Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1900-12-01
CHAPTER XLVI

EatonS walk home is a rapid one, and
his entry into his mothers boudoir can
hardly be called tranquil. 1t is midday.
and the crisp November sun is trying
with all its might to put out the glowing
fire upon the hearth. Lady Stamer
bending over her davenport, where she is
endeavorng to get through the answers
to the piles of fashionable letters that lie
on her right hand, looks up at him with
an annoyed frown.
II want to speak to you, says the
young man shortly.
Il am afraid you will have to put it
off till this evening. I'm up TO my eyes
in business. Nothing very important, l
suppose?
Very important" more shortly still,
Lady Stamer, seeming battle in the
breeze, puts on her armOr. Her chilliest
expression covers her face instantly.
Even SO, | must ask you to wait
And really, Eaton, | must protest against
your habit of entering a room i'll this
boisterous fashion A schoolboy might
be excused for so doing--but YOU"
Il am sorry, but l must ask You to
give me i've minutes at once, says he,
taking no heed of her trivial querulity,
and throwing up his head with that little
gesture of command inherited from his
father-and that is 50 hateful to her
contemptuous glance at her pile of let
tiers, ''can wait so long, | daresay-of
vital interest though they doubtless are.
You are very rude" says his mother
calmly. But one understands that there
is only that to be expected of you. In
these days "A mother succumbs to her
children. | succumb to you. Now-for
your mighty intelligence"
She laughs angfily, and throwing her
self back in her chair and her pen into an
orm0u stand, looks superciliously up at
him.
Now that the very moment has arrived,
he feels as if words fail him. He knows
what is in his mind-his belief in her
treachery, his knowledge of her vehement
opposition to his union with Eyelyn-but
what has she done after all?
Lady Stamer, staring at him. and not
ing the hesitation, laughs again.
Come" says she. AS you seem in
difficulty. ! will help you. Who should
help a child but its mother? And YOU
are a baby. my dear Eaton. in many
ways, in spite Of the fact that you have
come TO mans estate. Now / will tell
you what is in your mind You have
come here to rage against me about that
little Darcy girl-because she has very
wisely chosen to marry man who can
give her all the good things Of this life.
Good heavensl Why storm at me. then,
The girl has done il of her own free
viii. The girl, in my opinion, is quite
right. They are all miserably poor, those
D'Arcys-and if one regrets the merce-
nary element in n character as young as
hers. still-throwing out her lovely hands
gracefully. until all the diamonds on them
flash with a pretty radiance-"it is new
ertheless wise.
You are plausibe-as usual" says the
young man, who has gone over to the
III; II *
looking moodily down upon the black fur
rug at his feet-no blacker than his
thoughts. But / cannot divest myself
Of the belief that she might have been
saved from this MARRIAGE marriage
that seems to me iniqultous.
THAT is the mans view" brskly.
but. my dear boy. why save her? 1t is
her own doing-and really, for my part,
| think her Il very clever girl There is
hardly a mother in the county who
wouldn't have given her daughter thank
fully 10 Mr.. Crawford; and here Is this
little half-educated thing carrying him
off under their noses. Rather smart Of
her. ii seems 10 me.
You always disliked her" says he
slowly Therefore it is impossible you
could understand. Prejudice blinds half
the world. l have been thinking it all
over"
He has indeed. That rapid walk
home that last passionately-reproachful
glance she had given bim-have both
helped to clear his mind. He had been
eager enough to declare to her that ne
had understood her. 'fathomed her shall
low nature" he had called it-but had
he? Oh. how could he have spoken to
her like that? And how does he dare
now to condemn his mother for not un-
derstanding her?
She is not mercenary," says he at
last. in a tone full of conviction.
1T is an ugly word" says his mother
aCreeahly. Why use it? We can prob
ably find another; there are 50 many
different names nowadays for just the
same thing. ! have suggested to YOU
that she is clever. Will that do: Not
mercenary-not designing; she is only
clever
she is a martyr. She is deliberately
sacrificing herself" says the young man
slowly. His eyes are still bent upon the
rug. his mind has gone back 10 that last
scene with her. and his heart is failing
him. Somehow now it all lies clear BE-