The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-02-20
GUILDEROY
AtOUIDE4A 81 X
Author of ''Under Two Flags" 1.-TWO Lit
tie Wooden Shoes" "Chandos,"
"Don Gesualdo," Etc.
CSOv FIRST published. All rights reserved
CHAPTER /.


nor in that of any member of his family,
hut nevertheless saying unsparingly, in
evitably, with all its inexhaustible powers
OF exaggeration and invention. Who be-
side himself and the few who knew her
intimately would believe in the story as
she told it, in the motives as she gave
them?
When her position was a target for the
arrow of SANDER, how could she escape
them? Who would believe in the pride
and Indignation of character, still so
childlike in its impulses and so unworldly
in its estimates that it could avenge its
wrongs by stripping itself of every mate
rial advantage and every pleasure and
pomp oflife?
Her choice was one OF those things
which the world will till the day of iudg
ment utterly refuse to credit because,
breaking all its cannons and ignoring all
its eetimates, they afford to it no kind OF
common ground on which their motives
can be judged.
Aubrey knew that, and he knew that it
would be as likely task to persuade
geese kissing on a common of the beauty
IF sunrise as TO induce the mass of So
ciety 10 give credenee to the reasons
which had led her to return to the house
of Christslea.
1t was an exaggerated statement, and
When some idea OF what she had done was
bruited about in society it was called NOR
bid and mad by the few who did not 90
still further and say that she had been
forced to do it by her husband on the dis
covery of her attachment to his cousin.
1t was an unwise act-unwise with that
mingling Of subj nifty and folly which
cbaracterizes most acts of any strong feel
ing. She seemed by it to give color and
ground to the conjectures raised against
her; it was an error which none but
very young and very proud woman would
have made.
The money which her father had inher-
tied, and which had come in due course
to her, Guilderoy had Immediately Sc
cured to her in such a manner that il was
her own as absolutely as If she had never
married. Under her marriage settlements
her father had been iEex.only trustee, and
his sudden death had made her sole mis-
tress of her actions Vernon had never
felt the least anxiety as to her safety In
her husbands hands with regard to all
material welfare. Guilderoy was at all
times not only generous but scrupulous
IN the observance OF all observations of
that kind, and had never had the slight
est disorder in his personal affairs. What
he had once promised in the little study
at Christslea on this point he had thor
Oughly and blamelessly fulfilled. She
was, therefore, so placed now that no one
except himself could have any legal title
to interfere in her actions, and he did not
seek to interfere.
1t angered him deeply, il oppressed and
Inundated him to know that his wife was
living on her own resources in little cot
tage ten miles off his own country house.
He was we'll aware OF how the whole
world of their acquaintance would speak
OF so strange a thing, and Of how manv
and how strange would be the construc-
tiOns placed upon it. But he did not en-
deavor to prevent it. He felt that he had
wronged her too much to have any moral
right to dictate to her. 1t seemed TO him
that only cur could exercise the power
given him by the law, when he had vol
unfairly declined the power given him by
the affections To attempt to dictate to
his wife when he had abandoned her
would have appeared to him the very
basest depth of low breeding.
Her choice embarrassed and panied
him it made him feel foreswOrn in all the
promises which he had given to provide
Tor her material welfare; it rendered the
memory of John Vernon dOublv reproach-
ful to him. he knew that it must EN-
phasize and darken his own acts in the
sight of his relatives and his society ID
general. To a man like him. who was
always careful TO atone for moral unkind-
ness TO women by great care for their ma
terial welfare, and who looked
on them as beautiful and deli
cate animals which needed lux
ury and shelter as racers did, it was
intensely distressing to think that the
woman he had made the bearer OF his
name should be living in a manner which
TO him seemed scarcely above penuTy.
His pride was hurt by it; both his pride
of place and that higher kind of pride
which goes with the sentiments of gentle
man. He never dreamed that the world
would blame her, as it did do, instead OF
himself, and he felt that he must appear
IN its sight brute, who not only wronged
but defrauded his wife. He was very far
lIOni lldL the dDTlclOusneSS OF
society would transfer all its blame from
him to her. Knowing the world as he
did, such inversion of it never occurred to
him as possible.
But Gladys had never had the favor OF
her world All her courtesies, her gener-
osities, her many thoughtful and tender
hearted acts had failed to atone for the
unconscious hauteur of her manner and
the tacit rebuke which her silence was to
the amusements around her She had had
at all times as her enemies the many wo-
men who had loved and had lost Guide
roy, and their voices in the earliest days
of her debut had set the current of feeling
against her.
Rumor excused his weaknesses and dis
torted her failings. The Duchess Soria
WAS beloved and followed by the great
world. Il had never condemned, it would
always be very slow to condemn her. It
would unquestionably hesitate to see any,
thinglharmful in any of her friendships; !;
and would as certainly refuse to believe
that any woman of years so youthful as
those of Gladys would voluntarily and in
nocently retire into the poverty of rural
and obscure life.
The world has It's own reasons for be-
heving and for disbelieving; the facts of
any case do not enter into these; nor in
any way affect them. There are those