The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-04-29
LADY AYLMER'S
TABLEAUX.

Its easy to see you have been in the wilds
of Australia, Vernon, when you don't know
Lady Aylmer."
What! old Leslie Aylmer's wife? What
lucky dog he is! By jDve! she is lovely y
Eyes, she's rather therage just now-came
out two years ago, and was married before
the end of the season. See, there is Leslie
just coming in" he continued, indicating q
gentleman who had cGme to the front of the
box they were ObSerYing-a tall, graye-look-
ing man, with deep set eyes and a kindly
smile.
LAS solemn as ever"
"And as murh engrossed in the education
question. He is devoted to his wife in his
bearish sort of fashion"
And Lady Aylmer?"
Grantham shrugged his shoulders.
us puzzling the town. That fair fellow
talking TO her now is Karl Won Althaus, an
attache at the German embassy"
Vernon gave him questioning glance.
GAS l said. society is exercised IN its
mind"
The lady in question certainly was very
pretty, small and dainty and mignOnne; tins
only thing large about her was her eyes
big, blue eyes, with veil OF dark laShes
that contrasted well with her lily COM
pleXion, and the golden brown hair that
clustered round her tiny head.
Are you coming to our bail on the 5th?"
said Karl, leaning toward her.
AT the embassyP OF course. Lord Ayl-
mer is most anxious to be present." and she
glanced mschieyouSly az her husband, who
sat absorbed in thought.
Won AlthauS smiled a trihe sarcastic ally,
and disregardng the raised act-drop con-
tinued his whispered conversation.
Lady Avlmer'S carriagel' shouted the
commiSSionarie, some minutes later as they
stood under the Lyceum pOrticO.
by the way, Herr Won Althaus, may we
count on you for those tableauX viyants ?"
asked Lady Aylmer as he closed The door of
the carriage.
Il am looking forward to them with great
pleasure" ana to say this he had to lean
forward until his head almost touched that
of his fair Guestioner.
As he lit his cigarette and strOlled toward
Carlton Gardens, Herr Won AIthaus pom
dered; and wrapped In her cloudy peignoir
with her maid brushing out her long hair,
Lady AYlmer pOndered also.
Her life was very sweet and pleasant, she
thought, but there was an uncomfortable
feeling in her heart that this pretty lowered
path might one day give way beneath her
feet and reveal a quagmire. She was no
longer a child, though only just out of her
teens, and she knew full well that fire has
the property of burniEg, and that the scar it
leaves never entirely fades.
Freda Meredith had been little mora than
z child when she married, and her winSome
ways and pretty capriceS had charmed Lord
Aylmer'S heart; he layiShed on her al that
fancy could suggest, and she was utterly
happy for a whole yeari Leslie Aylmer' S
political anXieties aud educational schemes
possessed not one iOta of interest for his
wife, but every one has his crack" as she
put 1t, and Leslie was just the dearest old
bear in cTeatiOnI
All things created serve some useful pur-
pose, and no doubt there is some profound
and cogent reason for the female marplet-
the woman who, with Shrug and a SMILE
accompanied by an artl5tically evasive re-
mark, manages to turn happy home into
metaphOTically bowling wilderness.
Such one was the Hon. Mrs. Hilyard.
Quite at the beginning of this season she
had attacked EIeda at an lat home" during
the performance Of some musical gymnastics
upona moaning and painting pianOforte.
~ on see, my child, Lady Ferrars is a
very accomplished woman and wonderfully
preserved"
"But she must be nearly 4O" gasped
Freda, piteously.
Beware of la femme de quarante ans, my
dear; besides, 1t Is very Old-friendShip,
shall we call it? Lord Aylmer and Lady
Ferrars have known each other for many
years; it was a sort of compact, l believe,
that he should never marry; but who could
be proof against sweet IT, when it possesses
such eyesP' she added, glancing at Freda
with smile.
DO you mean that Lord Aylmer promised
Lady Ferrars to remain unmarried"
$50 1t was always believed; but no doubt
they had a little misunderstanding, and
then"
HE married me out OF piQuer'
"Oh! no; and very likely 1t was all people
fancy, for, you see, they are the. best of
friends now" And she waved her fan
toward causeuse, where the two in ques-
tion sat.
Freda tried to put this conversation out of
her mind, but thousand and one little Incl
dents served to impress it more fxedly on
her mind, and insensibly it changed her.
She had loved gayety before, but now she
possessed an Unsuitable appetite for it, and
poor Lord Aylmer felt il rather a tax on his
affection TO fulfil the daily and nightly heavy
programme of engagements.
You see, Herr Won Althaus, l want
these tableauX to be a startling success, and
l want you TO be so awfully good as to un-
dertake the stage management!
Won Althaus laughed softly. '' shall be
delighted" And long vista of tete-a-tete
consultations and delightful discussions
stretched before him, as he looked at Freda
over his Dresden teacup.
There is the list of people who have
promised to act; don't you think we ought
to do very well?"
Very" said Karl, glancing down at the
Now, leave the selection of the tabIeaux
vivants entirely toyou; we will all be obedi-
ence itself"
Your confidence is most flattering. 1 am
going to suggestone at once. We must have
Helen and Paris. You would mako an ex-
quisite Helen"
Freda blushed. "And the Paris"
u think shall cast myself for that part, 1"
he said, looking steadily a her.
She rose and went to the window. "Ah!
there is Lord Aylmer."
Is he interested in our tableaux?"
hardly know" she said carelessly, as
her husband entered the room,
His work was ended for that day, and not
wishing for dissertation on the London
School Board herr Won Althaus took his
leave.
'.Fredal do you know that 1 am afraid
you are doing too much You are looking
very tired, dear Lady Ferrars was say
ing"
She rose quickly
I'm sure that my health cannot interest
Lady Ferrars in tile slightest degree, and |
would much rather that voH did not discuss
me with her iu any way~ aud with digni-
fed sweep she left the room.
Aylmer looked after her in establishment
then gradually smile broke over his cuun-
tenanee.
"Jealousp' he calculated; Jealous. BY
Jove, aud of B!ancheW and resting back in
his chair he laughed soft, low laugh.
That Freda should care enough for him to
be Jealous was a delightful discovery. but
why her fancy Should have lighted on
Blanche Ferrars, of all women in the world,
was puzzle to him! Why, she was at least
ten years his senior, and had snubbed an1
lectured him from his nursery days up
ward.
Well, he must put this right; but first, Just
to give this little wife of his lesson
The days wore on, aud the arrangements
for the tableaux yivants advanced apace !;
but there were many knotty points to settle,
and the numerous contradictions had to be
held in that dainty blue boudoir of Freda,
and, OF course, as master of the revels, Won
Althaus was privileged to arrive earlier and
to remain later than the mere puppets of the
show. Freda was getting u little frightened
the soft grass beginning to feel very thin, and
the marshy bog beneath seemed very near
sometimes.
On the morning of the embassy ball, when
all the chattering crowd of rehearsers had
gone, Karl, as usual, fingered to discuss
some detail of Freda's costume.
- shall be very sorry when these tabeaux
are over, he said, drawing low chair near
her.
" ReallyP" She tried to speak carelessly,
but felt it was rather failure, and then, al
most before she knew it. he was holding her
l. -. -