HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1887-9-23, Page 7SEPT, 23, lots?
PUT ASUNDER;
an,
Lady Castlemainer s Divorce 1
By BERTHA N. CLAY,
AMTiien or
"A ir 1 Llfo," "Too Darya Atoms
meanie." 4 Struggle for n ,Milne,'
ate., ate., ate.
duke pushed for and 1.0 easy chair, and
Lady Castlemaine sank down upon it.
Titiens might have painted her as she
sat there, her delicate fade and golden
hair rising, as it were, from the rich
blue velvet; and the pioture would
have been famous forever, for the beau-
ty, the richness, the magnificence of its
coloring, In cue band she held a richly
jeweled fan, made from the soft plumage
of some rare bird. She held itint
x eo against
s
her breast, whiter still. A picture such
as the world seldom sees 1 As she was
seated, she did not Bee who entered the
room or who left it.
She bad a vague idea that otherpeo-
ple were there that some one as
standing before a line painting of Cleo-
patra on board her galley, and that
there was a little group before the fine
copy of Gibson's tinted Venus; but she
had no particular interest; she was
listening attentively to something the
Duke of Portsea was describing to her.
She did not see a stranger enter the
room, look at her fixedly for some time,
then disappear. He was not there
manyminutes, lint during those minutes
he took a mental photograph of that
fair and imperial woman that lasted
until he died.
He stood quite still, he made no sign,
he spoke no words; but he said to him-
self that he had met the woman who
was hirs doom.
He did not wonder who she was, or
anything about her. He looked at her,
and said to himself that he had seen no
other like her; he drank in every de-
tail of her loveliness—the sheen of her
golden hair, the sdft rings of gold that
looked like a crown on the white brows,
on the datk, straight eyebrows that held
the pride and beauty of a Greek goddess ;
on the lovely mouth with its fine lines,
its sweet yet Boornfn1 curves, the per-
fect chin, and the dimples that came
with every smile. He noted the
picturesque grace of the beautiful blonde
head, set so royally on the white neck;
the pearly whiteness of the shoulders,
that were shapely as those of Venus
herself ; of the white rounded arm and
perfect hands; he took in all the grace
of detail, the delicate finish, and he said
to himself :
"That is a woman of perfect beauty."
He added some other words which it
was well that no one else could hoar.
Just as he left the room he met Miss
Hyde, who was on the point of entering
it.
Seeing her, he paused with a gesture
she well understood. He intimated
that he wished to speak to her. She
turned back and walked into the ball-
room with him. He looked eagerly at
her.
"Miss Hyde," he said, "did you see
the lady speaking to the Duke of Port -
sea 2"
ort•ssa?"
"Yes," was the brief reply.
"Who is she ?" he asked.
Isabel laughed.
Ts hould rather think T could make
my anewer as long as a three -volume
novel," she replied. "You wore not in
town last year, so you know nothing of
the War of the Roses. That lady is my
rival, the famous White Rose."
"The White Rose 2" he repeated,
"Why, the name just suits her. But
who is ebo 2"
Miss Hyde saw the dark face quiver-
ing with impatience, and she smiled
again.
"How impatient you are," she said.
"She is Lady Castlemaine, the wife of
Lord Castlemaine, of Neath."
She loved him so well that it was
impossible for her to pronounce his
name calmly. As she uttered the
words, an inflection of tenderness came
into her voice, her lips seemed to caress
the words as she uttered them.
"Lord Castlemaine, of Neath ?" he
said. "I know the name well onaugh,
and I think I know the man. Rather
strait-laced, is he not 7"
"I think he is all that is most ad-
mirable in a man," replied Isabel ; and
the colonel laughed at her enthusiasm.
"Whatever else be may be or may not
bo, he is certainly the most fortunate of
men to have that most beautiful woman
for his wife."
"You admire her so much 2" said
Miss Hyde.
"I have seen no one like her," he said,
slowly; and Isabel looked at him with
searching eyes.
An idea ran with the quickness of
electricity through her brain, an idea so
strong, so sharp, so terrible that it
startled her ; but she would not look at
it; she put it back, as it were; another
time she would look at it, perhaps
encourage it, but not now.
"You do not know Lord Castlemaine
at all ?" she asked.
"No, I have never mot him ; but I
have heard him discussed like every
one else. I should like to know him."
"That is more than ho said of yon,"
thought Isabel; and again that Sharp,
wicked idea seamed to eurge through
her brain,
"Miss Hyde," said the colonel, "you
know Lady Castlemaine well 2"
"Yea; she is my dearest and most
intimate friend," was the Reply.
"Will you introduce me to her ?" be
asked.
"Nothing wouldive me greater
pleasure. Lady Castlemaine is a hero -
worshiper. We were speaking of you
the othet day; but 1 must not toll you
what she said,"
"Do you moan that she evoke kindly
of anything I have done ?" he asked;
and the bold, handsome faco grew paler
with emotion.
"I tell you that she is a hero -
worshiper, but I shall toll you no
more," replied Miss Hyde.
She seemed suddenly to grow faint
and dizzy as "the idea" returned to her
with electric force. She atretched out
her hand and gave a little cry,
"What is it 2" ho asked.
"Nothing," she replied. "See 1 the
Duke of Portsea hast deft the drawing -
room, I shall intr�lfico you to Lady
y
lemaino now,if yon wish."
Cast
"I do wish it," he replied; and they
returned to the drawing -room together.
CHAPTER XXIII.
"AT LAST I—AT LAST!"
Lady Castlemaine was sitting alone
when Miss Hyde and Colonel Lennox
nox
entered the room. Sheb ad evidently
been speaking of something that amused
her, for a smile still lingered with dainty
curves on her beautiful lips, and a soft,
dreamy light lay in her blue eyes. She
looked up as they drew nearer to her,
and the thought occurred to her—what
a handsome pair they were 1 She had
always admired the dark, proud beauty
of Isabel Hyde. Iler eyes rested calmly
on the magnificent figure of the man by
her side, and on his bold, handsome
fade ; and no warning came to her that
the tragedy of her life began in that
moment.
She saw wondering admiration in the
bold eyes that had never fallen beneath
the glance of another; she saw some
strange expression in his face as he
bowed low before her.
Isabel introduced him in a few grace-
ful words, but, like all other words she
uttered, they were full of point; and
then Lady Castlemaine looked into the
face of tho man who was to bring her
doom upon her. There was nothing to
indicate that it =was the dawn of a
tragedy.
The words spoken were at first few
and commonplace enough, like the open.
ing bars of an overture, which give but
a faint idea of the harmonies to follow.
Then Colonel Lennox, emboldened by
the smiles of the beautiful woman, asked
permission to take a chair near her, and
Isabel stood watching them.
Ah, moi how the idea grew and grew
—how it electrified her—how she stood
with her heart beating, her face flush-
ing, a light that was almost terrible to
see in her eyes 1
Yet—she beat it back ; she would not
have it, she would not look at it, until
she onld examine it face to face. The
white lingers were tightly interlaced.
Yet, what was she watching? A very
ordinary scene—a man with a bold,
handsome face talking to a fair and
gracious woman.
The colonel grew bolder, and asked
for a dance; "but not for the world, it
Lady Castlemaine were tired."
She was tired, but there seemed to
Lor something of novelty in dancing with
this man, who had such a reputation fox
brave and daring deeds. She looked at
those strong arms, that had done such
woudrous things, and could hardly
fancy them clasping the slender form of
a girl. It would be a novelty to dance
with him. He bad taken up in his
bands the bouquet of white lilies and
lilacs that lay upon the table, and she,
looking at the hands that touched the
flowers so caressingly, thought of the
stories she had hoard ; how he had
picked up the burning shell and thrown
it away. She was a hero worshiper by
nature, and he interested her. Isabel
stood by in silence. If Colonel Lennox
could have seen the expression of bei
face he world have marveled at it.
Lady Castlemaine was not too tired
to dance, and soon afterward the sad,
sweet music of the Manola Waite
floated through the rooms. Celone'
Lennox had faced death, he had .lista
his life, as it were, in the palm o`. his
hand, he had done the most reckless
and most daring deeds that a man can
accomplish ; but in the whole of his life
he had felt no such emotion as this.
It was litre dancing with a goddess.
Lady Castipntaine was the very embodi-
ment of the peeitry of motion.
She was still more deeply interested
when the waltz was ended, and he took
her to see one of the finest pictures in
Lady Morgan's possession, and they
stood for some time before it, talking
eagerly; interested, but forgetting the
picture.
"Hero worship," thought Isabel, an
hour afterward, as sb vaw Lady Castle-
maine's blue eyes treed to the bold
glance of the White Lancer.
She had watched them, and had fol-
lowed them, yet she would not look her
idea straight in the face.
She admitted, this much to herself.
"Tho husband does not like him, I
know it by instinct; but the wife does.
She has heard no evil of him, she has
heard all those stories that delight a
woman like herself; she will wish to see
morn of him, and Rudolph will not have
it. Ah, Heaven I do I see my way at
last—at last 2"
Her heart befit loud and fast; it
seemed to her Most as though she
were in view of the promised land.
"They must become friends," she said
to herself, "before Lord Castlemaine
knows that she has been introduced to
him; if not—" and she did nob finish
her eontenoe oven to herself.
Once again that evening the White
Lancer and Lady Castlemame met. She
n ervator
the prettyoo a
lead gone into Y
of which Lady Morgan was so proud,
and stood looking at some white
hyacinths, famous ter their rare frag-
iia
ranee. Several people d been admix.,
ing them, Colonel Lennox last of the,
group.
I neves care to leek .at ;white
THE BHUSSE,tLS POST 7
hyacinths," he said to Lady Castle.
mama; "theyremind me of one of tho
most pitiful sights I ever saw in my
life."
"What was it ?" elm asked.
"It is hardly a story to tell," be
answered.
"I ahould like to hear it," she said,
gently.
"Your wish must be law to me," he
cried; "the sweetest law."
She looked up at him in haughty sur-
prise, He was quick enough to perceive
his error.
"I beg your pardon, Lady Castle.
"
maine,"hesaid. I did not think hat
w
1 was saying ; we eo1diore have such
a
blunt, brusque
way of speaking.. Pray
forgive me. It is the fashion in camp
to say just what we think. You have
no idea, if we think anything sweet or
the reverse, how difficult we find it to
refrain from saying so. Am I forgiven?"
"Perfectly," she replied, with a
gracious bend of her golden bead. "Now
tell me the storywhy , and the white
hyacinths are ainfA! to you."
9"I should hardly call a story," he
said. "It is rather an incident that
happened at Isandula. I meet not men-
d name comrade, men-
tion the a o redo, but T will
Y
call him Gerald. A fair -Faced hand-
some, honest lad,' whom every one loved.
We e fou ht side byside at Isandula.
Twice I rescued im from those—,
forgive me, from the Zulus. The third
time ho was attacked he fell, pierced
through the heart with an assegai. I
raised him, and at some risk afterward
brought his dead body from the field.
When we undressed him, to see if by
any chance be might still be living, we
found in his breast a packet of white
hyacinths. Of course they were faded
and dead ; the assegai had pierced them,
and they were wet with his heart's
blood; but on the paper was written,
in his own handwriting :
"'If I fall in battle, send these to
her.'
"The name and address were written
beneath."
"Did you send them ?" she asked, in
a low voice.
Yes ; and I hove met the lady since.
She is one of the ornaments of London
society. I always see her bright, laugh-
ing, and gay ; yet I know that the
greatest earthly treasure she possesses,
the prize she values most on earth, is
the faded bunch of white hyacinths that
were wet with the heart's blood of her
lover."
He saw the tears dim the lovely blue
eyes, so tender and so tree.
"Did she marry 2" she asked.
"No. How could she, Lady Castle-
maine, after a romance like that 1"
"How much you have seen," she said,
slowly.
"Much that I should like to forget 1"
he cried ; and there flashed across his
mind the vision of a dead woman's face
—a woman whom friend and foe alike
aaidhe had driven to death.
"It is a grand life, that of a soldier,"
said Lady Castlemaine ; "and you must
have been born for it. You were made
to be a soldier; you could not have
been anything else—you are so strong
and eo fearless."
"I love my profession," he said.
"And you have made a great name in
it," she replied. He bowed low.
"Forgive me," ho said, "if I presume
to say, that is the sweetest praise I have
ever heard."
The queen gave you the Victoria
Cross herself, did she not 2" asked Lady
Castlemaine.
"Yes ; and that was the proudest mo.
went of my life, except one."
"What was that 2" she asked.
"I must not tell you yet," he answer-
ed.
"I shall always think of the lover and
his lady when I see white hyacinths fox
the future," she said. "Have you ever
been afraid in battle, Colonel Lennox 2"
"I think," ho replied, "that the very
bravest must feel something that is more
like awe than fear. It is difficult to re-
alize that this minute you are strong
and well, and that the next you may
be biting the dust, pierced to the heart
by sword or bayonet, or blown into
!atoms by a shell or ball. It makes a
man thoughtful."
I should think," she said, "that a
soldier must always keep himself ready
to die."
"I am afraid very few of us think of
it in that light," he answered.
Some of his wildest escapades had
taken place when death stared him in
the face, He continued
"No one feels either awe or fear when
the rush of battle begins. Then it is
hilae, not blood, that runs in a man's
veins ; the very air seems red. Ti a:re
is a great deal of the tiger in dare
having once tasted blood— Ila
stopped abruptly. "Forgive me again,"
he said. "I am very unfortunate bhiis
evening. I have shocked you."
"No," she replied; "you hove ouiy
made me think." Sho smiled as she
continued : "I cannot imaglbe that there
is anything of the tiger in you. Bub
then, brave men are always gentle."
It was almost a shook when Bethel
Hyde's voice sounded near them.
"I could not find you, Gertrude," she
said; "and Lord Castlemaine is looking
for you."
She did not seem in the least degree
flurried; her beautiful face was calm
and unconcerned.
"I have been hero some time," she
said. "Colonel Lonnox's stories fasoi-
nate me."
"I thought they would," said Isabel.
Ah,heaven! was it comat last?
at astDid she hold them threads of
the web in herow n fingers 7
At last 1 at last) He was looking at
•
Ler with paseionabe, adornag eyes, and
elle was serene and gracious.
"Does Lord Castlemaine wish to go
home?" asked the beautiful White
Rosa. "11 so, I am quite ready"
"She has no regret at leaving me;
thought the colonel.
'"Sha will not leave him so easily in a
low woeks' time," thought Isabel Hyde,
And Lady Castlemaine, in all the
pride and serenity of her loveliness,
swept from the conservatory.
"At Met 1 at last 1" said Isabel Hyde
to hereelf.
One watching her might have thought
she was preying, her lips moved so
earnee 1her co o bright.
t ,and fa wane b t
Yg
CHAPTJIB XXIV,
TnE LITTLE SEED.
,11a Ioome inHyde.
Isabel yd
-Yes," 2"said Is b 1 " Lady Castlemaine hastened to
answer. "I was longing for you. You
can go, Janet," said the young Countess
to her maid.
Thera could be no prettier picture
than the interior of that dressing -xoom,
with its hundred treasures of art, its
luxurious disarray.
LadyCastiemaine 1n a dressing.gown
+ gg
of pale blue ailk, embroidered in white
flowers, her long golden hair lying like
a yell over her shoulders, was one of
the loveliest pictures. The ruddy glow
of the firelight t fell full upon her and
deepened the delicious tints of her face,
her eyes, her hair, and her dress. She
pointed to a chair.
"Sit down, Isabel," she said. "I was
longing to see you. I have come to this
conclusion that the latest luxury on
earth is to have one's hair well brushed
after a long night's dancing."
"Brushing your hair is no light task,
it is so abundant," said Isabel, passing
her hand Caressingly over the shining
waves. Caressingly; but the thought
was that some day that saintly, queenly
head would be humbled to the duet.
'I shall not mind if I fall with her,"
she said to herself, "provided only that
she falls."
And there was ever before her, both
by day and by night, a picture of a
queenly White Rose fallen into the dust
and mire—withered, faded, and dead.
None of these thoughts were written
M her face; that was smiling and bright
enough, as she said:
"It was not about the luxury of hair-
dressing
you wanted to see mo Ger.
trude 7
"Indeed it was not," laughed Lady
Castlemaine. "I wanted to tell you
how much I enjoyed my conversation
with a great hero. Do you know, Isa-
bel, he seems quite different from other
men."
"He is different," said Miss Hyde,
with a peculiar smile. "Do you really
like him ?"
"I do; very much, indeed ; he interests
me greatly. Is he married, Isabel 2"
"No," replied Miss Hyde. "Such men
as Colonel Lennox never marry."
"But surely he loves some one. I
cannot imagine a brave knight without
a fair lady."
"There is none in his case," said Miss
Hyde, "or I should have heard of it. If
Colonel Lennox were to devote himself
to any woman, that woman would be
for the time queen of all fashionable
London."
"Why do you not enter the lists, Isa-
bel ?" asked Lady Castlemaine. She
held the shining waves of her hair in
her hand, and was watching the golden
hue. "You would win, I am surd."
"I might," said Isabel, carelessly ;
"but although I have a great admiratiou
for Colonel Lennox, he is not the kind
of man I should fall in love with or
marry."
"Perhaps not,"said Lady Castlemaine,
thoughtfully ; "but be is a great beta,
Isabel. Do you see how the fire flashes
from his eyes ? I should like for once
to see him in a rage ; he would be some-
thing magnificent."
"Something terrible." interrupted
Isabel. "I should not like it. But, Ger-
trude, you really would like to see him
sometimes and talk to him 2"
"Yes," answered Lady Castlemaine ;
"I really should."
"Then will you take a little advice
from me, Gertrude ? You will .never
regret it. You would like to be on friend-
ly terms with Colonel Lennox—to ask
him to your balls and parties 2"
"I should," said Lady Castlemaine.
"And you will bo able to do so, He
may even become the tame cat of the
house, if you will follow my advice,
Gertrude."
"Let me hear it, first," said Lady
Castlemaine.
"Say nothing about it just at first to
Lord Castlemaine."
"But why not 2" asked Lady Castle-
maine. "Why not, Isabel 7"
"T will tell you," she replied. She
drew the shining waves of golden hair
through her own hands, and there was a
strange, pale smile around her lips as
she answered. "I will tell you; for,
with all your quickness and cleverness,
you do not understand the world as well
as I do. I will toll you, Gertrude. Al-
though Colonel Lennox is the hero of
the hour—although he ie one of the
finest of her Majesty's officers, there
are just a few people with whom he is
not popular."
"They are jealous of him," said Lady
Castlemsane.
qt may be that," was the diplomatic
reply. "Colonel Lennox holes strong
political opinions of his own. He urged
a certain line of combat during the
Zulu war which made him enemies. '
"That is not just," cried Lady Castle -
mine.
"It is not just, but few things are in
this strangely lungs eel world," said
Isabel; and she tat her lips as She
thought of a certain injustice' done to
her.
"Men form strong opinions on such
hatters," she continued "and they are
often bitterly prejudiced against eaoh
other.
Not one word of the real stories
agalntt his olfaractot, which would have
made Lady Castlemaine dislike hire ;
not one whisper of that moral turpitude
which would havo made him distasteful
to her. She did not even hint at the
resume wily those who disapproved of
hie vices passed on the other side of the
road and held out no hand to him,
If Lady Castlemaine had heard even
one of those terrible stories about him,
she would have deolined to meet him,
and would have known that her hero-
worship
ero-
or hitheim res -
w s waswastod. But
slop so cleverly conveyed to ber was
that Colonel Lennox was eccentric or
peculiar in his line of politics, and so
drew on himself the dislike of those
who did hedid. The hole
not thin s d w
Nail*
world must admire him as a brave sol-
dier, a man of magnificent courage ;
but all men did not of necessity admire
his politics.
"But, Isabel," she said, "although
Rudolph takes the greatest interest in
politics, he would never be so unfair as
to dislike such a man as Colonel Lennox
en account of his opinions, let them be
what they ma Y
"I do not say that he dislikes him,
that is going too far; I merely say that
I have noticed in Lord Castlemaine a
shadow of dislike to him, a faint
shadow."
"I have never even heard him men-
tion his name," cried Lady Castlemaine.
"Nor have I," said Isabel. "It was
by his perfect silence when the colonel's
name was mentioned, and the expres-
sive shrug of his shoulders, that I knew
Lord Castlemaine did not like him."
"You are quick, and have a keen in-
stinct, I know," said Lady Castlemaine;
"but, even if it be so, why should Icare ?
I do not like all of Rudolph's friends,
nor do I expect him to like all mine."
"At last—at last 1" Isabel couldhard-
ly withhold the rapturous cry that rose
to her lips.
Here was the small seed sown in good
ground—if she could but cherish it, cul-
tivate it—watch it until it grew into a
strong plant. But she must be careful
—her fingers must not grasp it too
tightly, or it would perish—she must
guard it with a breath of flame or it
would die."
"No," she replied, softly, "that's quite
an exploded idea—indeed, the Caatle-
maine idea of matrimony is altogether
opt of date. Husband and wife in these
days choose their friends, and go each
in his or her own way."
"I would never choose a friend whom
Rudolph did not like though," said Lady
Castlemaine.
Ah! little seed, you are hardly strong
enough to plant at present
"0f course not," said Isabel, "and
that is why I am intruding my adviee
upon you. 1f you were to go to Lord
Castlemaine now, and say to him, 'I
have met Colonel Lennox, and I like
him, I should like him to be invited to
the konse he would, with all the Castle-
maine obstinacy, reply that he did not
like him, deoline to invite him, and
there would at once be civil war. You
see that, Gextrude ?"
"Yes," she replied, thoughtfully, "I
see it, Isabel."
"Whereas, if you.are careful and quiet
for a short time, you need not have one
word on the subject."
"But what is your advice ?" asked
Lady Castlemaine. "You have not given
it to me yet."
Resolute as she was, her lips paled,
and the hands that held the golden hair
trembled as she answered.
"1 should cultivate a friendship with
Colonel Lennox without your husband
knowing it ; not for long, just for a few
days or weeks, Then, when you know
him pretty well, and have established
your friendship, your husband will take
it as a matter of course, and there will
be nothing said."
"That seems to me a weak argument,"
said Lady Castlemaine. "Still, as you
are generally right in what you think, I
will be guided by you. But then, Isa-
bel, Rudolph is always out with us."
"Not always. You often drive alone
in the park; at afternoon tea Lord
Castlemaine is seldom present ; he has
his club engagements ; you go at times
to balls without him, and sometimes to
the opera."
"I did not know that I was so often
parted from him," said the young wife,
half sadly.
Isabel Hyde had the sense to know
that she had said enough. She was
wise enough to know that another word
would make Lady Castlemaine espouse
her husband's cause, and refuse the
friendship of a man whom he did not
like. She turned the conversation to
quite another subject, but she knew
from the expression of thonght on the
beautiful face that the seed she had
dropped had fallen on good ground.
No truer or more faithful wife lived
than Lady Castlemaine; she had no
thought, no interest, 00 care away from
her husband; she loved him with true
and love.
Buttender there was just a spice of romance
here that captivated her fancy—to form
a friendship with this magnificent man
who was a great hero. There was a
gleam of romance in it, and she had not
the faintest idea of evil or harm. She
was to make friends with him first, and
tell her husband afterward, when she
knew him well.
Isabel talked to her of the coming
masquerade to be held at Raneleigh
House, to be given by the Duchess of
Ilianeloigh, and which was to be the
leading feta of the season.
"Have you decided about your cos-
tume yet ?" the asked.
"No, T have not even begun to think
of itet. Should we go as Rebecca and
'Rowena, Isabel ?"
"With only one Ivanhoe between us,"
she replied, laughingly. "Oh, no, Ger.
inflame wo must think of something betterr
than that.
a
Sho did +et fall asleep till morning
"T0 an coeenmeD.1
,44
Jo mus Tmtu
1-3