst Of all
that was why she trembled.
But he only saw the tremor and agitation in
her face. He stopped short a moment and
looked at her as he had done that day on the
lawn.
else7n
1.-The had had less powerful he had wrung her
hear. less when he spoke she would have been
more pitiful. Asst was her only safety lay in
gathering her strength together in one merci-
1T is more than dislike" she painted. ut is
contempt Will you let me pass noaUf"
and as she went he turned and stood still. star,
ing blankly at the moonlit sea.
When Mrs. Huntingdon returned she did not
find Nell down stairs, and hoping that she was
asleep, she went TO her own room and retired
without seeing her.
She had been in bed halt an hour, but had not
gone to sleep, having laid awake, in fact, alb
sorbed in thought, when she heard a low
The moon was still shining and broad beam
gave a soft light TO the room, so that when the
as she neared the bed and knelt down by IT,
and so seeing her she quickly put out her hand.
'.Dearest-' she exclaimed.
Mamma" said Nell, snow soon can we 90
away-how soone'
She began to tremble as she had done In the
arbOr.
"Kow soon mamma?" she repeated
MIS- Huntingdon took the girls hand in both
..Oh, Nell,r she said, "what is this. Tonight
when I was at Mrs. Napier's heard that
that"
Nell stopped her.
Yes, mamma" she said YEARLY. "Yes, Mr.
JACK hamilton"
"You have seen him again, Nell? And you
thought"
Nell gave her hand a fierce little clutch
o. what Woaid you say" she cried, .'if were
what would You say if I were to tell you
could not bear it?'
You NelI.''
Nell chung to her.
.-Oh, mamma" she cried, sit seems as If all
the world had changed am not the girl you
thought was. am not what thought my
sell. am wicked, too. / thought that a girl
VINO was renned and good would hate such q
man from instinct But I-mamma, do not
bate him. do not, never have hated him
from the first
Her mother drew her into her arms upon the
pillow beside her.
Tell Inc about ii, Nell" she said as softly as
II she were soothing child. "You know will
understand, darling We have always under.
stood each other 1t will be better TOR you to
speak"
YES said Nell, sit will be better And
told myself tonight after what happened that
would not deceive myself or you any longer
used To deceive myself at first. I hated every.
thing heard OF him, and i thought disliked
him, too. told myself he was bold and pre-
Stunning. but, mamma, II he were not what he is
We should not call him SO because-because he
would not give up without q struggle the
woman he loved. We should not condemn him
because he tried to be near her, because he mad
beautiful eyes and they followed her ALWAYS
Those are not crimes, mamma"
NO, dear: no" tenderly.
But i tried to think them so at first Nell
went on. Il have always treated him coldIy
and disdainfully. i would never hear him.
never will hear him; but do not hate him
said to me would be Just and true'
'And he has said-?" said her mother
she has said he loves me. He has said have
been cruel 20 him. He has said ought to tell
him why L hate him. He has said he suffers
cruel He Is suffering now. He did not lie ~
me about that. saw IL in his facer'
And you have said put in the mother
again.
81 have said that we have no words to saw In
each other. Il have said that no ia Ia., T.. -