The San Francisco call., 1905-04-02
give up your tiresons habit Of v.r.,.


of understanding. she had at least
spared him this. Yet this was really
what she thought At heart she de-
spised him for the only thing that to
him made life endurable: She took
no pride In his poetry. wished him
man like others OF her circle-a dun.
church-going, speech-reading, tea
drinking, partridge e-hunting clod! A
flush blurred his vision.
Surely" thin edge OF contempt
cutting in her words. you do not in
tend always to do only this? You
Lords. You might be anything you
choose"
But If I am-what I choose?" he
said difficulty.
A chill anger lay behind her con-
strained manner. Her lips were
pressed tight together. During the
whole time of their marriage he had
never seen her display more feeling
than in that brief moment on the
terrace at Newstead when he had put
his mothers ring upon her finger.
For a long time he had watched for
some sign-each day feeling his heart,
too savage OF vitality, contract and
harden under that colorless restraint
till he had come to realize that the
untroubled gentleness was only passiv-
ity, the calm strength but complacency
as cold as the golden guinea he had
treasured, that the flower he had chos-
en- for its white fragrance was a sculp-
tured altar-lily. Now her mind seemed
iolted from It's conventional groove.
The fact was that the constant hings
OF his enemies, which he noted with
sovereign contempt, had pierced her
deeply, wounding that love OF the
worlds opinion so big In her. And a
venomous review which her mother
had brought her that day had mingled
its abuse with a strain Of pity for her,
and pity she could not bear.
why do you not choose to live like
other men?' she broke out There is
something so selfish, so unnatural IN
your engrossed silences. your change
able moods, your disregard OF ordinary
customs. You believe nothing that
other men believe"
His face had grown weirdly white.
The sudden outburst had startled him.
He was struggling with resentment
"Cassidy's doctrfnal tracts, for in
stance?'' The query had a tings OF
sarcasm
She bit her lips. You have no idea
OF reverence for anything. I might
have guessed it that night at Newstead
and how you treated himi You speak
your views on religion-views that I
hate-openly. anywhere. You write and
write and print them, too, In verse!"
You are frank" he said; "let me
be the same. What my brain conceives
my hand shall write. II valued fame.
I should fiatter received opinions That
1 have never donei I cannot and will
not give the lie to my doubts, come
what may"
What right have you to have those
doubts?" Her anger was rising full
fedged, and bitter-winged with malice.
why do you set yourself against all
that is best? What do you believe In
that is good. I should like to know?"
Il abhor books Of religion" he re-
sponded steadily. "and the blasphe-
nous notions Of sectaries- have no
belief in their absurd heresies and
Thirty nine Articles. feel Joy in all
beautiful and sublime things. But I
hate convention and cant and lay
figure virtue, and shall go on hating
them to the end OF the chapter
ITO the end OF the chapterI" she
echoed. You mean 10 do nothing
more-to think Of nothing but scrib-
bling pretty lines on paper and making
a mystery OF yourself! What is our
life together? What did you marry me
for?"
'BellaI" The word was almost cry.
I married you for faith, not for creedsi
i am as / have always been-I have
concealed nothing. I married you for
sympathy and understandings I know
am not like other men-but I tried
to make you love and understand me
/ tried! Why did you marry me?"
For an instant the real pain in the
appeal seemed to cleave through her
icy demeanor and she made an involun-
tary movement. But as she hesitated.
Fletcher knocked at the door:
Mr. Sheridan. my lord, come to take
you to Drury Lane"
The words CONCEALED the softer feel
ing As the valet withdrew, she turned
upOn her husband
Sheridan! and Drury Lane! That is
the kind of company you prefer to
keep! A doddering old man who falls
asleep over his negus in Whites bow
window. coming and going here at all
hours, and Ittering the library with his
palsied snuff-taking."
A doddering old mani 1t was true.
The soul Of Whites and Brookes'. the
first table wit and vivant OF the king
dom, the companion Of a royal prince
he, Sherry" who all his life had never
known ache or pain, not even the gout.
who had out-dandied and out-bunperea
the youngest Of them-had lived beyond
his time. The welcome OF the CAV
world had dwindled to a grudging pa
tronage. Gordon had more than once
of late come between him and a low
sponging-house or the debtors prison.
Yet at his wife's tone, glearn Of
anger shot into his eyes-anger thar
Sheridan was my friend" he said.
MY friend from the first, when others
snarled- He is old now-o1d and failing
but he Is still my friend. Is a man
to pay no regard to loyalty or friend
ship?'
He should have regard first TO his
own reputation. Do you? Even Brum-
nell and Petersham and your choice
fops OF the Cocoa-Tree tavern and
Drury Lane committee have some
thought for the worlds opinion. But
you have none. You care nothing for
what 1t thinks Of you or OF your NOR
atty"
Morality" he repeated slowly. II
never heard the word before from any
body who was not rascal that used Il
for a purpose."
why will you sit silent" she con-
tinued. 'and hear yourself DETAINED
everywhere without a word? Why will
you not defend yourself7"
He shrugged his shoulders. the lash
of Indignation past. She had touched
fha n0frf Of Lao af rcenonoo oE~s,--