Daily Kennebec journal., 1895-01-23
THE SPECTRE OF THE REAL.
BY THOMAS HARDY.
Copyright 1894, BY Bacheller. johnson & |
Bacheller.l
CHAPTER L

OdcneIl6r.t
CHAPTER
A certain March night of this pres
ent s"waning age" had settled dc--
upon the woods and the park and the
parapets of Ambrose Towers. The
harsh stable clock struck quarter to
ten. Thereupon girl in light evening
attire and wraps came through the en-
trance hall, opened the front door and
the small wrought-iron gate beyond it
which led to the terrace, and stepped
into the moonlight. Such a person,
such a night and such place were un-
cxceptionable materials for a scene in
that poetical drama of two which the
world has often beheld; which leads up
to contract that causes slight sink
ing in the poetry, and perceptible
lack of interest in the play.
She moved SO quietly that the alert
birds resting in the great cedar tree
never stirred. Fitting across its funer-.
cal shadow over many yards of turf, as
far as to the Grand Walk, whose peb-
bles shone like the foor-stones of the
Apocalyptic city, she paused and looked
back at the old brick walls--red in the
daytime, sable now-at the shrouded
mullions, the silhouette of the tower,
though listening rather than seeing
seemed her object in coming to the
pause. The clammy wings of bat
brushed past her face. startling her and
making her shiver little. The stamp
ing of one or two horses in their stalls
surprised her by it's distinctness and
isolation. The servants Offices were on
the other side of the house, and the
lady who, with the exception of the
girl on the terrace, was its sole occu-
pant, was resting on a sofa behind one
of the curtained windows. So Rosalys
went on her way unseen, trod the mar
gin of the lake, and plunged into the
distant strawberries.
The clock had reached ten. AS the
last stroke of the hour rang out a
young man scrambled down the sunk
fence bordering the pleasure-ground,
leaped the iron railing within, and
joined the girl who stood awaiting him.
In the half light he could not see how
her full underlip trembled or the fire
of JOY that kindled in hereyes. But per-
haps he guessed from daylight ex-
periences, since he passed his arm
round her shoulders with assurance
and kissed her ready mouth many
times. Her head still resting against
his arms, they walked towards bench,
the rough outlines of which were
touched at one end only by the moons
rays. At the dark end the pair sat
down.
I cannot come again." said the
girl. .
"Oh?" he vaguely returned. This is
new. What has happened? thought
you said your mother supposed you to
be working at your Harmony, and
would never imagine our meeting
herc?" The voice sounded just trific
hard for o lovers.
''No, she would not. And l still de-
test decciving her l would do it for
no one but ycu, Jim. Butwhat | meant
was this: l feel that it can all lead to
nothing. Mother is not u bit more
worldly than most people, but she nat
urally does not want her only child to
marry man who has nothing but the
raw of an officer in the line to live
upon. At her death (you know she has
opiv life interest here) | should havc
to 90 away unless my uncle, who suc-
ceeds, chooses to take mo to stay with
him. | have no fortune Of my own be-
yond mere pittance. Two hundred a
year .-
.Jin's reply was something like q
sneer at the absent lady; You may as
we'll add to the practical objection the
sentimental one, that she wouldn't al
low YOU to change your fine old crustcd
name for mine. which is merely the
older one of the little freeholder turned
out of this spot byyour ancestor when
he came"
Dear, dear Jim, don't say those hor-
rid things! AS if l had ever even
thought of that for moment"
He shook her hand off impatiently
and walked out into the moonlight
Certainly as far as physical outline
went he might have been the direct
product of a line of Paladins or hered-
itary Crusaders. He was tall, straight
of limb, with an aluiline nose, and
mouth fitfully scornful. Rosalys sat
almost motionless watching him.
There was no mistal1ing the ardor OF
her feelings; her power over him
seemed to be lessened by his conscious
ness of his influence upon the lower
and weaker side of her nature. 1t
rratified him as man to feel it; and
though she was beautiful enough to
satisfy the senses of the critical, there
was perhaps something of contempt in
terwoven with his love. His victory
had been too easy, too complete.
Dear Jim, you are not going to be
vexed? 1t really isn't my fault that
can't come out here again. Mother will
be downstairs tomorrow, and then she
might take it irto her head to look at
any time into the schoolroom and see
how the Harmony gets on"
"And you are going off to London
soon?" said Jim, still speaking gloomily.
| II am afraid SO. But couldn't you
come there too? know your leave is
not up for a great many weeks?'
| He was silent for longer than she had