Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-23
LORD ChMMARLE[GHS' SECRET
A Fairy Story of Today
By ROY HORNlN1AN,
Author Of 1.-The Sin Of Atlantis" Etc.
Copyright
A Fairy Story of tt
Bv ROY HORNlMAN
Author of 1.-The Sin Of Atlantis"
copyxht 1907 Little Company

value in exchange for their money-espe-
cially when they are beautiful
Anthony laughed.
Don't you think the man you have
fallen in love with would be prize for
any woman?
1t was superb compliment. blushing
piece of adolescent fattery. charmn6iy
awkward and unwieldy. but redolent OF
the SAVIOR of youth and. coming from
Anthony. was in reality totally artificial.
Anthony laughed to himself as he made
it. II was so perfectly calculated. and
had Sybil not been a prematurely evolved
creature OF artifce she must have de-
tected its incongruty coming from lips so
manifestly practiced. She actually esti-
mated the compliment at Its mere face
value. a mistake which the too subtle
frequently make in the most unexpected
manner.
will you introduce me to your wife,"
why not?
Sybil made a wry face. He was not at
all in a nice mood. and she threatened
that If he did not show a better DISPOSE
ton he should not be allowed to carry
George.
They had met by sheer accident on the
north side Of the Serpentine; at least.
they both preserved the illusion that there
was no generalization. Whenever Sybil
was long in the company Of Anthony she
felt the heartache which had been born
as little infant-throb on the day OF her
engagement to Frant growing percept-
IDLY. However much she tried to stunt
its growth by full draughts OF the wine OF
pleasure 1t throve amazingly. The infant
was now palpably out of short clothes.
and would soon want short-coating when.
past the more somnolent period OF in
fancy. it would use its limbs and lift up
its voice. 1t was not so easy to marry
the man you don't love as she had
imagined.
Il should think" she said ''it would
be very nice If you were never to marry
ii you were to be like one Of those people
one reads of in books who are always in
love with one woman and treat her with
distant respect all their lives"
And them" said Anthony.
What do you mean by and Them
ut is an inconclusive form Of repartee
used in the north Of England when one
business man has proposed q transaction
to another from which he will obviously
derive all the benefit
Sometimes l imagine" said Sybil,
what it would be like to be your wife.
and then I can't help seeing all the ad-
vantages of the other side. I dreamt Of
myself at the next coronation the other
night. I really looked quite beautiful"
(which would you sooner be-" asked
Anthopy. THE wife of the man you
loved. IL he were very young and very
brilliant and everybody was talking of
him as a, coming man. or the wife Of
Frant?"
II want to be duchess" said Sybil.
fretfully, while the heartache grew a
whole inch in half second. II have al
ways wanted to be a duchess"
''One of the things that surprises me
most" said Anthony. lis the snobbery OF
snobbish. but their snobbishness isn't in
1t with the snobbishness OF those who
ought to know better To hear a viscount
talking about a duke is very often quite
surprising. It's as bad as a subordinate
on the subject Of the chief of q govern
ment department.
1T carries with ii 50 many advan-
tages," persisted sybil.
You don't believe in being happy.
then?'
II am sure don't know what I believe
in and what don't believe init never
struck me to think it out. I only know
what / want"
We both know what you want-you
want me. and when you are married and
you pass me by in gilded halls and marble
even have the consolation of saying like
the lady in the song: oh thou hast been
the cause of this anguish. my mother
We'll. my mother does wish me to be a
duchess, too
You are surely not going to make poor
Lady Editha responsible for anything
you say or dog
NO" said sybi. Il have always found
mother the reverse of disobedent.'
Il think 1t only fair said Anthony.
decisively, Ito warn you that shall most
certainly not leave you alone after you
are married. and / cannot even promise
to treat you with distant respect; indeed,
between lovers the term Is paradoxicaI.
1t is not respectful to he distant to the
woman you love. There is nothing like
having an object In life. and our object
must be to see that Frant doesn't find us
out. We have had the good duchess and
the bad duchess, and now you shall SIM
ply be the delicious Duchess
Il meant to do my duty" said Sybil,
It'll l met you
ooh, as far as that goes. I won't let
you make any mistakes. There is one
thing, we shall probably find 1t very
much easier to be faithful than If We had
married.
I'VE mustn't talk like this" said sybil,
suddenly. 1T has just struck me that it
is very wicked: l shall 60 home and try
to forget you
When he left her Anthony sat down
with his cigarette held loosely between
his lips. and thought deeply. Finally he
gave a little shrug Of his shoulders.
which was almost a SILVER. at a grim
thought of possible failure.
tn ho continued ton0vpov