The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1894-11-02
A CHANGED CRITIC.

an instant before he had written "fnis'
to "A magazine article with dash of TIE
pen across the last sheet, and now the
MSS. lay ready for the post among the
debris OF printers proofs. new novels
awaiting review. etc, with which the
writing table was strewcd.
One Of tho best known litterateurs in
London and n brilliant conversation
list, his tongue could be as scathing as
his pen, and il was said of him, with
regard TO the latter weapon of warfare,
shat in half n dozen polished sentences
he could do more toward damning n
book than any two of his compeers. a
big, loosely made man was Mr.. Eyerdene,
with shrewd gray eyes and the pessim-
ism Of a modern. Studying his face as
ne lOunged by the window, his hands in
tho pockets Of his smoking jacket, one
could see that he had lively sense of
humor combined with his other charac-
teristics and understood tho interest his
personality aroused.
Presently n servant brought him
visiting card on n salver.
THE lady would be obliged if you
would grant her an interview, sir. 4"
Lady Hilyard, - muttered Everdene,
reading the inscription. II can't recall
the name Bother the womanl What
does she want? However. ask her 70
come up. Blake "
When she entered, u fair, elegant
woman of perhaps %, in an irreproach-
able Partisan toilet, he was still more
convinced that no had not the privilege
of her acquaintance.
''A1r. Aubrey Everdene?" she queried
Mr.. Everdene bowed.
pray take seat, madame "
NO" she said II have come TO
quarrel with you, and don't sit down
in the houses of my enemies!'
ITO quarrel with meP' His eyebrows
went up. The thought came to him that
his visitor was not in her right mind.
Eyes. Perhaps L had better explain
myself at once. am the author of
Fashion and Footlights. -
Mr.. Everdene, standing perforce be
cause she would, pulled his mustache,
while the fair stranger tapped her No.
shoe ON the carpet with impotence
and looked pitchforks and daggers.
Fashion and Footlights, 3" he re-
fected aloud. Fashion and Foot
lights. Hal
Comprehension stole over his face and
with it slight amusement. He fished
among pile Of volumes and brought
out three bound with an elegance des-
tined to win the hearts of suburban cir
culating libraries.
Here it is. Reviewed it in The Cen
turion, didn't I?''
mo- she said, you hanged and
quartered it!'
81 am sorry. May 1 ask how You
found out that 1 was the culprit?"
"Oh, by accident. It's a long story
and unimportant, since you don't deny
the imputation- Now, Mr.. Everdene, /
know it is very impertinent of me,
stranger, TO come to your private adj
dress and worry you. / am doing a very
unusual thing, I am afraid, and Mrs
Grundy would be Mortified. But fools
rush in you know, and widows are
privileged You must have little pa
thence with me because''-for the first
time her lips relaxed, and she smiled
smile that was sweetness itself-''well,
Just because I'm woman and you're
gentleman. Acknowledge the truth,
now, on your honor. Don't you think
you were unnecessarily harsh TO my
poor little literary effort?'
NO" he said bluntly; ~ always
give my true opinion of things, and L
consider your book had many faults. "
II she had been n man, he would have
said, II thought it was - bad, with
the brusdueness Of conviction and prob
ably declined to discuss the matter, but
to a lady it was impossible to be rude
He regarded her absurdly unconventiOny
u q rC1a ant .
''Of course, admit that there are
faults, but upon one or two points IN
your criticism / cannot agree with you
1 should very much like TO discuss them
with you. MAY I?''
Certainly" His mouth IVES twitch-
ing under his heavy musts.che- But
don't you think, pending the verdict,
that you had better sit down? You Will
be fatigued- If you II permit me to-
wheel this armchair nearer the fire for
you-soI'
Having carefully Arranged it so that
she should face the light, he seated him
self opposite her-the y. p. G. of di-
nlo,nacy, but she did not appear to no
tice IL. She was drawing arabesques ON
tbe carpet with the point of her ivory
handled umbrella
II should very much like to know, %
she said, what you think of my com
ing here?"
Il think you are plucky-yes. and
recklessly unconventional.
f.Candid, at any ratel And like
that " She looked mp. Now for the
first indictment ON the list, Mr.. Ever
dene. You accuse me or 1mprobabiliry.
i deny it.
dis manner bord red on preoccGpa-
ton. In truth, he 'das thinking what
wonderful lashes sh iad. and how be