The record-union., 1892-03-12
A SPIRITUAL FAILURE.
CHAPTER L


mammon. The worship she accepted in
differently, the courtship she coldly re-
PEELED. She did not eschew society, she
was always mindful of its claims; yet
many wondered why she went assidu-
ously to balls, concerts and theaters,
when the only effect they had on her was
to deepen the look of profound languor
that marred the classic stiffness of her
face
She was by no means a blue-stocking,
and took but vague interest in politics.
Art she tolerated in her boudoir, in the
shape Of unwrapped deities of either sex,
smiling at her from panel pictures or
gracefully posed on antique pedestal. To
the muse OF poetry she occasionally sue
cumbed, and light literature she SKINNED
III the ordinary orthodox way; but that
which she added to her store of knowledge
may have benefited herself, it certainly did
not benefit anybody else. Conversation
she had little, originality she had none.
Ii she had been nobody she would
have been voted ''commonplace'' in spite
of her Grecian head and perfect hands.
As she was Somebody she was called
an anomaly" which is a very useful
sort of word. 1t may mean so much,
ana 1t may mean nothing at all
But the living statue woke into life at
last, and in this wise. Lady Lisla was
present one afternoon at literary ''at
home,' where fair socialist, to prove
her democratic principles, collected
around her all the aristocrats she knew
or could get her friends to bring. These,
with shabby journalist or two, and a
couple OF shy girls who were proudly in
troduced as contributors to magazines
tone had written poem in the Family
Herdtd, the other was writing one). were
the company which figured in the ladies'
papers later as ''the brilliant literary as
semblage.''
Lady Lisla had come because it was so
much easier to say "yesn than ''no'' to
the pressing solicitations of pretty
Blanche Desmond; but having come, she
thought her duty ended with her pres
ence, and lay back on terra-cotta lounge
perfectly passive. Her attention was ar
rested by voice, and very peculiar
voice.
Now we have all our little idiosyncra-
cleS, however we may pride ourselves to
the contrary. Some go wild after paint
ing, some are fascinated by lovely eyes,
some py winning manner, and some by
a fetching dress. Lady Lisla was sus-
ceptlble on one point, and that was voice.
Every voice affected her pleasantly or
npleasantly-mostly the latter. Some
people she could like when they were
silent; the generality she only endured
from the moment they began to speak.
she had very nervous organization,
though, being perfectly healthy, she was
not aware OF 1t; and this highly-stronp
sensitlVeneSs eliminated in an extreme
senslbllIty OF the aural organs. This
nerve affection is not very common.
thank heaven, for it is the cause OF much
suffering, and the remedy has yet to be
found.
The owner of the voice which had
reused Lady Lista from her apathy was
man Of about so, with a commanding
presence and and a weA-developed brow.
his tones were singularly calm and
resonant, as IL he were accustomed to
hold an audience in attentive thrall. The
self-restraint in them, also the quiet force
appealed lrresishbly to Lady Lisla, and
motioning to her hostess she asked to be
introduced to him.
Poor Mrs. Desmond looked horribly
perplexed.
''The truth is," she began in a hesitat-
ing sort OF way, he is not one of us-he
is a Roman Catholic priest"
Does that matter 2" asked Lady Lisla,
indifferently.
Mrs. Desmond's brow cleared when she
saw how the awful news was received,
Not but that he is very clever man."
she ratified on, nerVouSly. ''Quite gem
tleman, and SO polished. He was at Cam
bridge, and then went abroad, and while
at Rome got captured, believe. His
family move in very high circles, or you
may be sure 1 would not have asked him
here.''
This was rather strong from an adj
vanced socialist, but perhaps politeness
with them, as with others, cOndones little
variations from truth.
do you really wish to know him? He
will be hattered, | am sure"
Lady Lisla merely bowed her head. and
Mrs. desmond f1uttered off to execute
her guests wish. In a few moments She
returned with the gentleman. whom She
introduced as Father st. Aubyn. If the
worthy cleric were hattered there was
nothing IN his manner to show it. as with
perfect ease he uttered the ordinary moth
lngs in anything but an ordinary way.
Lady LlsIa was attracted. Her cool
languor gave way to interest. She liked
to hear the clear, incisive voice. the trench-
ant, crisp little sentences. the meanino
of which went further than the ear. and
seemed to pierce the mind with a pleas
ant sting. Father st. Aubyn was a clever
man, and not only was he clever himself
but he had the rare gift Of making his
listener feel that he was clever also. This
is the highest kind of cleverness, and was
the cause Of Father ST. Aubyn,s nonu-
larity. Lady Lisla felt she had never
lived till now. He understood her. and
took for granted that she could under
stand
When he said at parting: ST hope that
we shall meet again some day. it was not
the smile which accompanied the words
that made her blush like very school
girl; it was not the keen, steadfast look
ne oent upon her from the depth of his
clear, dark eyes, it was the consciousness
in her own heart that she wanted to see
this man again as she had never wanted
to see man before.
From the moment they PLAYED at anna
teur socialism in London drawing
room, life became a different thine for
Lady Llsla. Her mental inactivity was
at an end she was capable of thinking,
he had implied it; so she dared to reason
dared to read.
A great deal of women's intellectual
torpor arises from want of trust in their
own powers; they are tiInid from hered-
1ty, from circumstances, from fear of rid
icule.
Hitherto Lady Lisla had dragged
through lie smiling automaton, moth
ing more. Now all her pulses were onicL
ened into being. and the mental intoxica-
ton which resulted was almost deIiriun
at times.
She met him constantly in society. and
intuitiyely yielded more and more to his
subtle influence. Though he never at
tempted to dictate and never addressed
more than a few sentences specially to
her, it was the chance word here and there
that guided her awakening intellect: that
told her what books to read, what views
TO adopt, what side to take on a social
question. And when, later, he woDId
quietly appeal to her opinion before a a
number of people and she would. first
nervously and then with more confidence,
announce her ideas, she was often re,
warded by an instantaneous flash from
those inscrutable eyes which made her
tingle all over with the joy of being un-
derstood.
In time the silent, cold woman became