Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-10-23
THE NOVEMBER "ST. NICHOLAS

find himself laid by the heels before long
Well. l have settled your affair with my
Lord Carford."
But my affair with Carford was not what
| wanted to hear about. 1 came to him as
he sat down at the table and, LAYING nv
hand on his shoulder, asked simply:
rs it true?'
He looked up at me with great kindness
and answered gently:
1t Is true. L guessed it so soon as YOU
spoke of Cydaria. For Cytaria was .he
part In which she first gained the favor
OF the town, and that taken with vour de-
Scriptlon of her. gave ME no room for
doubt Yet 1 hoped that it might NOT he
as l feared, or at least. that the thin
could be hidden. 1t seems. though that
the saucy wench has made no secret of
II. Thus you are landed in this quarrel,
ana with good swordsman."
care nothing for the Quarrel"
began
Nay but it is worse than you think. For
I1o[d CarIofd is the gentleman of whom 1
spoke when told you that Mistress Ouin-
ton had noble suitor And he is HIGH nm
IN her favor and higher yet in her fathers
"A quarrel with him and on such a cause
will do you no good in Lord onin,on,s
eyes,
mad combined to veX me. Yet still INV de-
SIRE was to learn of Cydaria for even now 4
could hardly believe what Darrell told me
Sitting down by him listened while he re-
III
little more than the mentioning of her true
name told me "a name, familiar, alas.
through all the country sung in ballads
nandied to and fro in talk, dragged even
INTO high disputes that touched the ma
tons fortunes; for. in these strange DAYS.
when the world seemed very devil $
comedy, great countries aye, and holy
churches, fought behind the mask of an
actress face or chose a fair LADY for their
champion. L hope, indeed, that the end
sanctified the means: they had great need
OF that final justification. Castlemaine and
Nell Gwynne-had we not all read and Cos
siped or them? Our own vicar had spoken
to me of Nell and would not speak too
harshly, for Nell was Protestant Yes,
Nell, SO please you, was Protestant And
other grave divines forgave her half her
sins because she fiouted most openly and
with pert wit the other lady who was sl,s-
pected of an inclination toward Rome and
an intention to charm the king into the
true church's bosom? 1 also could have
forgiven her much; for. saving my good
Darrelrs presence, l hated a Papist worse
than any man, saving a Ranter. Yes, L
would have forgiven her all, and applaud
ed her pretty face and laughed at her
pretty ways. I had looked to do as much
when L came to town, being, L must con-
fess. as little straight-laced as most young
men, But !! had not known that the Thing
was to touch me close. Could L forgive her
my angry humiliation and my sore heart
bruised love and burning ridicuie? l could
forgive her for being all she now was. How
could forgive her for having been once
my Cydaria?
well you must fight" said Darrell, al
though it is not a good quarrel and he
shook my hand very kindly, with a sigh of
friendship.
Yes, 1 must fight" said 1, land after
that-if there be an after-I must go to
WHITEHALL
'To take up your commission he asked
"To lay it down, Mr.. DARRELL said L,
with touch Of haughtiness. 'You don't
think that l could bear it, since it comes
from such a source?"