Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-02-02
CHAPTER XIV.
NhAl. - A. H4

CHAPTER XIV.
Check to the King.
The colloquy between Mary Tudor and
Ursula Glynde had probably not lasted
more than a few minutes.
To Wessex 1t see med as IL years had
elapsed since he had closed the door OF
the small inner room behind him. shutting
ont from his sight the beautiful vision
which had filled his soul with gladness.
Vars! during which he had learned
chapter by chapter. the history of
woman's frailty and deceit. Now. he
suddenly felt old. ali the buoyancy had
worn and weary. with a milestone of shat
tered illusions hung around his neck.
1t had come about SO strangely.
She was not exquisite Fanny" mys-
tericus. elusive, after ALL She was Lady
Ursula Glynde.
We'll! what mattered that?''
The name first pronounced by the
queens trenchant voice had grated harsh
ly on his ear. Why?
At first he could not remember
Fanny or Ursula? Why not? The wom-
an whom conventionality had in some
sense ordained that he should marry
why not?
Surely twas for him to thank con-
ventionality for this kind decree.
But the Lady Ursula Glynde!
When did he last hear that name? Sure
~ 1t was on that Spaniard's lips half an
hour ago.. accompanied by a -thinly-veiled,
coarse jest and an impudent laugh.
But his Fanny" that white-clad, poetic
embodiment Of his most, exalted dreams !.
those plliIpIQaC
black ?-that child-like head SO fifty crown
ed with gold.
No! no! that was his Fanny not the
other woman. whom the queen even now
was upbraiding for immodest conduct.
Now she was speaking-stammering
denying nothing. Where was that Ur-
sula Glynde? the other woman-she who
was false and wanton. Fanny was
pure and sweet and girlish-Ursula alone
was to blame! Where was she?
HAS the Marquis de Suarez dared"
1t was her voice! Why did she name
that man?
She knew him. then? had met him at
East Molesey Fair-she did not deny it
she only asked if he had dared-whi!e the
Spaniard had said with q fippant shrug
of the shoulders that the acquaintance
ship had ripened into-friendship.
Wessex's whole soul rebelled at this
suggestion He had but one desire. to see
her. to ask her-she would tell him the
truth, and he would believe whatever she
told him with those dear. red lips of hers,
which he had kissed.
He felt quite calm, still firm in his
faith and sustained by his great love. He
went to the door and found 1t locked.
A trifling matter, surely, but why was 1t
locked?
She had been upset. confused, ere the
queen had come. She would not allow
him the great joy Of proclaiming to all
who were there to hear that he had wooed
and won her. Once more there came that
torturing question: Why:
So averse was she to his appearing be-
fore the queen that she had locked the
door for fear that the exuberant happl-
to precipitate climax which she OBJ
viously dreaded.
Why? Why? Why?
But he would respect her wishes. and
longing to break down that door. to see
her then and there. not to endure for
another second this maddening agony
which made his temples throb and his
brain reel. he made no attempt to touch
the bolts again.
Just then there came the queens maj
1.-The Marquis de Suarez has all the
faults of his race. We warn you to cease
this intercourse which doth no credit to
our modesty.'
And she-his Dove, his cherished dream
had said nothing in reply. Wessex
strained his every sense 10 near, OUT tnere
came nothing save.
Your majesty
And then the peremptory:
"Sience, wench!" from 1rate Mary
Tudor.
And then nothing more.
e. She had gone evidently. bearing her hu-
initiation leaving him in doubt and fear.
to endure a torture OF the soul Which
well-nigh unnamed him.
She must have known that he had
heard, and yet she said nothing.
To the Duke, of Wessex. the most Ia
yored man in England, the grand selgneur
with one foot on the throne. the idea OF
suffering false accusation In silence
was a thing absolutely beyond compre-
Observation-Disclosures which must nave It's
origin in guilt.
man is bound to measure his fellow
creatures by his own standard else why
doth charity think no evil? The goodness
and purity which come from the soul are
always mirrored in the soul OF others
Evil sees evil everywhere. Pride does
not understand humility
Thus in Wessex's heart!
Had his sovereign liege-that sovereign
being a man-dared to put forth a base
insinuation against him, he would have
forgotten the kingship and struck the
man who impeached his honor fearlessly
in the face. Nothing but conscious guilt
would have stayed his avenging hand. or
OF. course. he could not see what was
actually passing. he could but surmise.
and a fevered. tortured brain is an un-
certain counselor.
He could not understand Ursula's atti-
tude. The girlish weakness. the submits
sion to the highest authority in the land
born of centuries of tradition. the maid
emily bashfulness at the monstrosity of
the accusation, were SO many little lem
mime traits which at this moment APP
peared to him as SO many admissions of
guilt.
He would have loved them at other
times; loved them in her especially, be-
cause they were so characteristic Of her
simple nature, bred In the country, half