Middletown transcript., 1891-02-05
But | WOOL know" /" said he.

But I WOOL know" said he.
Then she answered, "Sir William
Hervy."
!. BY Gil thought as much, !"
cried Sir John, drops of perspiration.
standing on his white face. "A
skulking william A sick mans ears
are keen, my lady. l heard that they
were lover like tones" and he called
zee by your Christian name. These
be your iDtrigues, my lady, when I
am off my legs awhile"
"On my honor" cried she, you
do me wrong. I swear I did not
know of his coming"
"Swear as you will" said Sir John,
81 don't believe 'ee." And with this
he taunted her and worked himself
into a greater passion, which much
increased his illness. His lady sat
still, brooding. There was that upon
her face which had seldom been there
since her marriage. and she seemed
to think anew of what she had SO
lightly said in the days of her
freedom, when her three lovers were
one and all coveting her hand.
j" I began at the wrong end Of
them" she murmured. " My God
that did t.
What n said he.
Nothing" said she. :" / spoke TO
myself only"
1t was somewhat strange that after
this day, while she went about the
house with even sadder face than
usual, her churlish husband grew
worse, and what was more, to the
surprise of all, though to the regret
of few, he died fortnight later. Sir
William had not called upon him as
he had promised, having received a
private communication from Lady
Penelope, frankly informing him that
to do SO would be inadvisable by
reason of her husbands temper.
! Now when Sir John was gone and
his remains carried to his family
burying place in another part Of Eng
land the lady began in due time to
wonder whittier Sir William had be-
taken himself. But she had been
cured OF precipitancy if ever woman
were, and was prepared to wait her
whole lifetime widow if the said Sir
William should not reappear. Her
life was now passed mostly within the
walls, or in promenading between the
pleasaunce and the bowling green,
and she very seldom went even SO far
as the high road which then skirted
the grounds on the north, though it
has now and for many years been
diverted to the south side. Her
patience was rewarded (if love be in
any case a reward), for one day,
many months after her second hus-
bands death, messenger arrived at
her gate with the intelligence that
Sir William Hervy was again in Cas-
tcrbridge and would be glad to know
ii it were her pleasure that he should
wait upon her.
1t need hardly be said that per-
mission was joyfully granted, and
within two hours her lover stood
before her, more thoughtful man
than formerly, but in all essential res
poets the same man, generous, modest
to difidence, and sincere. The re-
serve which womanly decorum threw
over her manner was but too obvious
ly artificial, and when he said, " The
ways Of Providence are strange" and
added after moment, and merci--
ful likewise she could not conceal
her agitation and burst into tears
upon his neck.
But this is too soon," she said,
starting back.
But no." said he. You have
passed eleven months in widowhood,
and it is not as if Sir John had been
good husband to you."
His visits grew pretty frequent
now. as may well be guessed, and in a
month or two he began to urge her to
an early union. But she counselled a
little longer delay.
"Why p said he. Surely !
have waited long! Life is short; we
are getting older every day, and |
am the last of the three.
EYES," said the lady frankly.
{" And that is why I would not have
you hasten. Our marriage may
seem so strange to everybody, after
my unlucky remark on that occasion
we know as we'll, and which SO many
others know likewise, thanks to tale
bearers"
On this representation he conceded
a little space for the sake of her good
name. But the destined day of their
marriage at last arrived, and it was
a gay time for the villagers and all
concerned, and the bells in the parish
church rang from noon till night.
Thus at last she was united to the
man who had loved her the most
tenderly of them all. who but for his
reticence might perhaps have been
the first to win her. Often did be
say to himself, How wondrous that
her words should have been fulfilled
Many truth hath been spoken in
jest, but never a more remarkable
one." The noble lady herself pre-
ferred not to dwell on the coincid'
ence, certain shyness, if not shame
crossing her fair face at any allusion
thereto.
But people will have their say
sensitive souls or none, and their say
ings on this third occasion took 8
singular shape.
Surely, they whispered, there il
something more than chance in this
y y The death of the first wa'
possibly natural, but what Of the
death of the second, who i'll used her
and whom, loving the third so desper
ately, she must have wished out o.
the way ?"
Then they pieced together trivia
incidents of Sir Johns illness. anc