HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1887-8-26, Page 7AucuiT `'2O, 1 w,s7
PUT ASUNDER' word antiquityi,
"Was this file chanes, the opportunity,
Oil,
Lady Casticmaine's Divorce 1
By BERTHA M. LLAT,
AUTHOR OJ
"A 7annnled life," "Tho EarPM Atoll
menti' "A Mirnagio for n mama'
ij,'
etc., eta., etc.
•
Treachery is not always free from pain.
"You," said Lady Castlemaine. "I
speak very frankly, and it is true. 01
all the girls I have met, I like you
best. Will you be my true friend ?
The dark face and the fair one drew
nearer to each other. In the one heart
was honest and loyal friendship ; in
the other, bitterest hate and darkest
perfidy.
"I will," said Isabel Hyde.
"Give me one kiss on the strength of
it, just as a pledge," said Lady Castle.
malne ; and the two beautifulfaoes met.
"Now," said Lady Castlemaine, with
a musical little laugh, "I have all that
the world can give mo, But, Isabel, you
look pale and tired."
It was not so easy to look into this
fair young face and give bo sign of the
treachery at work. When Isabel Hyde
kissed the lips of Gertrude Castlemaino,
she said in her heart :
"I willsupplautyoul" and she intended
to keep her word.
It is very sweet when it is true, this
girl friendship, and Lady Castlemaine
was exceedingly happy in it.
Her husband had all the love of her
heart, all her thoughts and cares, but
kherewere many things she knew would
not interest him, of which, young as
she was, she liked to speak—dress, or-
naments, parties, trivial stories of other
girls—topics whioh would not have in-
terested a man, but which were pleasant
and natural enough to young girls.
Lady Castlemaine and Isabel Hyde en.
jived these themes. They discussed,
as girl friends will, every topic under
the sun—nothing escaped them.
During these conversations, Isabel
Hyde lay, as it were, in waiting for
some indiscreet word the young wife
might utter, by which she could make
mischief, and so insert the thin end of
the wedge.
The time and the chance so patiently
waited for came at last.
Lady Castlemaine had made a very.
fortunate discovery. She had heard'
something of a very valuable picture
that had been locked away in a lumber -
room, and she went with Lord Castle.
maine to see it.
It proved to be a valuable work of
art that by some mistake had been left
in a lumber -room. A housemaid with a
soul for art, had made the discovery,
had spoken of it to a footman who wee
an admirer of hers; he in his turn tolid
the butler; the butler told Lord Castle-
maine, and the result was the discovery
of a most noble picture.
While they were still in the lumber -
room Lady ,Castlemaine looking idly
around, saw an old carved oak chest;
it seemed to have the rust of years
upon it.
"That is a find old chest," she said to
her husband.
"It is large enough to have held
Ginevra," he replied.
"I wonder," said Lady Castlemaine,
"what is in it?"
"I will soon see," replied the earl.
When ib had been brushed free from
dust and cobwebs he opened the lid.
What should there be but untold
treasures of richest lace—Valenciennes,
rose -point, Venetian—all of it priceless.
Lady;Castlemaine uttered a cry of joy
when she behold it.
Why it had been planed there no one
know.
"It was not my mother's," said Lord
Castlemaine, "or I should have known
something about it. It could not have
been my grandmother's, or my mother
would have known of its whereabouts.
It has boon placed here for some safety in
troubled times by some of the Ladies
Castlesuaine—perhaps during the civil
wars, or the War of the Roses—no one can
tell when, It is a treasure-trove, Ger-
trude. I am not much of a judge, but
I never saw such lace in my life."
"Nor have I," said Lady Castlemaine.
They unfolded some more of it—lace
so fine it could have been drawn through
a wedding -ring, yet so strong that not a
thread was broken. Flounces, shawls,
veils, collars and cuffs—never was there
such a rich collection. Lord Castle-
maine gave it all to his wife.
"You will bo the envy of every lady at
court, and everywhere else, Gertrude,"
ho said, laughingly. "You will have
the finest store of lass in England."
It so happened that during Christmas
week Lady Castlemaine told Isabel of
the discovery, and took her into one of
her wardrobe rooms to show her the
treasure. Isabel was in raptures, her
face was all smiles, her eyes bright, as
she looked and listened; but in her
heart she was Baying s "This should
have been all mine ; he knew me first,
and I loved him best. It should have
been mine."
"/ wonder, said Lady Castlemaine, in
her simple, girlish fashion, "what
mamma will say when she sees this ?
She is a worshiper of lace ; she would
rather at any time wear 'fine lace than
diamonds."
"I like both," said Isabel Hyde.
'"I hope you will always have plenty
of them," laughed Lady Castlemaine.
"I understand how the antiquity of this
makes it valuable. I do not care for
antiquity, as a rule."
She was silent for a minute, then she
laughed.
"Isabel," sho said, "do you know that
I was once very nearly quarreling with
my husband, with Rudolph, over that
for which she was waiting ?" Isabel
asked herself.
"quarreled I" she repeated, "Nay, I
could believe that the sun shone by
night and the moon by day, but I could
never believe that you bad quarreled
with him,"
"I said almost," laughed Lady Castle-
maine; "not quite. It was a narrow
escape, though, You have no idea how
conservative he is,"
"1 always thought so," said Isabel
Hyde,
"IIe never talked polities with me, or
anything else much, except lova," said
Lady Caetlomaine. "He thinks the
greatest boast of a family is its an-
tiquity, I do not. I think activity,
anergy, and industry, earnestness and
perseverance, the courage to do and to
dare, aro all better than the antiquity
that he upholds so strongly. My father
was a city knight, a man who made bis
own great fortune, and I think my
family quite as good as the Castle-
maines, He does not."
,"He would never say so ?" oris
Isabel.
Oh, yes he did. IIe made no secret
of it. I told you we almost quarreled,
Fortunately enough, I remsmberd just
in time that it was not worth while
offending him over such a thing ; but we
did not agree."
Ho converted you to bis way of
tliinking,•I have no doubt," said Isabel,
"Indeed he did not, and to tell the
truth I feel some land of vexation when.
over I think of it."
"You have radical ideas, then," said
Isabel.
I do not know if that is all," laugh,
ell Lady Castlemaine. "I am inclines
to think that I was brought up to be:
Novo a great deal of myself, and I do
not think it pleased me to hear that mi
husband's family was superior to mine.'
'•Perhaps, though he said it, he div
not mean it," remarked Isabel.
',Yes, he did. I should nob respect
him if he had said what he did not
mean," said Lady Castlemaine.
"And that is the onfy point on whit*
you have not agreed 2" asked .Isabel
Hyde.
"Yes, the only point," replied Lady
daetiemaine.
"It was not much, certainly," and the
beautiful woman wondered if it were
passible that she could construct the
shin end of the wedge out of this.
The next morning she was standing
by the great window in the library by
Lord Castlemaine's side, and they were
rvatching some robin redbreasts out in
the snow. Suddenly she laughed a little
laugh of quiet amusement.
"What are ydu thinking of, Miss
IIyde," he asked. "It is almost cruel
to keep anything amusing a secret."
'"I do not know that my thoughts
wore amusing, and they are no secret,"
ehe replied. "I was thinking of you
:nd Gertrude."
Wore you, and what were your
thoughts 2"
"You were such a conservative last
rear, I remember, that I was surprised
:t your enthusiasm."
"I am conservative now," he replied,
'just as I was then."
"Are you? I should hardly have
Imagined it. I was thinking howstrange
was that you should marry one who
vas nos a conservative idea. Gertrude
:muses me. She oonsiders the antiquity
if a family to be its least recommenda-
tion."
Lord Castlemaine frowned, his brows
harkened, he looked impatient.
"Gertrude cannot mean such non.
tense," he said, curtly.
"Gertrude does mean it, with all her
assert," laughedIsabel.
It was te thin end of the wedge.
Row clever she had been to Find it out.
iter heart boat with delight as she saw
the frown on bis face..
"Ile can frown when he thibks of
ser,"she said to herself. "I shall win
the victory and keep my vow."
CHAPTER XIII.
TEE WEAVING} or ANoSEEE WEn
There are many people who honestly
bolleye that when a woman is wicked,
the is worse than a man clan possibly be,
flow true this may be it is impossible to
lay ; but no man, not even the most
Nicked upon earth, could have sot to
work in a more treacherous and de -
berate manner to annihilate the hap-
piness and mar the lives of two people,
Shan did Isabel Hyde.
She had done what she could in a
small way to prevent this marriage, but
she had no opportunities ; now she had
every opportunity.' She was in the same
house, under the same roof; she sons
Iho bosom friend of the wife, she was a
trusted and valued friend of the bus-,
band. She had studied each separate'
ihasacter; he know 'the strength and
the weakness of each; she knew the
faults and the virtues of each. She'
saw that both were very proud, both'
wilful ; that Lord Castlemainowas im- j
patient, that he prided himself execs -I
lively on the antiquity of his name and'
race. That he,belonged to one of the.
oldest families in En land was his great
THE 1. 1- U SSELS POST
they implicitly, and believe implicitly
all that their husbands believed.
The Castlemaine ladies had all been
of that description—all gentle, docile,'
and obedient, yielding to their husbands
in everything, No matter in what faith,
Ibey had been reared,the Castlemaino
ladies always adopted their husband's
faith. No matter in what political
school they had been educated, they be.
mane conservative when they became
Castlemaine.
No such thing was ever known iu the
annals of the family as the rebellion of
a wife against her husband. No such
Whig was known as a division of opinion.
Tho Ladies Castlemaine, separately and
distinctly, carried out that beautiful
line of Milton's—
"He for God only ; ebe, for God in bin,"
But this line by no means applied. to
Gertrude—Lady Castlemaino. She had
been brought up in more modern days,
when obedience is an old-fashioned vir-
tue, almost out of date, and which few
people care to practice.
She loved her husband with her whole
heart, but it would never have entered
her mind to have changed any thought,
principle, or idea of her own out of
deference to him.
If there was to be any changing, it
should rather be on his side.
Had they been alone, these differences
of opinion would never have come to the
front, they would hardly have been
noticed, but the presence of their hidden
enemy, Isabel Hyde, made the whole
world of difference to them. There was
some one to note every slightest dif-
ference, some one to repeat every word
the young wife uttered, with additions
so slight they were hardly to be re-
marked; yet it was these email additions
that always hold the sting.
It was Isabel who always repeated
to Gertrude every remark that her
husband made on ancient lineage, to-
gether with every word that fell from
his lips on the subject of the newly
made titles or the want of good
descent. It was Isabel who pointedaall
these words, and, in repeating them,
made her own comments and told them
in her own fashion. She persevered so
industriously, and was so untiring in
her efforts, she was so skilful that
she succeeded in raising the shadow of
discord between husband and wife—
succeeded to her own unutterable de-
light, and rejoiced in her success.
Lord. Castlemaino, who was far too
noble hixaself to suspect any want of
nobility in others, began after a time to
entertain a certain sense of irritation
against the wife whom he yet loved
with passionate love.
"Why should she net think as he
thought? Why must she be the only
One of the Ladies Oastiemaine to have
opinions and ideas different from those
of the head of the family 2"
Whenever she had an opportunity Isa.
bol Hyde talked to him about this.
Lord ateetlwnaii;a. wonld say something
e1tner about the antiquity of hie famny,
his house, or his title, and dilate uponit.
She was always equal to the occasion.
"What a pity it is, Lord Castle-
maine," sho would say, "that Gertrude
is not of your opinion; she thinks so
differently."
Then would follow a profound sigh,
that said as plainly as words con'd have
spoken:
"I am of your opinion, and have blind
faith in all your ideas, but that is use-
less."
Again Lord Castlemaine would feel
irritated at some remark that his beau-
tiful young wife had made, and which
bad been repeated with additions to
him.
T cannot imagine," he would say,
"why Gertrude is not like the other
ladies of our house."
Thera were times when Gertrude
would tell him, with laughingfrankness,
that "the other ladies of the house must
have had minds like sheets of blotting
paper, to receive and retain anything
that was impressed upon them."
"I think," sho would say, "that differ-
ence of opinion gives a zest to conversa-
tion."
"A zest I do not like," cried Lord
Castlemaine.
"You would like ib in time," Lady
Castlemaine would reply.
"I am quite sure, Gertrude, that I
abould not 1" he would answer with
offended dignity.
"You tbiulc that a husband should
regulate the ideas and opinions of his
wifc,just as he regulates the hours of
meals, the quantity and quality of his
guests," said Lady Castlemaine, laugh.
ingly, but deep eeruostuesslay beneath
this laughter.
"Most certainly, I think so," leo au-
ewered. "So would any sensible man."
"Sensible menmust be at adiscount,"
site replied. "I should say you are the
only person in England who has such
an exploded notion of . the rights of
husbander"
"Still, I do held them," he said, Ranti
as I hold them, you ought to respect
them."
"No, I do not see that," answered
Gertrude, "I should oonsider ib tyranny
for any man to expect such a thing. For
a wife to do that would be to lose her
identity altogether."
"A true wife should have no identity
seutce of pride and delight. • He couldapert from her husband," said Lord
not endure ono word of contradiction a Cashtomailio•
he was indignant and impatient with But that beautiful young wife of his
every ono who did not share his views„ looked proudly at him, as elle answered:
with every one who contradicted him or I would not do' such a thing. I
opposed him. Next to the divine right should never margo my individuality
of Icings game, in his mind,the divine :into that of any other person."
right of old families. ti 'You forget," he would say, "that
He was notuito leased that his husband and wife are one."
wife did not shat° these feelings. "In name, in love, in heart, but not
During that eager wooing and impas- ffot ng is.giving
in nd opinions. It is a
df
sionod courtship of hie, he had never g; your heart any
thought of discussing such matters. I4iving your mind are two distinct
bad boon, as Lady Castlemaine said, all things, I gave you my whole heart,
lova-making. He had ideas of hie own Rudolph, but I did not give you my
that were quite peculiar about women mind. I have reserved that for myself."
and wives. 110thoughtthey ought to Lady-Oaetlemafne,having the keenest
wit, and, womannko, the quickest dew Gertrude, darling, It cannot 0414 out the
of words, generally won the victory; da'uP, You meat breathe the damp
but they were victories which cost Ilex air in spiteyou'
r warm furs. Do not I
dearl go, or if you wi1o£� 1 gt,order the brougham,"
Eaob controversy, eaoh stout!ry cou- She Dried out impatiently that it
tested argument seemed to wee en in
some little dogroe the lova of the roan
who could not endure contradiction or
opposition ---who could not brook auy
ideas except those he held himself.
It would not have mattered in the
least, had they been loft alone; after a
few minutes Ilio wife would have gone
to the husband, and said ;
"How foolish ave are to argue and die.
agree over trifles, What does anything
matter provided only that we lova each
other 2"
Ortho husband would have sought
his wife, and said ;
"We will not argue, darling; let my
stronger thoughts guide you, lot yon:
sweater thoughts guide me; nothing
matters but that wo love each other."
But this never happened, for there
was some ono always at hand, to fan
every tiny spark into burning flame, to
irritate, to annoy, to deepen every bad
impression.
Always at liana whenever ono of
these little discussions occurred, and few
days passed without them ; she uoted
with quick keen ears all that was said,
and she know exactly how to fan the
fire.
Lord Castlemaine would go to his
favorite seat, the great window -seat in
the library, or out on the southern ter.
race, from where one could see the
shining blue sea, and take a cigar to con-
sole himself. So sure as he lighted it,
Ue would find the beautiful face and
figure of Isabel by his side.
"I must try to convert Gertrude to
your way of thinking," she would begin;
and then a feeling of irritation rose in
his heart that even a shadow could lio
between himself and hisoun wife.
"'1 will convert her myself," he would
%newer, proudly.
Then Isabel would shake her head.
"I do not know ; I am not surd that
you will," she would say, doubtfully,
and that irritated him the more.
Than she would seek her other victim,
and would kiss .the beautiful face, and
say, laughingly:
"You must nob give in to that husband
of yours,Gertrude; he bas great ideas
of his own authority."
"Far too:. great," she would reply,
laughingly. He wants three years'
apprenticeship to a class of strong-
minded women. t fear that even I am
too meek for him."
"You meat, not give way to him, or
you will entirely lose your own individu-
ality," said Isabel.
"I shall noder do that," said Lady
Castlemaine, proudly ; and although she
loved her husband with all her heart,
;here was always a sense of angry irri•
Cation felt afterlone of these conversa-
tions.
It was a web of another kind that
Isabel Hyde was weaving now. It was
more successful than the first, Then
she had tried to weave the web of lot's
round the heart of one man ; now she
tried to waaye the web of hate over two
hearts that, but for her, could never
have been disunited.
She laughed at times with a wicke.i
sense of victory, anis at times she wet•
despairing of eneeese. But, day by day , He looked at her kindly, and abs felt
the web grew longer and dragger, P.O,: that to have that sense of loving care
less liable to break. always over her she would give her life
itself.
"I shall go," said Lady Castlemaine,
"damp or not damp, I have determined
to go to nearness, and go I will."
"I will not," said Isabel Hyde, "Lord
Castlemaino is quite right, the day is
against 08.'
After these few kind words and that
kind look, Gertrude could not have op-
posed him, so a compromise was made
and a carriage ordered.
The incident, trifling as it was, helped
Isabel be weave a few more threads iu
that strong subtle web of hers.
She took Lady Castlemaine to task in a
fashion quite her own. That afternoon,
as they lingered in the warm oozy bon-
doir, over a cup of delicious tea, she
commenced her attack.
"Gertrude," she said, "you do not
understand your husband."
"Not understand him I" cried Lady
Castlemaine. "I beg your pardon, I am
quite sure that I do.''
Isabel Hyde shook her beautiful head.
"No, my dear, you do not. I really
believe," she added, somewhat impeud-
ontly, "that I should understand him, in
time, better than you do."
No jealousy stirred Lady Castle-
maine's heart; she only thought that
Isabel was a little too outspoken ; still
she would like to know what was meant,
"What clo you moan, Isabel 2" she
asked, gravely.
"Nothing to make a tragedy about,"
sho replied, "I was thinking of this
morning. I was so struck by his care
and sohoitude over you, and yoe grew
impatientwith him."
"1 am not very patient," said Ger-
trude, with a sudden contrition, "I
own it, but I cannot endure to be fussed
over and watched. You are right,
Isabel. I was, as you say, impatient
without cause."
"I knew at once that it was his care
for you that made him persist," con-
tinued Isabel. "I have often noticed
that when he tries best to please you,
you understand him the least."
Lady Castlemaine could nob explain,
even to herself, but eomething in that
moment seemed to rise like a shadow
between her husband and herself. It
was not jealousy; as yet that fatal and
terrible passion hod not awoke in her
heart, It was an intangible eomothing
—a shadow ; and the clearest idea she
had after the interview was, that she
did not really understand' hex husbaud,
[TO 33E CONTINUED,]
would not hurt bur, that she bad often
been out in the damp, and would have
no carriage,
"You make me -feel like a delicate *Id j
wothat manway."'� whoa you fidget about me in
She looked up at him with a smile as
mile spoke, but there was some little
sign of irritation.
Isabel IIyde stood by, a silent spade -
or, each word,o expressive of
t ,shis
tender solicitude for her beautiful rival,
pierced her heart.
"I will not be an old woman yet,"
repeated Gertrude.
I like yon to go out in the frost,"
said Lord Castlemaine; "that hurts no
one, But damp air is quite another
thing."
"Oh, Rudolph," Dried Lady Castle.
maine, "you will make me impatient."
"It Is not an old woman, you re-
semble," said Lord Castlemaine. "It is
a beautiful white rose. Now I ask yoa
Gertrude, how could a fragile white
rose live in this miserable damp 2"
There flashed upon him the light of
two beautiful dark eyes, in which love,
pain, scorn and despair were all told.
"Is all your care or solicitude for
white roses 2" asked Isabel Hyde;
"hate red roses nothing to fear 2"
"If you take my advice you will not
go," he said, slowly. "I do not think
it is a fitting day for any lady to go
out."
Still," she continued, "you would
not have remonstrated if you had seen
me going alone."
He looked at her somewhat wonder-
ingly, knowing nothing of the storm of
jealousy that rent her heart in twain.
"Well," he replied, "you see, Mien
Hyde, it 1s not the same thing. I night
have advised vou, but I could not inter-
fere with you."
"I may go out and get killed with the
damp, and you would not say ono word
to me," cried Isabel.
"Forgive me, buthow very impetuous
you ladies are," he said. I have dis-
pleased you, Isabel, and half offended
Gertrude ; yet I cannot imagine why."
"You are over solicitous for me,"
said Lady Castlemaine.
"You are not solicitous enough for
me," cried Isabel Hyde and then see-
ing the startled look in his eyes, she
began to laugh, but no woman ever
laughed with such an effort before; her
jealousy had for the time carried her
beyond herself. All that loving care
and solicitude for Gertrude—the wind
must not blow too roughly on her, the
damp must not come near her ; but what
chid he care for her ? He was Be anxious
and solicitous about Gertrude that be
did not seem to notice whether she were
going out or not. But the wonder in
his eyes called her to herself. What
right had she to show any jealousy of
another woman's husband.
She laughed, but there was little
mue leu h
"Whilesicin Bothmuch
. oars and solicitude
are to be had," she said, "I may as
well claim a share."
"You will always have it from me,'
Baia Lord Castlemaine ; "I strongly ad-
vise you not to walk out this damp, un-
healthy dos."
CHAPTER XIV.
"LEAD na NOT INTO TE➢rrTATION."
It is a terrible thing to throw one's
self wilfully into the way of temptation,
as Isabel Hyde. had done. Iinowing
that she loved Lord Castlemaine, she
should have kept the breadth of the
world between herself and him, but in
her reckless desire for vengeance—in
her mad, passionate desire, to fulfil her
vow, she forgot or utterly ignored the
danger and the temptation for herself.
She had given, unsought and unasked,
the whole passionate love of her heart
to Lord Castlemaine.' She had hated
with insane hate the beautiful girl, who
had, as she considered, taken his love
from her. She had voluntarily placed
herself under their roof for the purpose
of seeking vengeance. .But she forgot
that in so doing she must suffer un-
utterable pain herself.
Every kind and loving word that
Lord Castlemaine addressed to bis wife
was like a sword inher heart. SUo
would grow cold, sick, and faint when
she saw his great solicitude, his care
and attention for her. Her heart burned
wibb jealousyand envy.
There came a morning, when a damp,
cold wind seemed to sweep the warmth
away, the atmosphere was damp, the
skies gray and lowering; the sun bad
set in sullen discontent for the day, and,
Lord Castlemaine saw his wife wrapped
in her costly furs, going out. Isabel
was with her.
"Gertrude, where are you going 2"
was his first question.
"I am going to nearness," was the
prompt and cheerful reply.
nearness was the nearest town to
Neath Abbey—a bright, pleasant town
by the sea.
"To Redmoss," he repeated. "With
whom are you going, darling 2"
"With Isabel," she replied.
"How are you going ? T hope you
have ordered the brougham?"
"Oh, Rudolph, what a string of ques-
tions. No, I have not, we aro going to
walk."
The conversation took place in the
groat entrance hall, where Lord Castle-
maine mob the two ladies. He went up
to his wife, and laid his hand on the fur
sheen of her jaokot--a magnificent fur
for which he had given a fabulous price
--ono of his wedding presents to her.
"This is warm," he eaid, "but
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