LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2527, 15 May 1882, Page 4

LITERATURE.

THE GOVERNESS’S SECRET. ( Concluded ). * What have you to tell me ?’ demanded North, hoarsely. But the blow had virtually fallen. North alreaoy knew from her countenance and her words, by some sure instinct ha felt that Marion Lockhart’s miesion, be it what it might, was of a nature to separate thorn as wide as the oust is from the west. *I am married. That is what I came to say.’ said Marlon ; and as coon as she had spoken, she hid her face in her handkerchief without waiting to see the effect of the communication upon her lover. ‘ What ?’ shouted he ; ‘ what do you tell me?’

* I am already married.’ repeated Marion, in a broken voice of Infinite weariness and sadness.

Talbot North grasped her by the shoulder. Ho almost shook her in her bewilderment. ‘Do you know what you are saying ? You tell me that you are married.’ ‘lt is tie simple truth. I was married some years ago.’ ‘Good heavens ; all is indeed over,' groaned North. After that there was a pause. The young man was wrestling with the anguish of his wound in absolute stillness ; wnile Marlon only stirred at intervals to wipe the tears that were coursing down her o’c eeks. The suspense was becoming Intolerable to Marion, and at last she rose to end the Interview. But her movement aroused North, who had hitherto remained, his head supported on his arm, motionless against the mantelpiece. She h»d looked for some harsh, speech, words of contempt, hatred ; but tho face that he now turned towards her was a severer punishment than any reproach his Hts could have uttered. She gazed at him in stricken amazement ; it seemed as though years of suffering must have passed over his head to havo altered his features so greatly. ‘ Why did I never know this before?’ asked ho huskily ; 1 why have you kept it secret ?’

* Mine la a very unhappy itory,’ answered Marion with quivering lips ; ‘ when I was very young I made a most unfortunate marriage ; my husband proved utterly unkind, unworthy; and after a very few months t left him. Wishing to put it out of his power to trace me, I took my second name, that of Lockhart. I have never seen or heard of him since.’

•Is my sister aware of these oircum stances ?’

‘ She knows nothing,’answered Marion, a streak of crimson flashing across the pallor of her cheek; ‘sometimes, while Mrs Montagu has treated me with such c nfi denoe and kindness, I have f- It my so f a kind of imposter. But often r I forgot perhaps you can havdly believe it—but I forget that I have any other name than that of Lockhart. I have been very happy here,’ she added with a sigh. ‘ Poor child !’ breathed Mr North, softly. * Shall you inform Mrs Montagu of this ? Will it be right to do bo?’ asked Marion a little anxiously, after a pause of alienee and of painful reflection on the part of bath. * What sort of a mau do you take me t-' be ? No, your secret is safe so far as I am concerned.’

‘ Have I done wrong V inquired Marion again after e brief hesitation. ‘ We are not able to be judges of one another,’answered North, a oeitain gentleness tempering the gravity of fals manner and words ; ‘ but you have done hirm. Dj you not see, child, that your putting yourself in a false position works evil by putting men like myself in o false position also I’

‘ Will you forgive me ?’ she asked, timidly ; • and will ycu forget ?’ 4 I forgive you ; forget you I never can. It most be my lot to leva yon while life lasts.’

‘ Oh, hush ? I am too greatly punished But it Is not true ; happiness may yet bo iu store for yon ’ ‘Stay!’ cried North, interrupting her sternly; ‘ say nothing of that kind, i never breathed the word cf love to any woman before, and I never shall again. 1 loved you and must continue now to love yon to the end.’

1 Well, good-bye, and good luck to you ! Mind you get the appointment * said Mr Montagu to Taibot the fallowing morning, prior to the departure of the letter for London, whither he was going on bu iinass. * Thanks ; but I have changed my mind as to settling in England 5 I intend to return to India.’ As ha made the announcement North saw Miss Lockhart start violently, then her eyed met hie in one burning gaze In which their very souls met, and the truth was confessed From that moment North knew that her life was no less wrecked than his own, that the parting was no less grievous to her than to him j and he could not have told whether the knowledge were more bitter or more sweet.

‘ Nonsena», we shan’t let yon go abroad again,’ said his brothor-in-law lightly, for ho did not attach much consequence to North’s remark, treating it as a mere momentary ex presaion of perversity. Only Marion Lockhart understood tha serious purpose underlying his words. ‘Of course not,’ said Mrs Montagu, in echo of her husband ; ‘ well, we sh*ll see you back this day week ; you are going no further than London, I suppose ? ’ ‘ And into Kent,’ replied North in a somewhat absent tons of voice.

‘ Kent ! What takes you there ? ’ inquired Mrs Montagu In surprise. ‘lt is only upon some business of other people’s,’ replied North in a tone that did not invite farther questioning.

And a few minutes later a servant announced that the dog cart was at the door, and the young man was borne swiftly away,

It was oharacteristio of Talbot North that ha attended in the first place to the business which ho had declared to be that of other people. Upon his arrival in London he delayed only to tako a hasty luncheon at his hotel and to write one or two letters, and thee, driving to Charing Cross, he took rail once more. As the train drew near to the small village of Knuhford, his destination. North pulled a small Hat parcel out of the breast pookot of his coat Examining the seals to make sure that they were intaut, he carefully read the address legibly wrltttn on one side of the parcel; and then, replacing it in Us former receptacle, fell to considering how he could best discharge the mission with which he was fraught. This was the conveying to a wife the intelligence of the death of her husband The event had taken place in a foreign land some twelve mouths before, and North had gathered that a coldness and separation had existed between the wedded pair ; but the dews of death were already gathering fast over the sick man’s brow when he, Mr North, the only European within reach, had been called to the bedside, and, to ease the mind of the dying stranger, had undertaken the charge of seeking out hia wife and imparting the intelligence of her loss. At length North was about to discharge the melancholy trust, and for all he knew the nows might call forth the bitterest regret and anguish. Hr North went straight to the Post office, as the most likely place in which to dircover the address of Mrs Milman. It was at the same time an emporium for the sale of drapery, and the whole force of the mercantile establishment, as weil as the entire body of her Majesty’s officials, drew near to listen to North’s inquires.

No such person as Mrs MUman was known.

* She was a Miss Wilson,’ explained North, by way of assisting the memories of these Rushford people. *Oh ! Miss Wilson ! She left here years ago; went away whin her mother died.' ‘ Do yon know of anyone who wa> intimate with her who could give mo her present address ? ’

A great shaking of heads attested the general ignorance. ‘This is strange,’ muttered Ncrth; ‘very strange.’ But the matter had altogether very little interest for him, so giving up tho quest, he took the next train back to town, where he put into the hands of a private inquiry office the business of discovering the lady who had so mysteriously disappeared. The task was a very small one for those accomplished gentleman. Upon the morning of tho fourth day, as North eat at breakfast in the coffee-room of his hotel, a note was given him containing all necessary particulars. The missing person had been traced, her past employment and history learnt; and her present address was furnished for Mr North’s farther purposes in accordance with his request. The effeot of this latter upon North was remarkable ; ho sprang up from his chair ; first the color rushed into his face, then as suddenly retreated, leaving his countenance pile and set; and the letter almost dropped from hia nerveless fingers, while his eyes fixed themselves upon vacancy. It was fortunate that he happened to be alone in the room. At last, calling for his bill, North made some pretext of completing his breakfast; but his appetite was gone with his tranquility, and live minutes later ho rose and quitted the hotel. At three o’clock upon the same afternoon he was walking up the avenue to his sister’s house at Freshfieid, trying to resolve a difficulty which had just presented itself to hia mind —that of accounting to his family for his sudden appearance again in their circle. This was a gordian knot which he utterly failed to undo, but which was cut for him in one moment by the servant who opened the door. ‘Master and mistress have gone from home, sir ; they will not be back till some time to-morrow,’ said that functionary, in some distress over his ill-timed arrival, and quite expecting Mr North to ba overwhelmed with vexation.

On the contrary, Mr North received the tidings with cheerful resignation, and at once inquired for Miss Lockhart. 1 1 have sent for yon because I have something of imeortanoo to communicate,’ said North to her, as soon as Marion had joined him In the drawing-room. * Something of importance to communicate !’ echoed Marion, with the vagne alarm that often seized her; ‘ will you tell me quiokly ?’ • Sit down,’ said North, gently, taking her trembling band, and leading her to a low easy-chair; then, seating himself nearly opposite her, he resumed, ‘I only want now to ask one or two questions. Do you mind telling mo your present name ?’ She strove to answer, but for a time her quivering lip* seemed as though they would refuse their office. At length only a slnglw word was audible. ‘MUman.’

* That before ?—I mean your maiden name.’ • Marlon Lockhart Wilson.’

• Exactly. I only wished to be sure of making no mistake, ’ The sad eyes of the poor frightened girl asked the question her tongue could not put: his motive in making these enqubioa North lost no time in replying to the glance more pathetic than words. ‘lhave a trust to fulfil ; when I undertook it, I thought I should have been in England much earlier than has actually been the case, otherwiie I should have endeavored to attend to the matter by other means than a personal interview; I must express my regret for my delay. About twelve moot mb ago I was up country, a long distance from Bombay, surveying in a wild and louely district, when I was fetched one evening to bob a sick parson, an Englishman. Il'noSs will do its work sharply in that climate; four and twenty hours wdl often tee the beginning and the end, and I now found this unfortunate stranger at the point of death.’

Mr North paused ; but he saw by Marion’s face that the conclusion was half-divined.

‘Go on,’ whispered she, the breath coming and going fast between her parted lips.

‘ That person was V * Henry Miltnan.’ North had almost expected her to faint or fall to weeping ; but Marion did neither. Her head dropped back against her chair and she closed her eyes for a moment in silent thought or prayer. ‘ Did he suffer much ?' she murmured at length. ‘ No doubt he had suffered great pain,’ answered North, ever straightforward and truthful whatever the temptations to the contrary might be; ‘ but by the time I reached him he was fast lapsing into uncons' iousnese. ’

‘ Did he—did he speak at all about—raligior ?' she asked next, hesitatingly. ‘ 1 read him a psalm, and said a prayer at his desire.’

VMad he no message to send to me ?’ ' The power of speech was beginning to leave him when I saw him ; he took thought, you perceive, for the news of his death to rea h you. He was but just able to give me the necessary names and one or two bare pa-ticnlars, which I at once took down in writing. In this packet,’ continued North, placing in her hand a small sealed ptroel, • you will find one or two articles, and the precise date of his death, place of burial, and so forth. Bo a-sared that everything was as thoroughly attended to as his friends could possibly desire,’ concluded the young man, without adding that it was of his care and at his expense that all this had been done for the destitute stranger.

She rose from her seat to leave the room. North attended her to the door, and opening it, waited for her to pass through; but b, fore doing so, Marion turned round, and her gratitude shining out through her w-=t eyes, she said simply and softly— ‘ Thank you for your gooanets to him, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I suspect your klndners was even more and greater than you have told me.’ The next moment Talbot North was alone. Before there was a chanca of Miss Lockhart being down the next morning, or of Mr and Mrs Montagu’s return, Talbot North had left again. Mrs Montagu was in despair at having missed her favorite brother’s brief visit; but a letter which she received from himself a little later brought consolation, for it announced that he had abandoned the idea of returning to India, and was making arrangements for settling in England, * He must have been offered a splendid appointment to alter his plans so greatly,’ said Mrs Montagu, sagely, And her hu-.band was about to endorse this opinion, whoa he changed to catoh sight if Miss Lockhart’s face, illuminated with a tender roseate glow. ‘ There is the true cause of the change,’ said he to himself ; ‘we are to have a wedding.’ And Mr Montagu was tight both in his conclusions and his prophecy.