The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-05-31
CHAPTER l.

and vet breed there a Kind oil nate. mat
was the way with Aubrey Stayne. His
love was natural enough. and his hate could
not be called unreasonable. An American
by birth. he had lived many years abroad.
Rich. handsome, notably intelligent he had
made in Paris the acquaintance OF woman
who reigHed as ore of the social queens Of
Europe. Madame d'AUtreville was
widow. and scarcely past a when Stayne
first met her. This meeting took place at
a bali given by the English ambassador. 1t
was a very brilliant affair, and the young
DUchesse d'Autreyille shOne there amid the
homage Of hundreds. In spirit S,ayne
found himself almost instantly at her feet.
he was great deal of an artist by tempera-
ment, and her face and figure, with their
scuptuUal repOse. enchanted him. or
course she was cold, he assured himself
glacially so. One feature alone seemed to
indicate otherwise. Her large eyes of
drowsy brown, breeding below the lustrous
curves Of their lasheS. But after talking
with her and feeling certain that he had
wrought upon her distinct impression, he
told himself that this very GOODNESS was an
added charm. When all was said, did not
this type Of woman piQue and fascinate him
more than any other? She was proud, over
bearing, even inSolent if you please; but
did not these aggressive traits combine with
the snowy loveliIess of her beauty to make
her winsome beyond all words? Pm
proud myself, for that matter" reflected
Stayne, who was really quite the reverse,
ala things considered, for he came Of FAM
lily distinguished three or four generations
ago, aud had fallen heir to a property Of
several million dollars. Ia his OWN country
be occupied an almost exalted position,
while abroad his reputed and m1gnIhed
wealth was certainly no drawback. On
general principles he soon found himself
SHRINKING from tile idea Of marrying a
woman with a title. 1t would De called
SnObbiSh and cold-blO0ded thing by every
Sndy who knew him. But then, on the
other hand. there was the woman behind
tie title And g hen she married him she
would change NINE. Ia Duchesse" into sim
ply Mrs. Aubrey Stayne."
Bat On further investigating the subject
Sayue received the bitter udings that this
lady would make no such matrimonial
change whatever. The blow TO him proved
q fearful one. Not jhat she had meTclessly
fooled him, OF anything Of that tTracherOUs
sort Her guilt was more subtle-She had
TeIra.nel from showing him her real self.
They had spent "A whole month together
at Nice, and he had accompanied her into
the most exclusive society there. After
ward they met N Rome, and finally, just as
tile chestnut trees on the Champs ElySeeS
had begun 10 Written wiki their pearly
SlTinstde h0weTage, Paris received them
iOll Madame owned a magnificent hotel
on the Avenue On BOis de BouUgne. She
chose TO give two SumptuOuS balls that sea-
son, and her dinners, as usual. were the de-
light of the gilded cliques People had be-
gun 10 wonder II her engagement to the
young American millionaire seen so often in
her train would not soon publicly tranSpire.
It after Of fhnSn costly hqDnH2fS
Of hers that Stayne, on a certain evening,
managed to linger later than all the other
guests. He remembered so perfectly in
future reflections the small white aud gold
room. with Its tapestries OF rose-c0!ored
velvet where this woman, whom he wOT-
SHIPPED. heard lis first real declaration OF
passion. She was leaning back in a great
armchair, Ind0lently flaming herself he
had thought her almost maddeningly fair
t3at night in her robe Of black tulie. with
not q single jewel on her milky arms OF
neck, and long, Struggling spray al her
breast Of Byzantine in diamonds. The din
ner had not been very large, but some great
people had attended II. And now they had
all gone aWay-tne Russian Embas>ad0T,
AMI the Austrian Princess and the English
DBke-and he was seated on low divan at
her side. looking up into the marble beauty
Of her face and telling her how il had be-
Gene the dream Of his life TO make his own.
She hardly seemed at times as If she lis
tened 10 him. And yet he knew that she
did listen. This was her way. Perhaps in
a few more moments all that splendid apa-
thy would vanish; perhaps flame would
flash out as 1t were, below the melting ice
Of her personality.
Il recOllsct what You have told me-"
Stayne was saying. our marriage was
a forced and loyelCss one; your widOwh0Od
never dealt YOU a panE. Since then no
woman in Europe has had more suit0rs at
her feet. Well, l am merely enc Of this
adOTing multitude, Have l the right to
hope Tor more than these? on French
women are sometimes terribly subtle, and
it may be true that | have deceived myself
an dreaming you would care to link your
life with my OYn-lo share with me the
fortune that | lay before you in eager glad
ness"
he paused and her face remained so ire
SpOnslve that he was on the verge Of curSing
bis own folly for having mentioned, how
ever lightly. the fact Of his personal posses
siOns. But suddenly, to his surprise and
alarm, she also mentioned them, saying with
iips that appeared just to move aud no more:
Ii IS very large, Is 1t not, that fortune of
yOurs?"
YES" he faltered. chagrined. fearing
some delicate assault Of that satire with
which he knew that she now and then could
most effectually play.
Tell me just how large she went Oh.
with the faiDtest flicker Of a smile, Il mean
IN lIdiCN, not UBliaIS. ! nose American dol
lars OF yours always confuse one So"
He made an inpatient movement, half
rising from his seat. Surely this was satire.
But he soon answered her with a sort of
matter-of-fact humility.
Really that Is enormous" she said.
You're five times richer than ! am; do you
know it? l congratulate you" And then
the crystal chandeliers seemed 10 darker for
Stayne. while she softly added: but that
must be all. l never mean to marry again,
for one potent reason. VIII you believe me
when | tell you that love-the kind of love
women feel toward mems in my case i'm
possble?"
''ImpOssble!' he muttered.
Yes. Gu shall not blame me; l don't
deserve blame. / suspected that perhaps
yOH cared ter me, but | was not sure you
would ever confess to me that you did. and
l secretly hoped that you would not. 1t
has been easy to answer those scores of
others, but you. 1t is net so easy to answer.
Good heavens~ she pursued, with her lips
parting in a smile and her eyes for moment
TiYaling the scIntillance OF the gems on her
breast With your face, your figure, your
good manners, your capable brain and your
mOnStTous fortune what woman. except my
self, would be insane enough TO refuse you?
And yet ! do must. Listen: aud size
slowly fuTied her fan. letting its closed
framework rest on his coat sleeve. at is
quite true that they compelled me to marry
the late Due d'AutreVille. Il is equally true
that l detested him. But merely because he
was my husband; for no other reason. lie
was not at all ili-ooking, and he was not
particularly old. Yet my entire married
life or five years was an exquisite martyr
dom. Would you have me torture myself
againp she asked, and her smile, at this
point became horrible to him who wit
messed it. Would you have me do so be-
cause your engines OF torment can be golden
ones and studded, if you please, with
precious stones"
Stayne sprang TO his feet. don't un-
deTstand you" he broke out fiercely. "0r,
If do, II refuse to believe YOU"
Nine d Autreviile shrugged her statuesque
shoulders. " don't understand mvSeIf,"
she said, and if you refuse 10 believe ME
you will ouly be doing what l have done 70
myself for year. But the fact still CON
Llmnes 70 stare me In the face ,,