The record-union., 1896-01-11

But didn't you all believe in him as
well as 7? You brought him down to
the Atheneum, Lumley''
Yes, but 1 didn't bring him into the
bosom of my family; / didn't fling him
in the way of pretty, confiding sister.
/ gave him dinners and liquors and to-
bacco; 1 lent him small sums which he
failed to return; and when he began to
borrow bigger sums, / cut him short.
While you go about with your ears
stuffed with wool or your own simplic-
ity, mine are open to all the gossip in
the air That fellow has already taken
in a score of pious old ladies. He goes
to see them, drinks tea with them, and
discourses on esoteric Buddhism. Then
the old ladies are in a religious hutter
and want to convert him. He is willing
enough to be converted if they pay him;
and what religious old lady ever refused
to open her purse when it contains the
change of a recovered soul? He has
changed his religion six times within
the last six months Has he asked you
for a subscription for his Russian
book?" confessed that he had and had
obtained it. II thought so. Well, am
in position to state that not a page of
that book has been written. The scoun-
drel came to the office yesterday and
begged me to let him have t10. l de-
clined, whereupon he produced re-
volver and swore he would shoot him
self if l didn't. Shoot away, said L,
and went on reading proofs. He disap-
peared into the inner room and came
out with an air of desperate resolution
Will you lend me the money, Lumleyg
No. said T. without looking up. He
disappeared again. / see by your face
you are shocked at my callousness, my
soft-hearted Paddy; you'd have been
taken in, I know. Well I was not. Be
side, argued thus: IF Arcanieva is go
ing to commit suicide, / can't prevent
him; if he's not, he won't, and I need not
disturb myself .
"Of course, 1 beg you to understand
that 1 have no reason to suppose that
Bridget is seriously in love with this
Russian" hastened to interpose,
ashamed to have her spoken of in con-
nection with such disreputable fell
low.
Nonsense, you have every reason.
Why shouldn't a fascinating adven-
turer be expected to captivate a lady?
We are ready enough to be captivated
by the charming adventures, | con-
| fess My dear, simple Paddy, Provi-
dence instituted men and women to
prove the weakness of both. The women
| fool us, and we fool them-sometimes
| little more tragically. And for my part,
I will own that it is a very pleasant
world while the process of fooling is
going on
This philosophizing did not tend to
tighten my burden, or help me to con-
clusion upon the particular form of fool
ing that was threatening to make per-
manent havoc of my domestic happi-
ness, and, what was more, permanent
havoc of Bridget's life What in the
name of all the devils of the imagina-
ton was l to do with this impossible
Russian? How was | to find out any
thing about him beyond that which he
himself chose to tell me, which was sin
gularly little thought, after a quick
retrospective glance. Flattered by his
extreme foreignness of aspect and the
distant climes he suggested, we had
opened our hearts to him and been glad
enough to accept the fellow upon his
own valuation; and there he was, dis
composing presence. If there was a
! mystery, as Lumley cheerfully sug-
gested, how was I, man of incurious
habits, to get at the bottom of it?
We walked the streets, and puffed our
pipes, and paused, and talked. We
talked and walked and paused and
puffed again, without arriving at any
conclusion. "The devil take women and
love and all nonsense of that Sort" 1
finally exploded, and turned on my heel
My seven and-twenty years had not
yet been disturbed by any semblance of
| worry A placid individual, of moder-
ate income and inexpensive tastes, with
the most congenial companionship of
marriage without its drawbacks, l felt
that I was the least fitted of mortals to
be confronted with acute mental dis
tress. 1t made me nervous and dis
posed to swear, a habit very foreign to
me; and when / got back to Donnybrook
let myself in quietly, resolved not to
see Bridget again that night. / pushed
open the door of the front drawing
room, which was not closed, wanting a
book l had left there that morning
There was light in the back room, and
through the folding-doors I saw pict-
ure that took the blood from my face
and sent it buzzing and tingling in an
unaccountable way through my veins
Bridget was standing with both hands
clasped upon Arcanieva's shoulder, her
head bent upon them in an unmistak-
able attitude of surrender. One of Ar
canieVa's S arms was round her waist and
the other hand held her pretty head
over which his own was bent in the un-
mistakable attitude of conqueror.
turned away, and softly closed the door
I feared to meet Bridget's eye next
day. I felt somehow shabby because I
knew by accident more than she sup
posed me to know, and hurried away
from the breakfast-table without Civ
ing her time to speak, more troubled
and more distressed than ever. / had
hitherto never taken anything more
than an abstract interest in the ques-
ton of love; liked women in a passion
less, unaspiring way, and was always
glad of any little chance kindness flung
at me like an unowned and unexpectant
dog; but I was now for the first time
made conscious that nobody had ever
yet entertained a passion for me. Per-
haps if I had not had Bridget, might
have gone forth boldly in search of the
volcanic element; but now the thought
unnerved me, and made me agitated
and strangely dissatisfied.
'eThe mischief take that Russian!"
muttered. "A man has no business to
be so handsome, so abominably Byronic
and romantic-looking.
My reflections were interrupted by
Lumley's head thrust in through the Of
flee door. Your affair is done, Paddy"
he cried excitedly. This morning l