The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-04-29


that you had expected to gain with her. 1t
was to get some explanation on this sub
| iect that | was directed to call on YOU"
"Ia bonnie plague" laughed the deputy
uneasily THAT wretched old affair! So it
| has got into the papers, has it? l am glad
10 hear il, and am exceedingly obliged to
you, mademoiselle, for giving me the OPP
portuniIy 10 publish the truth on the
| matter
A pause ensued, during which the deputy
| fdgeted nervously on his CHAIR. opening
| and shutting his hands. Struggling MS
shoulders and shaking his head. Mean
while the lady sat quite still, watching him
quietly and playing with lace handker-
chief, which was delicately perfumed Win
"Newmown Hay"
VerneuiI broke the silence at last, speak,
! ing vOlubly. 81 was never legally married
at all. That is to say. not legally accord
ing to the French law, which is the only
law that | recognize and that can affect
me. liz the first place, was married IN
England; and in the second. at the time or
my marriage | was only "a, and no French
man can marry legally before the age OF
20, unless he has the consent OF his parents
to The marriage. Neither my father nor
my mother knew anything abOui my mar
rage, and on that account alone 1t IS
void" Then checking himself, he asked:
what perfume is that you wear, made
my wife?" he cried. what story!
A wretched miss, who took advantage of
my youth to ensnare me. l must tell you
that at that time l was living in London,
corresponding for one or two French
| papers, giving lessons, IN short, dong the
best l could for myself, boy, you know.
| Well. there I fell in with girl. | never
knew much what she was, but thought
her pre- ty and all that and-well you
know what boys are-l fell in love with
her. She was cunning mink and her old
mother was worse. l had thought OF
| Irritation; the two had made up their
minds for a marriage. Alb. they saw what
was in me. They foresaw that sooner or
later Richard Ventnor would make his
way" ., ,.toa Mic. cu
theroe.
'AIice"-he pronounced it "Alees".
alice Milingtop, Alees Milangtong."
Here he laughed hastily. "Ob. the idyl
of my youth! Oh! the life led between
that old vixen of mOther-in-law ana that
prudish iceberg. that canting, formal
Aleesi All, it was there and then that l
learned what English hypocrisy means.
1t was then that got to understand the
true sign ifcaton of your word Shocking;
1t was Richard. Smoking? Richard,
shoking! all the day long. And no
money The two had barely 800 francs
month between them. You can imagine
what our menage was. l had always be-
lieved that my wife had a certain dot. But
not farthing" o
Clitheroe. with some show of sympathy.
Pretty, mon Dieu," said the deputy,
Struggling his shoulders and expanding his
hands. Pretty? As fiat as match, and
pale. l can't imagine what l was doing.
/ think she must have captured me with
her sentimsntality. You know that there
is always a time In mans life when he Is
susceptible TO that sor; of thing. She
used to say 10 me in French, Richard,
mOng ayemy, jai tadore.' and roll her eyes
un at me. and [ thought it the sweetest
thing hid ever seen or heard. That was
before nv famous marriage Afterward it
was quite another tune. l couldn't stay
cut night without hearing the most fear
full reproaches. Alb, yes. my marriage
Let us talk about it. l stood it as long as
/ could, but the time came when l remem-
bered my duty to- my mother. my poor
mother, whom ] had disregarded. A mans
heart always turns to his mother again
sooner or later, you know. And / thought
of the pain must be causing her,"
Like good soD," said Miss Cltheroe.
"As you say" said the deputy. rising
from his chair and leaning against the
mantelpiece. Thought OF the mother
whose heart [ was breaking and re-
turned to her like the prodigal son. Fla,
ha, hap
Leaving Mees Alsss to her own sweet
devices ?" $50
w
She wasn't my wife according to the
French law, whatever the English law
may be. / was siek Of her. She was
drag on me; weight round my neck;
woman who would have hampered me all
through life. Leave her? ParbeuP
ut was also said," continued the lady,
rising from her chair. "that you were
thinking of marrying again."
why 'again?' That is not the word.
since 1 never was legally married. As
matter of fact. l have never thought OF
snch thing. 1t Is very difficult for an
ambitious man, for man who means.
ouande meme, to make his way, to find
suitable companion. Most women are
only drags. The women who help man
are the rare exceptions. Alb. if l could
gladly would l lay at her feet my life, my
future. my position, my all. Such woman
for instance He paused here and
turned his face toward her.
Well, monsieur 10 depute." said Miss
Citheroe.
"Tant pis," cried the deputy, as if an
swering some objection which had sug-
gested itself to him. Your countrymeD,
I believe, love what is original and eccen-
trio, and so perhaps you won't be shocked
OF what say. 1t is this. that If l could
meet with such woman as the lady who
ia now addressing me-energetic, s6lf-help-
full courageous and indie pendent. Good
heavens! what could not man aspire to
with such a helpmate by his side9
You will allow me to see you again.
n'est-ce-pas? Or. why not say it now?
And observe. mademoiselle. that l do
not Know your face; that / have only
nv intuition to tell me that Won are
absolutely charming and beautiful. as I
know you have all the qualities thata man
dreams of in his wife, so that you cannot
saw that it is not your moral qualities
which attract me. 1t is so. 1t is so. For
should find. when my sight is given back
10 me. that you are as uncomely as know
Won to be beautiful, should still be proud
to call you my wife. Let me speak to you.
Lei me tell you all feel, all that there is
in nv heart; my ambitions. my projects,
my hopes. my determinations in short, for
man like me does not talk of hopes and
then when you have heard me, let me re-
neat what have just said, that. If you will
become nv wife-oh, mon Dieu, mon
Dieuv' he cried, wringing bis hands. "why
must be sightless at such moment as
tbis?"
Miss Clitheroe said not "a word. She was
standing in the middle of the room with
the little silver-plated pistol in her hand,