LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2526, 13 May 1882, Page 4

LITERATURE.

THE GGVEBNESS'3 SECRET. Mr Montagu's children were nloe but troublesome, as all really healthy children, with plenty of animal spirit?, are, or should be. On the night of the opening of this story they had been unusually boisterous, the whole crowd of them (boys and girls), seemingly determined to try their good mother's patience. At !a<t all the noisy little mischief makers were despatched to bed, but was it surprising that their unhappy mother was worn out, pale, and tearful at the end of the weary day ? ' I suppose those young rebels have been half killing you?' began her husband, as soon as the dinner was over and the pair were left alone; 'I have no doubt that Ethel has been feeding the baby with ashes, Guy and Harry having a stand-up fight, and all tho rest making noise enough for Bedlam.'

The picture was so far bslow the reality that Mrs Montague discreetly forbcre to mako any reply. ' Well 1 something must be done. I've spoken of it before, and now the thing ahsll be done,' resumed the oraole, ' we'll have a governess for them.' And rising from his seat, Mr Montague reached paper, pen and ink, and forthwith drew up en advertisement, which he read aloud. * Wanted a Governess. Learning and accomplishments of no consequence; strength of arm the only indispensable qualification. Apply,' &c. ' Robert, state the facts; sweet and talented chi'dreD, but their education rather neglected.' ' Humph I' ejaculated the husband, in a tone that savoured of scepticism. It was according to the notions of neither parent precisely that the notice was eventually drawn up; bat one was at last written out and despatched by that very night's post that advertisement in the course of the next few days, exactly eighty-four replies were received, and what the ultimate decision would have been it would be hard to say, but fur the intervention of a chance circumstance. One afternoon as Mrs Montagu sat in the dining-room, for the twentieth time tnrning over the various lettera of application, a servant entered, carrying upon his tray a lady's visiting card, bearing the words, " Mia 3 Marion Lockhart." It was the name of <ne of the applicants for the situation of governess. * Good gracious ! Will the whole eightyfour call?'exclaimed Mrs Montagu, and in her dismay would have gone straight off into a faintirg fit, but that there was no person at hand to recover her; so, postponing the troublesorr.e ceremony, she hastened to the drawing-room to her visitor _ ' Pray sit down,' she said, indicating a chair near the fire, while she herself sank upon a couch opposite. ' Thank you; I have ventured to call because I cannot afford delay in finding a frenh situation,' replied the stranger timidly ; ' I hope it does not inconvenience you to see me.'

' Not in the least, I am glad yoa have called,' replied the elder lady, who was pleased with her new acquaintance. The girl's pleasant, well-modulated voice and graceful manner were attractive; her dress was simple and neat, and her face, Mrs Montagu came to tho conolmion, was without exception tho most beautiful she had. over seen. In repose It was sad, as though its owner, young as_ she was, had known lorrow and suffering in no common measure.

Miss Lockhart at once proceeded to state her qualification*. These were perfectly satisfactory, and just as the young lady was concluding hsr story, Mrs Montsgu heard a welcome sound in the hall. It was hor husband's step, and his return from town at tho moment was most opportune. Excusing

herself briefly to her visitor, Mrs Montagu flew to consult with her husband. After hearing her account of the candidate, Robert Montagu followed his wife into the drawingroom. Miss Lockhart could not fail to be aware thit his entranoe was for the purpose of inspection, but the kuowledge did not seam to disconcert hor in the least. On the contrary, she convened with them easily for a f >w mioutes, and then rose to take leave. ' You will write then, Mrs Montagu, t:> L >dy Ringwood T I eupposo you will be satisfied with hor recommendation alone? added Miss Lookha t, hesitatingly, and it was the first sign of nervousness that she had betrayed j ' L have lived with her for f >ur years ' ' Certainly; lb will be quite sufficient,' said Mrs Montagu, And there the interview would have ended, but U.r Montagu had suddenly a fresh suggestion to make. 'My dear,' L-aid ho, turning to his wife, ' you are going into town this week ; could you not go to-morrow and call in Portland Place r '

'lt may not be convenient to Lady Ringwood to boo me,' said Mrs Montagu, coloring a little with baahfniness, ' she Is leaving for Mentone in a few days for the benefit of her husband's health.'

' fray call!' cried Miss Lockhart, eagerly, ' if It is not putting you to too much trouble, I should like yoa to speak to Lady BiDgwood ; and she, I am sure, would prefer it to writing,' continued the young lady with confidence ; and she spoke the truth. The distance from Freshfield to London was but a matter of twenty miles or thereabouts, and it was still early when Mrs Montagu found her way next day to Portland place, where she met with a kind reception. Lady Ringwood and Laura Montagu moved in very different spheres of society, but both were essentially good women, and they understood one another instinctively. Of Miss Lockhart, Lady Ringwood spoke with the most cordial cornmet datlon

' I can only say, Mrs Montagu, that I myself regard Miss Lockhart with feeliDgs of sffooHon and esteem. Her management of children is wondeiful. Mine adore her, yet she is in many respects very strict with them. I feel parting with her deeply, and havo offered to make arrangements to keep her; but she prefers to be independent, perhaps justly. The truth is that I can hardly dieouss Mis 3 Lockhart under the form of employer and employed; she has been more of a friend to me.'

Naturally, as the upshot of the interview, Miss Lookhart was engaged by Mrs Montagu, it being furthor arranged that she should go down to Freshfield upon the following Monday to enter upon her new duties Mrt Montagu found Miss Lookhart all that Lady Kingwood had declared her, and more. She kept all those unruly little people in check, yet made them happy ; and very shortly her olever help and sweet temper had rendered her indispensable to Mrs Montagu, who coald no loDger have imagined exi.tenoe without her invaluable governsss's aid and support. Time went on, bringing no changes Into that quiet house at Freshfield. At length, after a couple of years of this peaceful monotony, a small event was in prospect which promised to vary the order of things. This was the return home, after ten years' absence in India, of Mr Talbac North, Mrs Montagu's only brother; and that little lady, grown younger and plumper, thanks to Miss Lockhart s care, was in a happy flutter of expectation. It was Sunday nictht, a fair moonlit Sabbath evening, and Mr and Mrs Montagu had gone to church, leaving Miss .Lockhart at home ImpartiDg a little instruction to their numerous offspring. As Miss Lockhart was thus engaged her attention wa» caught by the sound of a footstep on the gravel walk without; the next moment the hall bell was sharply pulled. It was f jllowed by a brief dialogue between some newcomer and the only maid servant st home, which terminated simultaneoutly with the appearance of the stranger in the drawing-room. This unexpected and unknown visitor was a tall handsome man of about thirty or thirty-five years of age, and as he stood within the doorway surveying the wondering group about the table, he smiled in an amused fashion. At once it inehed across Miss Lnckhart's mind who was the unseasonable intruder, and meanwhile the new comer had not all the gazing to himself, for the children's six pairs of eyes were riveted npon him in unmitigated astonishment. Finally the gentleman spoke. 'Do you not know me ? ' asked he laughing delightedly. * I think you must be Mr North,' answered Miss Lookhart, half rising from her seat.

'And yon, I am sure, are Miss Lockhart.' said Mr North, for it was no other than Mrs Montagu's brother who bad returned at this inopportune moment; 'by name, at least, you are exceedingly well known to me,' continued the y i ung man, aa he oame forward with frankly outstretched hand. • You uncle Talbot!' exclaimed Guy, in toneaof manifest disapproval and disappointment, for their Indian uuole had been- a species of hero to them ; ' came baok like that I Why, you might be anybody !' Miss Lnokhart, loosing at the young man standing before her in bis splendid strength, with hla engaging debonnaire expression of countenance, could not endorse Master Guy's di oernlng judgment. • Have you dined, Mr North ?' inquired she, aa It ocourred to her that she ought to play hostess in Mrs Montagu's absence; ' what will you take Y ' Nothing at present, thank you, except a cup of tea, if I cm have one.' So Mi« 3 Lockhart, mindful of her responsibilities, made the tei and brought him a cup with her own hands, North watching the process, ar.d r.dmiricg her dainty grace while she was at work. She waa dressed only in a plain dark woollen gown, but it fell about her slender form in soft undulating folds as moved across the room, while about her neck was drawn a white handkerchief of filmy lace, the quaint style of which set off her peculiar beauty. Talbot North found himself noting all these details with extreme interest. Every pulse of Talbot North's being would long beat to the slight incidents of that evening; every word spoken was graven upon his heart in letters of enduring stone. Mr North hid just finished drinking his tea when a slight commotion in the hall annonnoed the return ot the church-goers. Miss Lockhart rose in haste.

'I had better go and tell Mrs Montagu,' she said, and left the room. In a moment Mrs Montagu had reached the drawing-rooai, and her plump Utile form was clasped in her brother's arms. ' Oh. Talbot! you promised to write or telegraph ; imagine our being gone to church and everything! What have you had V ' Miss Lockhart very kindly gave me a cap of tea,' answered North. ' A cup of tea I' exclaimed Mrs Montagu with a shriek of horror ; 'a cap of tea after o jtning from Bombay I Good gracious ! Wo must have supper at once ; and for me to be out when you arrived ! 1 could cry; where are your belongings ? Shall we send to the station for them ?' ' I have nothing but a hand-bag; an accident detained me in Paris, and they left by a previous train ; I suppose they will turn up all in good time.' It was only a very few days later that Mr Montagu, talking alone with his wife, suddenly started a novel idea in an enquiry he made ; and although the question was put in joking form, it was none the less suggestive. ' My dear, are you preparel to lose your invaluable governess, and to receive her in the new relation of sister-in-law ?' ' What do yon mean, Kobert V ' Does nothing strike you with regard to Tr.lbot and Miis Lockhart?' ' Talbot likes Miaa Lockhart, and respects her, as we all do. but there is nothing more between ihem that I see.' ' Talbot likes Miss Lookhart very particularly, and not as we all do.' retorted Mr Montagu, laughing; ' her sentiments are, to my mind, the only doubtful point in the affair,' added the speaker, thoughtfully. * A royal prinoess would be proud to many Talbot.' eaid that gentleman's sister fondly, and the belief was not so remarkable, for Talbot North, with his charm of manner and his aunny temper, was a universal favoiite. « But Talbot might have looked higher than a girl in Marion Lockhart's position,' concluded Mrs Montagu, a little regretfully. 1 She trill make him an excellent wife,' said Mr Montagu, with commendable common sense and right feeling. 'No one says otherwise,' returned his partner, in gentle reproach; ' the marvel

to me is that Talbot had not married before ' The very contingency that had aiemed bo imoossible in his sinter's judgment came to pais. Mr North mado a formal proposal of marriage to Miss Lockhart, and was rejected. refusal was firm and decided, bat on the other hand It was given with evident emotion, seeing which North took heart of grac, and in the interview spoko hoptfully of a different result In the future.

' 1 shall plead my e.inee again, Miss Lookhurt; I darerve my present failure, beoauso iu my eagerness I have spoken too sooti.' * I wish I could persuade you that my answer la quite final,'replied Miss Lockhart with a distress of manner that wai In strong opposition to the tranquil confidence of his tov.e" and mien ; ' you must indeed go away atd forget me.' • 'Forgot you!' he returned, In a voice tremulous with earnestness ; 'my darling I shall never forget you while the world stands.'

Moving her head from side to side as though seeking some visible refuge in which to hide her distress, she stood In silence for a few minutes white her oompanion awaited her next words with an Impatient anxiety. 'lf you only knew it, I am unworthy of your lea*t regard; of a moment's iotereat! ' she said at length, with a cry of anguish. ' Put me out of your thoughts, give ma no place in your heart,' she resumed, after a apaoe of silence ; ' I do not want you to hate mo, but you must forget me. And let this interview be our last meeting,' she added, in a broken voice. Then giving one quick, deprecatory glance into his face, which pain and trouble were beginning to darken, Marion stole from the room.

Avoiding the drawing room, with its cheerful atmosphere of talk and music, Mr North chose to pass the evening of that momentous day alone in the library, an apartment little effected by any member of that unstudious household. Long he sat there immersed In thought, reviewing the events of the afternoon. A sanguine man by nature, and desperately anxious for aucoess in this matter, he was very loth to give up the hone of winning Marion Lockhart for his wifa ; yet the conviction would force itself upon his mind that her refusal was, as she had declared, final. An interruption came at length in the shape of a li;;ht tip at the door, startling North in the midst < f his gloomy reflections. ' Come in,' he called out impatiently. Thereupon the handle of the door was softly turned ; tho do->r itself was next pushed wide, and carofullv again closed and latchei ; and then Norih raised his eyes to s.'o who the intruder upon his sad solitude might bo. Immediately a great change came over his counteuauco, and a smile sprang to his Hpr Q His visitor waß his own fair beloved, looking lovelier even than her wont as Bhe advanced with a alight flush of crimson upon eaoh cheek, aod her slender fingers interlacing themselves in palpable embarrassment, Observing her expression and hesitation, Mr North oame to a happy ooncluslon in hia own mind, a d going forward took her tenderly by the hand, Sho made no resistance ; but, whatever the saying she had come to deliver, it did not seeta easy of utterance, for although her lipa parted once or twice, no sound came from them.

• You mistook your own feelings this morning,' crlod North at length in the face of her silence, his voice subdued, joy thrilling In every tone ; ' you have come to tell me that yon am going to bless mo with some morsel of hope.' ' I should hardly come to tell yon that,' answered Marion, giving a faint smile under the sense of amusement that some trifle will of cen furnish in the midet of deep suffering. 'I beg your pardon; I thought that perhaps of your goodness you wished to bestow a crumb of comfort upon me before I went away,' said North, with the meekness of great love. ' No, it is nothing of that natnre,' Miss Lockhart made reply, sinking into the chair that North placed for her; 'but I have come to inform you of a fact, because to do so is the only atonement I can make you. And I pray,' added she, momentarily lifting ht>r sad eyes to heaven, 'I pray that the confession may undo the consequences of my sin. I hr,ve nothing else left to hope and pray for.' (To ht continued.)