Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-23
CHAPTER XVII.
For PHYS Sake.

The library at Tredowen was a room OF
irregular shape, full of angles and recesses
lined with bookcases. 1t was in one of
these, standing motionless before a small
marble statue of some forgotten Greek poet,
that Wingrave found his visitor. She wore
a plain serge travelling dress, and the pal
lor of her face, from which she had just
lifted voluminous veil, matched almost in
color the cleaning white marble upon
which she was gazing. But when she saw
Wingrave, leaning upon his stick. and re-
garding her with stern surprise, strange
lights seemed to flash in her eyes. There
was 10 longer any resemblance between
the pallor Of her cheeks and the pallor
of the statue.
Lady Ruth Wingrave said quietly Il
do not understand what has procured for
me the pleasure of this unexpected visit"
She swayed little toward him. Her
head thrown back. all the silent passion
of the inexpressible. the hidden secondary
forces of nature, was blazing out of her
eyes. pleading with him in the broken
music Of her tone.
SSsYou do not understand" she repeated.
"Ah. no! But can make you understand?
Will You listen to me for once a human
being? Will you remember that you are
mere man. and a woman pleading for a
little mercy-a little kindness?''
.Wfngrave moved a step further back
Permit me-" he said, ito offer you a
chair."
She sank into it-speechess for a mo-
ment. Wingrave stood over her. leaning
II trust" he said. that you will explain
what all this means. IF 1t is my help
which you require"
Her hands flashed out toward him-a
gesture almost of horror
Don't" she begged. you know that 1t is
not that! You know very we'll that 1t is
not. Why do you torture me?"
Il can only ask you." he said. ito ex-
plain
She commenced talking quickly. Her
sentences came in little gasps.
You wanted revenge-not in the ordinary
way. You had brooded over it too long.
who sought to revenge myself on you, be-
cause you would not listen to me! You
hurt my. pride. Everything that was evil
in me rebelled-
'Is this necessarily" he interrupted coldly
II have never reproached you. You chose
the path Of safety for yourself. Many
other woman In your place would doubtless
have done the same thing! What / desire
to know is why are you here in Cornwall.
What has happened to make this journey
seem necessary to your
'Listen!" she continued. Il want you to
know how thoroughly you have succeeded.
Before you came Lumley and were living
together decentiy enough, and. as hun
dreds Of others live, with outside interests
d
friend! You we're very subtle. very skill
full! You never spoke word of affection
to me, but you managed things so that
people talked. You encouraged Lumley to
but by suggestion. Then you lent me
money. Lumley, my husband. let me bor-
row from you. Every one knew that We
were ruined: every one knew where the
money came from that set us right. So
misery has been piled upon misery Lum-
ley has lost his self-respect, he Is losing his
ambition, he Is deteriorating every day.
I-how can 1 do anything else but despise
him? He let me, his wife, come to your
rooms to borrow money from you. Do you
think can ever forget that? Do you think
that he can? Don't you know that the
memory Of it is dragging us apart must
keep US apart always-always?"
Wingrave leaned a little forward. His
hands were clasped upon the handle of his
stick.
"All that you tell me-" he remarked
coldly. might equally well have been said
in London l do not wish to seem in
hospitable. but I am still waiting to know
why you have taken an eight hours jour-
ney to recite a few fairly obvious truths.
Your relations with your husband. frankly.
do not interest me. The deductions which
society may have drawn concerning our
friendship need scarcely trouble you, under
the circumstances"
Then again the light was blazing In her
eyes.
II know what you mean. 1t is true that
you have asked for nothing. 1t Is true
that all this time you have never spoken
a single word which all the world might not
hear you have never even touched my
fingers, except as a matter of formality.
Once l was the woman you loved-and L
we'll you know! Is this part of your
scheme Of torture. to play with me as
though we were marionettes, you and 1.
with sawdust. in our veins, dull lireless
puppets! Well, 1t is finished-your VEN
geance! You may reap the harvest when
you will! Publish my letters, prove your
self an injured man. Take a whip in your
hand If you like. and l will never finch.
But. for heavens sake, remember that l
am woman! I am willing to be your
slave, nurse you. wait upon you, follow you
about. What more can your vengeance
need? You have made me despise my hus-
band, You have made me hate my life
with him! You have forced me into a
remembrance of what have never really
forgotten-and oh! Wingrave, she added,
opening her arms to him with a little sob,
.'if you send me away think that L shall
kill myself. Wingrave!"
There was a note of despair in her last
cry. Her arms fell to her side. Wingrave
was on his way to the further end of the
room. He rang the bell and turned toward
her.
Listen" he said calmly, you will return |
to London tonight. II ever l require you.
1 shall send for you-and you will come.