New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-03-17
III

III
Addenbrooke had rooms in Gower.st.j slstng
room and bedroom, divided by folding do9rs
The whole apartment had begun NE Us wna
| house agents call a spacious double drhWlnS-EooM
and bore yet the marks of its former sta'e Vi "a
The mantelpiece, which now supported hos,
OF bottles, variously shaped ana nIiea, 90 " ~
| white marble heavily carved-summoned up e
| the imaginative mind visions of gilt CLOCKS ano
| candlesticks under glass shades
| The walls, hung with white watend pepper,
divided into panels by srPS o. ds
| and from the ceiling shrouued chanueler &c
| ne nded from twelfth-cake-nKe uecora|on III
| whjte-and-g gold plaster. Ia.
| Addenbrooke had drawn his writing taple WIN
the lamp on it, close to the fire, and had settled
| down TO a long nights work. 1t was the evening
| following Lydias confession, and he was too busy
| 10 get up to St. Johns Wood. he sighed at the
apers, which not sonly covered the table, but
| over0owed into several neighboring chalrA
| He had not been long at work when the door
was flung open, and man entered the ROOM
! Still in these gilded halls, Johnny said =
voice, which was not quite so drawing nor so iulI
| OF quiet humor as the speaker seemed to intend
| FLEMING, by all that's wonderful" cried Ad-
| denbrooke, rising with extended hand.
| The newcomer was O large, heavily-built young
naIly florid burnt crimson by the African sun.
He was distinctly handsome, though the Iower
| part of the face was tribe heavy, and there was
| n lack of finish about the ears and nostrlls-
" Sit down." said Addenbrooke. clearing chair
anu E Fs orS SGhtS Fleming Hcked with
| his large finger at the papers on the desk III
Us not your own exams, it's other peoples poor
| Old JOHNNY
TONS in which, indeed he had conspicuously 1alled
| 20 distinguish himself; the less brilliant Al
| denbroolle having commonplace KnacK Oh
getting into the first class, which is OFTEN inc way
With your dull, plodding fellows. ~.
| These two men had been friends, after
! n fashion, since tleir first term at
| the university. In those days Fleming
| had been q raw, unhappy, seIf-consclous
Young man, subject to miserable, hideous fits Of
shyness, and secretly ashamed OF the paernai
| glove-shOp
Now. perhaps, he was too fond Of talking
about the glove-shop; Of drawing jOeose COM
| PARSONS between himself and wel,known
| alover's son OF Stratford-on-Avon; and the only
| remaining mark OF his shyness was certain
emphasis OF sef-conhdencc. AddenbroOkes anec-
| ton for him was rather a survival from Garner
| dnys than anything else; though Johnny, 1t must
be owned was uncritical and, like many persons,
| Imposed far less severe standard OF conduct
| on his friends than on himself
Where do you hang out ?" asked Addenorooke,
| gathering together the GcsPised examination
| have been down OF Twickenhan with my
| people Can't stand much of that, you know
| | am looking out for chambers somewhere Bond
ST. way and Mrs Baxter is going to put me
| 10 hero for a night two
oh, good. You know Mrs Baxter has that
portmanteau OF yours?7
Yes; she's fetching it now, I believe, from
| the lumber-room. There are some papers IN III
| | want 20 look at tonight. 50
Fleming leaned back In his chair, his eyehds
| dropping modify, as they had TICK OF doing;
! then he said diScontcntedly: .
! Haven't you got anything TO tell fellowp
| You London people are all the same One goes
| away and lives what seems a hfetime-its SO
crnun-full Of eXperlen when one gets back,
not soul remembers IL IL was last week or last
year they met you at the JenlSinsons' dinner
From what hear, you've no cause to COM
oh, Of course, ones pcstered with invitations
from n lot OF silly women one never heard OF
| grumbed the new lion; " but isn't there any
thing in the shape Of news ?'
We'll" Snid AddenbroOke, slowly; there IS
one piece Of news but don't know that It's
interesting am thinking OF getting morrled.
Addenbrooke had never been a shy man; ne
WIS only very modest, and he had not accustomed
his friends 20 take an interest in his affairs
Fleming opened his eyes full and stared his
friend in the face. There WAS always something
startling In his appearance under these circum-
stances perhaps because his eyes were so rarely
shown-perhaps because OF some quanW ln the
eyes themselves. They were cur1ously Srlght
and very brown-not n black manque, but
beautiful, unusual brown.
Looking at them it WIS easier 20 realize tho
power, such as IL was, which Lawrence flemins
possessed over his fellOw-crcatucs.
{" Addenbrooke,n he said faning forward, ana
speaking with sudden intensity, as you value
your peace Of mind, have nothing TO do with
wOmcn!'
He flung himself back, laughing little, and
letting fall his eyclids. In few minutes he
burst into fierce TRADE against the whole female
Sex, taking Addenbrooke's announcement merely
Even Johnny was disappointed at this lack
OF interest on the part Of his friend but remem-
bered having heard that Lawrence had been
hard lift before he went to Africa-that nothing
less indeed, than broken heart had sent him
forth 10 those distant shores.
Then, before Addcnbrooke knew what was
happening, Fleming plunged into the very heart
Of his own particular grievance.
" II was last year. he said, at country
house II began from the moment she came into
the room / don't pretend that she was the first;
but IL was different, somehow. ! not even
sure that she was goOd-looking; but there was
something about her-if You cared at all-wellI
YOU cared She stayed a week, and at the end
Of the time l told her, more or less directly,
that loved her. l was 10 sec her the next day
In London. The next day, as IL happened, was
and told her this, begging her to fix day for
my visit She made reply and four days
later called at the house, to be told she was out
OF town. The next day I accepted the offer
Of /" The Waterloo Place Gazette" and went out TO
Africa. I'm sure don't know why cared. She
wasn't worth IL: she had given me every en-
eOuragement-had even allowed me to kiss her.
suppose there was a richer fellnw on hand, or
one whose father didn't happen TO keep shopl"
Fleming rose, Struggling his shoulders Alden
brooke remained silent. The voice of Mrs Baxter,
announcing that the portmanteIu was N Law
rence's room, came rs u relief 70 both.
by the by" said Johnny in a low voice, as
the other felt for his keys; all this took plnce
at the Meades In Warwickshire, from March the
2Sth EDWARDS ?"
"Oh," answered Lawrence, with some vexa-
ton, pausing on his way TO the door; suppose
You know all about IL like the rest OF the world n
And he went from the room.
"
Addenbrookc remained behind pacing the