LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume VII, Issue 721, 11 October 1876, Page 3

LITERATURE.

THE STORY OF BERYL KARR. ( Continued.) There was not a spark of humility in the manner of asking this question ; but doubtless humility would not have served his cause half as well as the pride that was almost haughty in its self-confidence. He saw the bright pink colour flicker into her face at his last words, the white throat give a quick nervous gasp, and the lids droop over the beautiful brown eyes. Never had she looked more lovely, and never had he felt more resolved to win her, no matter what betided, even, as she said, despite herself. Her very attempt at resistance gave her a charm in this man’s eyes without which hei face would have lost half its glamour over him. ‘ Tell me, Beryl, can you not learn to love me ? Can you not give your life into my keeping ?’ he said, clasping both her hands in his own, and watching every flutter of the long curling lashes on the rose-tinted cheeks. ‘ I can give you the things for which you long, and love besides them; such love as no other man will ever give you ! Beryl, my darling, will you not come to me ?’ Beryl stood silenVand still for a moment. The powers of resistance seemed ebbing away fast from her, and she was strangely conscious of being defeated in the strife which she had deliberately sought and so arrogantly met. At last she said, ‘ I cannot forget Carl, though you may be able to do so.’

But she felt herself humbled again, and knew how little weight her answer had, when Paul answered lightly, with a slight mockery in his voice, 4 1 think you will soon forget Carl, if you let me teach you how to do so. Beryl, can you not forget him even now ? Look at me, and let me read my answer in your eyes. ’ Even when Beryl lifted her eyes she meant to say to him, 4 You are wrong ; I can never forget that my faith is pledged to Carl.’ But something in the glance she met hushed her words. Everything seemed suddenly to waver and surge before her—the green swaying branches, the golden light, the handsome bending face with its deep gray eyes — and it was only when she felt the touch of Paul’s lips laid passionately on her own that she realised with a shock the extent of her indiscretion—the imprudent licence she had allowed him. Pakt 11. Standing all alone at an open window, gazing out vacantly on the smiling prospect, and feeling if possible more listless and discontented than ever, Beryl turned with a start as Carl’s voice fell close to her ear. 4 Berjl,’ it said, and she could read more anxiety and warmth in it than was usual in its tones. 4 1 am sure you are not well, and that you are trying to hide it from us,’ and he threw his arm lightly round her. But the girl shrank away from him though involuntarily, and her quick gesture struck him with surprise. 4 Why, Beryl I are you angry with me ? ’ he questioned, with infinite pathos, and a pained look stole over his placid features. 4 Angry with you, Carl!’ she replied, forcing a ghastly smile. 4 When did you ever do anything to vex me ? There is nothing the matter with me, except that the heat has made me languid; you will see it is that by feeling my pulse. ’ And she extended a slim wrist towards him ; but instead of taking it, Carl peremptorily placed his hand under her chin, and turned up the delicate face towards the light. 4 1 can judge better from your eyes than from your pulse. Let me see them, Beryl,’ he said gravely. But this Beryl would not consent to. She felt she was unworthy of meeting the honest glance that sought her own. So the white sculpturesque lids fell heavily, the slender dark brows met in an impatient curve. 4 Don’t, Carl ! ’ she flared out petulantly, 4 1 cannot endure such a glare. There is nothing the matter with me.' 4 Yes, but there is, Beryl! I have fancied you looked pale since the day you went down to the laboratory. I wonder if by any chance you inhaled any poisonous gas.’ 4 How ridiculous ! ’ said Beryl; but her smile was faint, and the bright colour that varied in her face would have aroused suspicion in any one but Carl. 4 1 shall bring Lennard to prescribe for you ; he is a bit of a physician as well as a chemist. If you have inhaled any poison he might give you an antidote. ’ 4 Nonsense, Carl. I have inhaled no poison, and if I had I do not wish for an antidote from Mr Lennard. Carl! ’ she went on passionately, her cheek turning ashy white now, 4 1 begged of you to send that man away when he first came here. It would have been wise if you had heeded my words—much better.’

‘ Then Lennard has offended you again, Beryl. lam sorry for that. I did not care for him to rouse your dislike.’ ‘ I did not say I disliked him, Ob, can one not distrust a person without —without disliking him ?’ ‘ No, I cannot understand that ; with me to like and to trust are synonymous terms.’ ‘ That is to say that you could not learn to like any one you distrusted ; but surely, Carl, one can contrive to like or even love some people, even if one had cause to distrust them.’

‘ I do not think so,’ he replied simply. 1 It would be such dreadful work too to love any oue and distrust them. In fact I could not bear it. I could not bear to distrust you, Beryl,’ he brought out with a sudden vehemence that astonished her.

‘ And yet I may be unworthy of your trust,’ she said quietly. ‘ Beryl! ’ ‘Well, Carl?’ ‘Do not put such ideas into my head,’ he told her gravely, but a little sternly. Placid and apparently unimpressionable, Carlton Pelham had more true blood and noble spirit in him than the girl gave him credit for. In his way he loved her dearly, but he loved his honour more. Coldness from her he could have borne, but suspicion of her would have changed his indolence of character into a temperament that Englishmen attain to when aggressed in the tenderest point.

Beryl looked up at him steadily for an instant, then she laid her hand on his arm. * Carl,’ she said slowly, as if she were weighing her words before they fell, ‘ do you believe that I shall make you happy ? Ido not believe it I I am not the wife for you ; neither am I fitted for the life that your wife must live.’

* Beryl! what is the matter with you ? ’ and Carl held her two hands close, as though he feared she was going to leave him there and then. ‘lf I believe that you are the only woman I have ever seen that could make me happy, why should you doubt it ? Marriage will alter your idea of things, and you will grow to like domestic life. And, Beryl,’ his face flushed deeply and he spoke a little shyly, * you forget that I love you and see no fault in you 1 ’ She sighed wearily almost and turned away from him. ‘lf you knew me as I really am, you would not love me one whit, she said deliberately. ‘ Carl, you had better give me up, and let me die out of your memory.’ ‘ Beryl, have you found out that you do not care for me enough to become my wife ?’ And his voice was piteous, and struck her painfully. Now was her moment to seek and get release, but she shrank back into herself with a cowardly feeling. Carl’s eyes, gazing into her own, seemed to embody all the affection and care that had been bestowed on her ever since she had found shelter at Pelham. It seemed the basest ingratitude to throw him off, just for the sake of another man, and that man one in whom she had no faith. A vision of the long years she had passed beneath Carl’s roof, of the thousand proofs he had given her of his honest true liking, presented itself; and in her heart an impulse of self-abnegation rose up. ‘Carl,’she cried, ‘I was not thinking of myself, but of you. I will marry you when you like, but you must never forget that I have told you how unfitted, how unworthy I am to be your wife.’ A great wave of gladness came over Carl’s face as he listened. In the joy of still holding her promise he forgot his usual shy reserve.

* You are all I want, my pretty one,’ he wispered quite softly ; even to look at you would bring sunlight and gladness to my heart. ’

4 But I shall not be pretty always,’ quoth Beryl, hating her prettiness at the moment. It was the root of all her trouble. But for the rose-leaf bloom on her cheek, the fresh scarlet of her lips, the lustre of her eyes, Carl would not perhaps have cared to marry her, Paul Lennard would not have lingered at Pelham, and the discontent which burned within her would never have found birth.

4 lf I had been ugly, I should have been good, and I should have liked home life,’ she thought, with a desperate longing for a sallow face and lack lusture eyes, 4 Carl, I had almost forgotten that I have to go out with your mother presently,’ she said hurriedly, anxious to get away from him —from everybody—even from herself if she could have done so ; and she ran up to to her own room and, double locking the door, flung herself on her knees by the bedside, but not for the purpose of prayer. She only buried her face in her hand and moaned, 4 What is to become of me ? It would be base and wicked to leave them all as he wishes me to do, and yet I shall go mad if I have to keep up such deceit much longer. It breaks my heart to meet Carl’s—good, kind, tame, stupid Carl’s—honest glance, and to know that I am not worthy of a look from him. Shall I keep this engagement and make myself miserable, or break it and make him wretched ? But have I a liberty of choice even ? Am I not a slave, bought by these people, and paid for my value ? ’ And her lips curled as she saw the luxury and fine raiment around her. 4 Assuredly this pink and white face of mine isn’t worth more than these things. Yet to be free from all this intolerable monotony ! ’ And she smiled at the vision of the freedom she wanted ; but the next moment the smile faded, and a wild haggard expression came over her features. 4 lt must end soon, somehow, thank Heaven. In another month I must marry Carl, or ’ she paused. A dazed scared look filled her eyes. 4 lt I had but the courage to be either wholly true or wholly false ! Everything would be easier if I were better or—worse,’ she murmured. And Beryl unconsciously epitomised her whole character in these last words. It was quite true that everything would have been easier with her if she had been either better or worse, if she had stood upon a higher or lower plane of action and feeling. As it was she succumbed to a temptation which a nobler nature would have resisted, while she stood firm where a more selfish nature would have given way, and walked over all obstacles to the end. In a torture of conflicting circumstances thus created she was rent and torn by the struggle she provoked, and out of which came neither victory nor defeat; and Beryl learned the lesson that to pause midway between good and evil, to strive to reconcile honour and dishonour, truth and falsehood, is the most hopeless problem that a hnman soul can attempt to solve.

Drying her eyes at last, Beryl donned her hat and departed with Mrs Pelham as she had promised, and moreover contrived to keep up a flow of conversation and spirits, with which the elder lady was enchanted. When they entered the gates of the Manor it was late in the day. ‘ There is no one at home,’ Beryl said, glancing at the front of the house. The next moment Paul appeared and assisted them out of the carriage. ‘ I have had Pelham to myself pretty well to-day,’ he remarked, with a slight laugh. ‘ Carl and his father have been gone out a long time, but excessive heat and dreadful laziness overpowered me, and made me refuse their persuasions to accompany them.’ Beryl meanwhile lingered at the carriage door, solicitous apparently for the welfare of Mrs Pelham’s parcels, and in a moment she found herself standing loaded with these and alone with Paul.

‘ Why are you so cold and changed to me, Beryl ? ’ he questioned imperiously, taking the packages summarily out of her hands and throwing them carelessly on the turf. ‘ Am I cold and changed ? ’ the girl replied, with a curt laugh. _ ‘ If you like I will tell you the meaning of it. And she stood erect, facing him with the hauteur of a young Eastern queen. The crimson of the setting sun fell full on her hair, decking its bronze with golden tints, and giving her features a beauty that was startling. Paul stood entranced.

‘Beryl,’ if I could only paint you as you stand there, what a picture you would make ! omy darling, my beautiful Beryl, what a sensation you will create in the world!’

‘lnto which I shall never go,’ Beryl said decidedly and bitterly. ‘ That was what I wished to tell you. This must all end, and at once. I have made up my mind to it. I shall marry Carl and remain at Pelham,’ [ To be continued,']