Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-02-21
CHAPTER K.
John Hardy Among Women.


fastened upon a person all intellect.
Had his entry into the navy depended
upon his passing the usual examination as
a competitor. he would certainly never have
entered it. AS it was, he was a Service
Cadet and had received nomination as
the son of an officer of the navy VINO had
performed long and distinguished service.
Even SO. he had had to pass test exam
ination; and in this very elementary ordeal
he had failed in the subject French"
once more he received nomination, and
once more he was given chance in tho
examination hall of the commissioners OF
Cannon Row-his very last. All that half
year he was "swotting'' like an elephant at
the fatal ""French,' to the neglect of Com
position, another of his weak points. Dur
ing the hot week in June preceding the eX
animation he was a true slave of the lamp;
but his strong will this time was at work.
With his lucky knack, he scraped through.
The number of pass" marks was $50; he
got 6G2.
Hardy was not q book man; he had even
secret contempt for book men and book
learning.
Moreover, as we said before, he got into
trouble later on. While in training on board
the Britannia he had been reported to the
admiralty for unsatisfactory conduct and
had been warned" The unsatisfactory
conduct" consisted in walking arm-n arm
with girl of the lowest class through the
streets of Dartmouth. both the girl and
John being pretty far gone in state of in
toxication.
These. then, were his weak points: That
he was far from literary; that he was too
fond of fermented things; that he was too
fond of feminine persons
Up to the time at which we met him, he
still made spelling mistakes in common
English words in writing ordinary letters.
In five or six of the ports of Europe there
was more than one young woman unforget-
full of the crinkled hair and angel-eyes of
John Hardy. He was, indeed, painfully shy
in the presence of women, and was a very
clumsy and heavy lover-but he was also
very good looking, and naf: and one thing
made up for the other. On the whole, he
arrived"
He loved every woman in the world; and
this love was. in general, returned.
But most of all he loved Miss Isabel Jay,
known to her friends "Bosey;" and
Bosey, apparently, did not love him. Her
love was already taken up by something
elsa thi1g which she called Art"
He went to see her on the day of the tel
egram to Freshwater. A strip of black
plaster concealed the scratch on his fore
head. He was in the habit. even on visits
OF ceremony. of wearing a rough and heavy
peajacket, such as pilots wear, with brass
buttons, and thus attired he went out into
the streets, soft cap on his head.
Could he have been recognized, he would
have been lifted on the shoulders of the
people, and carried to his destination.
servant ushered him into very dainty
inner room at Hampstead-a kind of studio
boudoir, in a Greek style with Corinthian
pillars, and ffimsy saffron hangings. Miss
Jay was rather an heiress, and lived with
an old aunt in stately solitude. There now
she sat before an easel, with brush and
palette.
She was lady of many accompli shments;
of that unspeakably new" kind: had writ
sort; she was a preacher OF land
naturalization; She had painted one knows
not how many pictures; she was not yet
nineteen. and she was pretty.
She had a substantial body, with q waist
quite as large as that of Eve or Venus.
She wore her red-goId hair in coil upon coil
of neglge richness about her head: her
eyes were green
telligence and strong self-asSurance. The
hard bones of her corset were not more
visible through her bodice than the Will of
her character in her face
"Oh, MIR. Hardy, l am glad!' she cried.
All and i have heardr'
About the battle, and so on?"
Yes, if so on means yourself. How very
brave you must bei''
'Englishmen are that, you know"
Are not good many great towards?
Men do so live in regions of fantasy! Wo-
men are more prosaic-and clearer. Did
you ever see an average English girl in the
presence of a mouse, Mr.. Hardy?'
Girls are different" said John.
Bosey's lips frightened. This was the kind
OF ancient point of view, purely male, TO
which she had the most touchy antipathy.
"Oh, different, of course" she said, in
pose of nervous structure, and SO on and
so on. But substitute for the mouse the
brokers' man, and you get at once meas
ure Of the average Engltshmans courage
Somebody has been misleading you"
said John. 'Englishmen are brave. For
eign people are afraid of things"
She looked at him with real pity, for his
insularity, his unintelligence.
But why misleading? Can 1t be that
you think an ordinary girl incapable of OBJ
serving for herself?"
like girls!'
"MerCiH'
'Ah, now you are sarcastic"
You are too shrewd.'
Il never know whether you are making
fun OF me or not
well, what does it matter. Mr.. John?'
But it is not nice to be made fun of
by some one whom you like
Really like?"
You know"
You are too complimentary"
Like isn't the word. l think 1 like you
better than any one else in the whole
world"
Now you are-what is the word?-
II should be as happy as the queen If
you would only like me back
"SpoOney!"
you are not making fun?"
Don't be suspicious. You are too pen
etratIng."
We'll, what do you say"
''To what?'
ITO my liking you so much?'
II can only say that 1t is distinctly
spooney."
but do you like me back?'
"Oh, l, Well. yes as you ask me. like
you-back. But in my own fashion, you
understand; not in that designingly spooney
way
II do not understand you" said John.
You are not like other girls"
Then, logically, you should not like
me, since you like other girls so very, very
much
Il do though. 1 like you much better
than any of the Others You must not go
by logic"
"Ah, but 1 am nothing If not logical, Mr..
Hardy"
But facts are facts, aren't they? If
logic contradicts a fact then you must
throw the logic overheard to the sharks.
tell you 1 like you better than any one.
That is enough.
Enough for what-for me?"
at should be-.
But our human nature is more or less
complex / suppose. Do you mean that the
mere fact of your caring for me should be
enough to lead me to corresponding ac-
lions. That is wrong, you know. Listen,
Mr. Hardy: We first met-how long ago2-
about five weeks, I think--at Lady Sin
clair's you remember. And since then, how
many times? About six, perhaps. Well