Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-11-08
in me, to-; and / came to their house

II saw Edith constantly; We talked to-
gether, read the same books and shared
our ideas. / adored her, worshiped her,
loved her as only they can love who love
for the first time, when youth is past and
she-she-liked me, was glad to see me,
was learning to love me, think. l re-
member once-ah, she would have loved
me, / am sure, if you had not come be-
tween us.
"You had not been married long then
you had come from your Devonshire par
sonage-I think it was in Devonshire-to
dazzle society with your brilliant beauty.
The Murbys were some connections OF
yours, and they we're pleased to be noticed
BY you, in the midst of your fresh grand
eur. You took Edith up. The first time
saw you in the drawing-room at Brook
street I felt that you would come between
me and her. And you did.
edith was simple, unaffected, and I'M
worldly but what woman is there In whose
heart there does not lurk some secret cray
ing for the glitter and glare of social vani-
ties {? You filled her mind with your ideas,
taught her to expect brilliant marriage,
such as you yourself had made. She was
pretty. not perfectly beautiful like you,
but still undeniably pretty-some men like
the snowdrop kind of beauty-and she
would be rich; why shouldn't she climb to
some pinnacle of social position? And
you taught her to distrust me, almost to
despise me. Oh, know very well the in
nuendoes you let fall-know them as we'll
as if had heard them spoken
"'There are lots of clever artists, my
dear, or of artists who think themselves
clever; and a man who at 35 hasn't even
begun to succeedp
"And so l found my welcome growing
colder, her smile as she saw me less cor
dial. 1t was soon all over; l had nothing
to offer but my deep love, and you had
taught her 10 laugh at love.
THE time came when felt that we
were for ever separated. l did not make
any protestations or complaints there was
no scene-only one evening, as l left the
house, | told myself that / must never re-
| turn. / looked up at the rooms where l
had spent SO many happy moments, and
felt that that was all over-that l should
never enter those doors again. Every
thing in that drawing-room-the tables,
the chairs, the place where the piano
| stood, the pictures on the walls-every
l llLll6 uttdli 10 uACo III 'oi
ever. But have never been there since,
never seen her since, or sought to see her.
SIT was your doing, l suppose, that not
long after she married the Hon. Augustus
Montcalm, who will be a Peer when his
brother his finished drinking himself to
death. And l suppose you were sorry
when, about three years after the wedding,
the two you had brought together sepa-
rated finally.
81 saw the affair in the papers-not the
society papers, you understand. The Hon.
Augustus hadn't beaten his wife, or sworn
at her in public, and so she couldn't be set
free from him altogether. But he went
off to shoot deer in America. was told
that that girl who used to sing the cock
new comic songs went with him. That Is
what you did for her.
"And for me, Lady Weybridge, for me
you blighted my whole life. When i lost
Edith Murby 1 lost all happiness, all
hope of it; had loved once, and should
never love again. have gained fame,
and 1 can sell my pictures for extrava-
CANT sums, and everybody thinks me a
successful man. But / shall always be
alone. / see the path of my life stretch.
ing out before me, lonely and solitary. l
shall travel along it unaccompanied to the
end. And all this is your doing, Lady
Weybridge There was a time when |
hated you with all my heart and soul
when, if I could have blighted your
beauty and made your life as desolate as
mine is, l would have done it.
"That time is past. hate you nc
longer. I know you can say that you
acted for the best-that you did what any
BODY else would have done under the Cir
cumstances; and do not complain of my
lot in life. The man who can work car
do without happiness. Yet, when yor
: offer me your-your esteem, your friend
ship -"
He made long pause. The impassioned
speech he had made had been interrupted
by several Intervals of silence, during
which he had paced about the studio, and
then had broken forth more fervently thar
before. Now he stood still and gazed a
the beautiful woman before him. He
mournful fixed look stirred other feelings
and with a sudden revulsion of sentiment
he cried out
"Ah, let US be friends, Notwithstanding,
friends always"
He took her hand and raised it to hi
lips.
~ will come whenever you ask me
Lady Weybridge. Pardon my wilc
words"
: She let him hold her hand for few
moments, while he locked on her with
broken, troubled glances. Then, with ont
swift look at him, she said composedly:
81 am ready to resume the sitting now
Mr.. Mallett."
e Mrs. Penygant's voice was heard in alter
t cation with a cabman. She came IL
briskly, put on her spectacles, and pro
, ceeded to examine the picture.
81 can see what you have DONE" sh
said 'you've been very busy while Pv
been away"
4 And she glanced from the one to thu
l other. Soon she broke out in flood o
e small talk, while all the time the undercur
: rent of her thought was running like this
/. 81 wonder how things have turned out
e She is in love with him, because he is tn
= only man she knows who is not her de
t voted slave. Will he care for her? Car
: he help it? I hope she won't be angr,
t with me for going away meant it for tn
S best"
e Lady Weybridges clear 6uted voice in
terrupted her reflections and the remark
t she was making to the painter.
81 think" she said, 81 can hear the car
:, riage outside. Are you ready to go, Clara
u / am little fatigued. And, do you know
$ Mr.. Mellett tells me he won't be able t
e give me any more sittings for at least
q fortnight suppose he's off on one OF hi
Il wild expeditions-going to walk over tn
t Alps, or something of that Sort"
r Mrs. Penygant looked at her friend sh
It was throwing a cloak over her shoulders
n the painter was making show of assist
n ance.
t He followed them to the carriage, an'
e handed to Mrs. Penygant the Weekly Gtob'
then he went back and gave few touche
u to the picture.