HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1888-1-6, Page 68
ermateeramenermer
PUT ASUNDER;
Lady Castlemaine's Divorce 1
By BERTHA 14I. CLAY,
ArTnon or
"'A► twtaied Life," "The Earl's Atone.
seamb" "' A Straggle for a Itiug,"
Oa, etc., etc.
"Oertaiuly, my lord. But no doubt
my lady is vexed at being disturbed,
and will not reply,"
But presently Fanny herself began to
be alarmed.
"My lady has been very unwell lately.
She has had fainting spells. She has
had Doctor Randal; sue has been taking
medicine ; but I do not see that she is
better. Ileaven send she is not dead,
or unconscious!"
"Sink1 Vandal1 Under breatment!
I knew nothing of this. I must herr
some ono here to force this door."
"My lord," urged Fanny, "if she in
merely not answering, or is in a faint,
it would be so unpleasant to ber to have
this door forced. If we went up tho
balcony to the outside door, you could
out out a piece of glass with your ring,
and open the door, endue one would be
disturbed."
"You are quite right, Fanny. Lot us
go at once to the balcony,"
They hurried through the garden,
and up to the balcony. A presentiment
of-. coming ill was growing on Lord
Castlemaine. Ho preceded Fanny, with
quick steps.
The lattice door was only latched.
The glass door was unlocked.
As Lord Castlemaine threw it open,
he saw some white thing on the floor,
which he stooped and picked up, and
mechanically retained in his hand.
Fanny ran past him into the bed-
chamber. She gave a cry.
"My lady is not here !"
"Not here ! Where is she, then?"
Lord Castlemaine rushed into the
well-known room. Fanny, with staring
eyes and wavering finger, was pointing
to the bed, in which no one had lain
that night. She looked reproachfully
at the wretched husband, as if he had
spirited her lady away.
Gone 1 The awful truth was growing
on the removable husband. He looked
about the room iu dumb agony, He
turned into the boudoir, and went to
the table. He hardly saw the array of
Rocked jewel -cases ; but he caw—a
man's glove !
He took it np. Not his glove, alas 1
No. Inside the wrist was a name—
Lennox.
He trembled from head to foot ; a
cold sweat broke over him. He looked
at the white thing in his haud—a
handkerchief. Ho spreat it out ; he
looked at the corner. It was there,
am enough, ,tat accursed name of
pl ' h
Lennox.
Fanny came near him, weeping. He
crushed together the gloee and the
handkerchief and thrust them into his '
packet—they wore evidence ; but they
did nob belong to Fanny. Instinct
:grompted him to conceal his shame and
betrayal ; and yet it was a thing that
all the world must know.
"My lord, these are the jewels,"
whispered Fanny. "She told mo to
bring them to her yesterday ; and the i
keys are here in this liable box, my
Could these give him any indication
of what had bappened ? He unlocked
the caskets as Fanny put the key into
each lock. The whole glittering array
was exposed. But he seemed going
blind ; a red light was before his eyes;
he could not see this heap of gems, he
could not understand it.
"I know nothing about the jewels
Fanny. I have forgotten."
"I think," said the astute Fanny,
"that all the Castlemaine jewels are
here, my lord, and all you gave her ;
but I do not see the others—those she
bad as Miss Craven, my lord."
'Fanny 1" cried Lord Castlemaine, in
aesuddortfury. seising her arm, "what
has haapeuecl ? Where is your mis.
tress 9"
hag her in the ball, and running to look
herself in the deserted bed.room,.
The poor girl saw clearly that her
mistress had fled c how, when, or why
she could not tell; but flight was die.
graceful, and she should not be the lirst
to attribute it to Lady Castlemaine.
"Dr. Randal is away—has been away
for a week ; his father is dying," oriel
the groom, pawing into his master's
room, where the housekeeper and valet
were by the bed, and a number of atht'r
servants, headed by the butler, were
I
gatdohere?"d near the door, "What shall
The words reached Rndolpli Castle
-
endue, recovered from his unoouseicus
rasa. lie suddenly lifted himself np its
hod.
"Do ? .Do nothing 1 I want n:
doctor. Go all of yea to your work;
want 00 one but Jenkins, Jelikatls, in
writing -ease, Herbert, rido at once t:
the telegraph office. James, von evil'
start for astdalo Park, alone, in fi::te
minutes, to take a letter to Lady Cra
yen. Jenkins, my desk 1"
"But, my lord," said the housekeeper
in low, eager totes, "if you do not need
a doobor, bethink you, my lady does
If she is so ill hor mother is to come
and she could not come to you when
you fainted, my lord, she needs a
physician. Shall we send for some one
until you telegraph to London ?"
"A pbysieian ? She needs nono I
Your lady is not ill. A physician I It
is Grimhold I want, Your lady 1 She
is not ill—mention her name no more
You have no lady. She who was yew.
lady has run away—do you bear me?—
she eloped, last night, with Colonel
Lennox 1"
The servants fell back, with a low
cry of consternation.
May Heaven help us 1" cried the
housekeeper. "My lady is ill, and my
poor, dear master has gone mad with
sorrow i My lord, cheer yourself, she
will be better."
""I tell you she is gone 1 Away, all of
you," cried Lord Castlemaine, hoarsely,
dashing off a letter to Lady Graven,
and a telegram for the groom to tako to
the office.
In his anguish, he did not realize how
brutally cold and blunt was his Letter,
to send to a mother concerning her only
Child :
"LADY CRAVEN —Lash night your
daughter eloped with Colonel Lennox.
CASTLENAINE."
He did not say "Dear Lady Crayon."
In his misery, he hated Lady Craven,
and accused her as the cause of all her
daughter's sins. Possibly she was, but
the sins wore of a different fashion from
those of which Lord. Castlemaine ac-
cused the poor child. They were sine
like bis own—sins of pride, obstinacy,
passion, self-will, revengefulness. Tory
sad sins, too—masters, all.
The telegram was to Mr. Grimheld:
"Come to me at once. It is a matter,
of life or death."
The servants scattered to their work
—faces pale—all excitement.
"I cannot believe it! Our lady was
an angel 1"
"This to tomo to the house of Castle-
maine 1" said the gray-haired butler.
I. cannot bear it 1 Boy and man, I've
served three generations of Castle-
maines, and never a spot of disgrace on
the name before 1"
The housekeeper went to Lady
Castlemaine's rooms, and called to
Fanny to open the door.
"Don't try to hide things, Fanny; I
know all. Let us see what to do."
Fanny opened the door. She was in
a paroxysm of weeping.
if my lady's gone," sobbed Fanny,
'she's crazy—driven crazy by coldness
and trouble. She's not wicked, nor
ever will be."
"He say's she's gone with Colonel
Lennox," said the housekeeper.
"Oh, how dare he ? If she wenb,
alone she went—driven wild with his
being cold and hard to her. I know
how he's left her alone—bow she's
cried and pined. Don't tell mo of Col-
onel Lennox ? I don't believe she was
scarce acquainted. She was no one to
encourage strangers, nor to flirt wit la'
any one. 141y lady is not a monster, but
an angel."
THE BRUSSELS POST
'"I have proof, positive proof 1" cried
Lord Castlemaine, madly,
"I will believe 00 proof. My child
was entirely upright and pure -minded.
She loved you, Lord Castlemaine, with
all her inuocent heart, Whore is that
Miss Hyde? She is at the root of all
this,"
"Miss Hyde loft two days ago. She
left because she could not persuade
Gertrude to give up her infatuation for
the colonel."
"I will Hover believe it. Miss Hyde
is the only one to blame."
Row cn'ilcl this end but as it did end,
in the unbappy Lady Craven going into
hysterics, and being carried to her
room, whore she spent the night in
alternate weeping and cross-questioning
of the forlorn Fanny until, as the day
dawned, the exhausted mother and the
maid fell into a heavy slumber, from
, sheer weariness and misery.
n "Lord Castlemaiee," said the lawyer,
when they were loft atone, "have you
• any letter left by your wife, saying that
she was eloping with Colonel Loenox?"
"She left no line at all."
"Then I cannot believe she has gouo
with him."
"It is absolutely certain. I had for-
bidden her to have anything to do with
him. He followed her everywhere, and
' she encouraged him. I brought her
away from London to escape him. She
roused to believe the stories current
against him. Ho followed her hare. I
have the admission from her own lips
that she met him here—met bine alone
and by appointment. None of my re-
presentations, entreaties, or commands
moved her. Things came to such a pass
that we seldom saw each other or spoke
together. Colonel Lennox wrote to
her, and she burned his letter, so that I
could not see it. She fled. In her
xoom I found his portrait in her album,
and—there 1"
With a groan of anguish Lcrd Castle -
mains took from his pocket the crushed
glove and handkerchief of the man who
had destroyed his household peace, and
banded them to the lawyer.
Mr. Grimheld looked at them care-
fully.
lord.
ca.nn,.b tell, my lord. I never
dreamed of this 1 Oh, my lady I my
dear, lovely lady! where are you 9"
The ,girl burst into loud weeping, and
coverecher face with her apron.
Lord Castlemaine released his clasp
on her arm, and, still looking at the dis-
ordered table, noticed a photograph h
album. He opened it, in a desperate v
strife to make dumb bhiugs speak, and
tell him what he would know. Ile s
tnrnecl over the leaves. A cabinet por-
11sit of Colonel Lounox, handsomee
hold, triumphant, met his eye.
How could he know that Gertrude s
had never soon this portrait—that she
had not opened the album for weeks—
that Isabel Hyde had put the picture
there only on Wednesday ? He could
imagine none of these things.
"With a cry of rage and pain he flung
the book from him, with a crash, into a
distanb corner.
All was lost! Gertrude, his love,
bad betrayed him 1 Gertrude, hie wife, ,
had Pied I
The air of this room stirred him. IIs
tenet do something—but what? He
Argued to go; bo staggered, reached
blindly out with both arms, and fell,
unconscious, upon the floor.
Then the mourning Fanny dimly ap.
ehended that the family is a eoli-
rity, and that in families one neither
alone. She had beon
nor suffers ale
tbfnkbeg only of her mistress ; but hero' 2
Wail an agony like the parting of soni e
and body.
Fanny sprang nes, unlocked the door,
rang a bell furiously, and essayed to
move her master as 110 lay on bin fano, 0
and place his tread upon a pillow.
Her ring and cries broughb a footman 'b
and Leta Castlemaine's valet. They
oarriod their° master to his room, and a
groom redo after Doctor Randal.
"Where zs mylady?" cried the houses a
keeper, coming be heath to the room, £
"5110 is—ill," cried pooh Fanny, WO' 1
"This seems a very sbrong chain of
evidence," he said, in his clear, even,
convincing voice ; "very strong. We
will go over it hereafter, point by point,
to find the weak link that shall destroy
the whole. Against this evidence I have
to seta knowledge of your wife since
she was a babe in arms. Her father
was my friend, and to his child 1 have
been friend rather than lawyer. Lord
Castlemaine, your wife had faults, many
of them ; she had been indulged
singularly, and never in anyway thwart-
ed by her mother. But her faults were
all honest and natural faults—honesty,
purity, a singular delicacy of thought
and word, and a strong womanly dignity
belonging to her—like her beauty.
Such a woman could not have gone
astray. She was obstinate, willful,
high -tempered, I grant you. She could
have quarreled with you, defied yon,
come to hate you, if she thought you
unjust and cruel ; but disgrace you—
no, never I That she could not do."
"That she hes done 1" cried Lord
Castlemaine.
"Remember, you Castlemaines, with
all your virtues, are given to jealousy
and wrath."
"And never had a Castlemaine such
cause for both."
"My friend, I beg you, instead of
nursing wrath, return to mercy, that
you may be in a proper mood to under-
stand the difficulties which environ you..
I am not without hope of a happy ending
. even now. Remember how she loved
you.,
"I thought so ; but it was a dream;
she has ceased to love me."
"Remember how you loved her."
"I adored her, I worshiped her 1"
"And�is not such love immortal?
'Many waters cannot drown love,' says
the Scripture," quoted the bachelor
lawyer.
"Love can die ; love does die; love
turns to hate. I have had my love ac
cruelly scorned, so wounded, so repelled
that fury has taken its place," cried
Lord Castlemaine.
"My poor friend, you deceive your-
self. You have not so changed. You
are in intense: excitement, and it is
needful for you to be calm ; you are
worn out. It is midnight—to-morrow
we will talk over this, and see it more
clearly, morn reasonably."
"I am shamefully neglecting you.
You have made a hurried journey for
me, and I have offered you neither rest
nor refreshment—and you are no longer
young, Sorrow, such as mine, is sel-
fish," said Lord Castlomaine, drearily.
"Now, Hien, my lord, send me to my
room, and send me up a supper ; and do
you go to your bed, and have Jenkins
give you soiuo strong sleeping potion,
or you will be in need of a doctor,
rather than a lawyer, Take this thought
with you—that 7 believe this coil can
all be set straight, that I can prove
your wife innocent, and that all these
errors can end in happiness and peace,"
"Never l" cried Lord Casblemaine.
"Never 1 It cannot be done; I do not
wash it done. I wish never again to see
the woman who deserted me and brought
open disgrace upon the honest name of
Castlemaine."
Mr, Grimheld was escorted to his
room by the butler, an humble friend of
many years' standing.
That functionary spread for the law.
yer a little supper before the fire in the
open grate.
"Now, Mr. Grimheld, sir," he said,
earnestly, "eat, sir, and sleep, sir, so
you will be in order for helpingus, for
to you we all look for help in tis that
has some on us. If Lady Castlemaine
has turned out a light•o'dove, Twill say,
sir, never was face nor yoico mote de-
ceivin', for she looked a true angel."
"We all have our little faults," said
the lawyer, "mud she had hors; but one
thing is sure ---there is no main on the
face of the earth could persuade her to
be false to her marriage vow.'"
Theopiate administbrod by Atkins;
broug t sleep to the unbappy lord, and
he enjoyed some hours of oblivion, His
That was a terrible day at Neath
Abbey. Lord Castlemaine often, look-
ing back upon it, wondered how he
lived through it. Behind it lay his life,
all wrecked, forever hopeless; and
under its lengthening; shadow he lived,
so long as ho lived in this world.
At half.past ben in the evening the
carriage came from B.edmoss Station
with Lawyer Grimheld. Ho entered a
ouse of mourning—silent, tearful scr-
ants—a master ghastly, pallid, dumb.
"Lord Casblemaine, for Heaven's
oke, what is the matter?"
"Lady Castlemaine has eloped with
Colonel Lennox."
"I wouldn't believe it if she told me
0 herself 1 Itis impossible."
Thus the loyal friend of Gertrudo's
childhood.
At eleven the coupe with the dastraob-
d mother.
"Lord Castlemaine, whore is my
child 2"
"I told you in my letter, Lady Cra-
"You are utterly in error, My child
a nob a criminal,, but a martyr 1"
CHAPTER LVII.
THE LAWYER'S WORD.
The three were in the library—Lord
astlemaine, Lady Craven, Mr. Grim-
ela -the lawyer mute and listening,
lady Craven snddenly aged, tearful,
iisheveled, querulous, protesting,
""My child was to come tome to -day.
ou wrote me."
"She was to go to you, to prevent)
er, at least, from receiving visite from
olonel Lennox lb my domains. I gave
aor orders to go to you. She either
ad already made her plans for flight,
COl1ne0 80 her m0tn00,
s 9110 had preferred him to her bus"
and," said Lord Castlemaine, Qruolly,
!"7, knew that my child was unhappy
--that there was a coolness botwoon
On, but I hoped 11; would pass away;
nd one thing I ]mow—she did not care
or Colonel Lennox, and the bas never
o Opod with him."
rest, however, ended. with the coming;•
oreuii nay, 0011 tong Wroth tee pour
who Mr. Grzmheld should memo down
to breakfast with him ho woe wander.
ing restlessly about the houae like a
soul in pain.
Fate took bim to the picture-(7ailery.
There from the wall smiled at him the
lovely face of her whom ho had fondly
"
oalbed the albite Rose of Castleivaine. '
This portraib had been painted during
the first weeks when he had called Ger-
trude wife, What joy was in the bine
eyes, what a tender smile on the sweet
mouth, whab inuocouee on the fair brow,
Lord Castlemaine remembered with
anguish the melodies of the words those
soft, rod lips had whispered, the satin
linoness of the delicate throat and
diwplod shoulders, the fragrance of that
silken, golden -gleaming hair, the cares-
sing of those dainty Bands that in the
picture held the braueh of white rases.
What right had that picture there,
when she had deceived and left ham 2
It was profanation to leave it beside his
mother's portrait, Ho would bear her
from her place, last, fairest, falsest of
all the Ladies Castlemaine.
Itis impulse was to snatch thepioture
down, to cut the canvas to pieces—so
he wottil tear her from his heart and
life; and yet he could not do it.
Again and again ho advanced and
lifted his Band, and still the blue oyes
smiled into his oWu, and the rod lips
parted as if to speak, and, with a bust-
ing Iieart, and tears pouring from his
eyes, he cried:
"Ob, Gertrnde1Gertrude 1 if you
were only dead—only lying loved and
mourned in your tomb—how I could
worship your memory and live only to
lova and rejoin you 1"
Breakfast passed almost in silence:.
only the lawyer and Lord Castlemaine
were at the table. After breakfast they
went to the library.
"Now, my lord," said Mr. Grimheld,
"we will discuss this unhappy affair."
"There is little to dismiss. I can re-
peat my case and my proofs, thab you
may arrange your evidence. You will
apply at ones to the London Divorce
Court, in my behalf, for a divorce."
"Loth Castlemaine, think what you
are saying."
"I do think. Law and Seripture are
on my side. This woman has forsaken
Inc for another man. My one recourse
is to mark me sense of her conduct by
divorce. It is the remedy the law ap-
points for wrongs like mine,
"A remedy worse than the disease,"
cried Mr, Grimheld,
"Nothing can be worse than' her con-
duct. Up to the time of her elopement
separation was what I resolved on."
"Separation 1" cried Mr. GSrimheld,
angrily, the man and the friend getting
the better of the legal element in his
soul- "Separation ! And whatis that
but cruelty and reveuge, and driving a
tempted and unhappy soul into crimi-
nality ? 11 you threatened your wife
with separation, as the penalty for a
little girlish vanity, coquetry, and self-
will, you no doubt drove her' to the
extreme of elopement. Yon threatened
her with public disgrace, with loss of
Honor, position, home. What was left
her but tofly the country, where she
could not face the consequences of your
vengeance? If she has eloped, that
threat drove her to it; but 1 do not ad-
mit that, she bas eloped."
Lord Castlemaine flusbed at this out-
burst, thea bent his head; bis; spirit
was too crushed to retaliate.
"No doubt I have erred," ho• said,
"and my repentance will be life-long ;
but her elopement has left me no course
but the one I indicate. I am sorry if
we differ, you and I, upon the rightness
of this steps It is to be taken ; and if
there • is sing, en my head be it."
"I know„"'said Mr. Grimheld, gloom-
ily, "that only by divorce will you be
able to marry. again."
Lord Castlemaine started as if a dag-
ger had been, thrust into his heart
"Marry again 1" he cried, vehemently,
"My heart is acad. I shall never marry.
I will live my embittered life alone, I
am the last of my line ; in me the old
race 09 Castlemaine dies. Gertrude
was the. one woman that I eveu•lovod
or thought of marrying. She, and she
only, could be my wife. She has de-
serted me ; love for her is dead; if it
lives at all, it lives as hate. But no
other woman shall ever take her place
in my heart, or bear ray name."'
"Lord Castlemaine I Lord Castle -
mains 1" said the old lawyer, clasping
his hand, "you are deceiving yourself I
Give mo some different orders.; tell me
to seek your wife until I end her ; to
bring her book to explain all ; to snake
peace between you, that you rally have
love and faith once more,"
"Never 1" said Lord Castlemaine.
"Love is dead and faith is impossible 1"
"It is true, my friend," said Mr. Grim.
held, "that the law offers you this refuge
of divorce, but consider how dangerous
a thing itis. Many of our most learned
and pious people esteem it a sinful step,
and that no elan can be empowered to
break the sacred tie that God has made.
As soon: as divorce is granted, for any
cause whatever,,a thousand abuses of
the opportunity arise, and social morals
are shaken to their foundations; for on
the inviolate sanctity of marriage all
moral and national safety rests. I
might toll another man that the divorce
remedy was too expensivecosting a
fortune. That argument will not move
yen. I cannot plead impending desti•
tution to the woman you have loved;
she will secure her own fortune, which
has never passed into yonr hands. By
the Divorce and Matrimonial Act, yon
can secure a severing of your marriage
tis so it will bo lawful for you both to
marryagain whom you please; but let
me remind you how much better it is to
suffer wrong than to do wrong : and in
moray and forgivenoss man is likest
God.'
"There are 001E0 things," said Lord
Castlemaine, hoarsely, "that I cannot
forgive. Ah, you do not know how I
bavo loved her and beau deceived."
"Very possibly not so deceived as you
bhinlr,"
"The proofs are before you. Besides,
Dir, Grimheld, time is ono point you do
101 see. Unless I divorce her, she calf"
Heb emery the man with wl'om she hes
fled. liar only hope now al in ma001011e
with him, And as soon as a divorce is
decreed Colonel Lennox will marry her.
It will not be a question whether having
bad his will he is weary of her; Ger,.
trade will be very wealthy, and her for'
tune will make Ilam true,"
There was a dry sob in Rudolph
Casbbemaine's voice.
Mr, (frimhold bowed his head and
was silent.
"That is my last word," said Lord
Castlemaine, "Go back bo Londen and
enter proceedings for divorce against
0ertruelo Casblemaine."
CIIAPT1;li LVIII,
A REVEEI,n"iON.
More than a week lead passed. The
lawyer, in London, was bringing suit for
the annulment of the marriage of Lord
Rudolph Castlemaine and Gertrude Cra.
ren, the ground of the plea being that
Gertrude Craven had abaurloueel her
husband, the Earl of Castlemaine, and
lied with Colonel Lennox.
Lady Craven had gone back to her
home, and a shadow like tbo pall of
death fell over Neath Abbey and Last.
dale Park.
One by ono the memories of Hiro beau-
tiful Lady Castlemaine were removed
from the borne where she had been so
briefly happy. The rooms, all gold and
white, were shnt up in darkness- No
more guests came to Neath Abbey.
Lord Casblemaine roughly told the head
gardener to tear up all the precious
white roses by the roots and fling them
away. Gertrude's. music was 110 longer
an the piano. All trace of her must be
lesbreyed, for every trace recalling her
beauty and her perfidy was fresh agony
lo Rudolph Castlemeine's racked heart.
One morniug Lord Castlemaine was
in his, library, busy at a bask which
lacerated his soul. He was gathering
rut of his desks every line—oh, what.
treasured lines they had been I—that:
Gertrude had written,. and was destroy -
Ing all:. He had bad a fire kindled in,
the grate, so that he might burn every
card and paper with his own hands;:
out the' morning was warm, and the,
iibrarywindows were open down to the
icor.
Rudolph Castlemainei was yet paler
sad more haggard than when the law-
rer left him; his hands trembled. The
lay before ho had a hard• task : he had
tent his counsel the information of the
:olonol's long stay at the cottage of the
irganist, and the organist's testimony
that Lady+ Castlemaine had once met
Lennox fu, the abbey church, and once
it the cottage. Miss Ilyds was to be
0ine of the witnesses concerning "Lady
Oastlemaino's infatuation."
AsL' ord. Castlemaine beset over Lis
leak, a stepaame upon the•berrace, and
s tap on the sash of the opera window.
"Good -morning, Lord ODstlemaioe 1
Slay I come in 2"
Ali, it is '• you, Randal? Come in 1"
said the earl, not looking ups
"I have walked across from the sta.
;ion, in my ]caste to see you. I left
011x0 with amunfulfilled duty that has
weighed ou my soul, and I vowed nsi.
;her to eat, drink, nor sleep.uubil I had
leen you. The day I left I called here
so speak with.you. You were gong. I
went over to, Bedtimes Junction for a
ionsultation, and there I had, a telegram
that called mo to my father, and what
f had to say to you I di¬ like to
write—I feared to alarm your"
"Yes ? You have lost your father,
Randal. I am sorry for yens"
"It its a heavy Loss," said Randal, who
still stood near the window, surprised
that Lord Castlemaine neither looked
about nor offered bis hand.
The fact was that the unbappy man's
mind was in each disorder that he dare
aot turn lest hie emotion would over-
power him if be met any one's eye.
""I hope I have not been, or seemed
to you, neglectful," said the doctor,
tearohing fora reason for his friend's
3011 manner:. ""The day 31 left, as I
told you, I called to warn you. It was
because as 1, rode through the park I
mw Lady C'bstlemaine paeing up and
gown under the trees. lien air alarmed
me. I lead been attending upon her for
several days, and I saw nobhiug calcu-
lated to awaken anxiety in her stats„
except lion intense nervous agitation,
and low spirits—a morbid frame of
mind. I thought it would pass away
with ordinary remedies, and with be
Doming accustomed to the new ideas,
which were presenting themselves..
But that day, her step, her air, a some.
bliing in her oyes, alarmed me; and my
alarm grow as I thought of it in ab'
sense, road on the subject, and con-
versed with several physicians. I fear
mems."'
Dianie, l's cried Lord Castlemaine, fn
a stifled tone.
"Yea;: transient, no. doubt. Manias
of tine form pass off a but Hien they
are most distressing while they last,
dangerous to mother' and child;, and
then, you know, the popular idoa. of the
berecllbery nature of manias. We musb
keep Lady Castlemaine quiet„ calm,
heppy, hopeful."
"What do you mean, Randal? I do
not understand you 1"
"I had noticed for some time—in fact
since you returned to Noabh, that Lady
Castlemaine looked 'depressed. May
speak to you plainly 2"
"Yes, speak."
You and I have been friends from
boyhood; wo have called each other
coming. If I brespase, charge it to old -
tams familiarity. You know you Castle-
maines are hot-tempered, jealous, and
somewhat given to the autocratic style.
Your wife is of a keenly sensitive organi.
settee. Just now she is far more nor -
vette and excitable than usual In all
family lafo, little lath, and differences,
and coldness s will arise. Now let me
warn you that this is not a time to in.
dulge in any of those, on your part.
Take offense at nothing ; bo your wife's
guardian, constant attendant, tenderest
friend --ab; eob slave, if needful. Never
be ir£ nrjtod 1 1dvei be cold ; never find"
any Consider that if in anybbinh
she voxes or,fliyploases you, the act is
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