LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2540, 30 May 1882, Page 4

LITERATURE.

WHO IS HE? OB LOVE AT SIGHT. (Concluded). Was it Ms Denman ? she was stUI asking herself as she at the drop scene ; and she decided in the negative, for the very weighty reason that he once never looked at her.

The bill—where was the play.bill? "Mr Spencer Jollffe." She put the play-bill down on the crimson satin cushion in front of her, and wished that nature had not selected this particular man to make a double of. Id faot, she heaved such a deep sigh —forgetting that she was not alone—that the gentleman standing behind her laughed so merrily that she started aghast, half fearing lest all her thoughts had been read.

There was no time for explanations ; up went the ourtain again, and Mr Spencer Joliffe was once more watched with intense Interest by the young conntess. 'Not a bad actor, that fellow,' observed one of the gentlemen. * I don't like him a bit—think he spoils the piece 1' said the lady he addressed. Lady OJenfellx shivered as if she had received a cold douche, and wished with all hf r heart she was baok in Charles street. These observations annoyed her, made, as they were, about the man who resembled Mr Denman. Oh, how fervently she wished that sho had never come to the Duchess's Theatre that night. She felt as if her most beautiful specimen of Dresden china had been knocked from its pedastal by a rough hand, and lay shivered in a thousand atoms at her feet. There was a supper party after the play; but Lady Glenfelix was very quiet; said she had a headaohe, and as soon as she could manage to do so unobserved, slipped off home to solitude. 'Miranda Countess has grown very odd of late,' exclaimed her hostess, as soon as she waa gone ; ' she looks and behaves as though she were possessed by spirits.' ' Should she leave town ? or should she stay a while longer ?' were the questions Lady Glenfelix revolved in her mind during the hours of a very sleepless night. Discretion told her to give an affirmative answer to Lord Bandolph, and forget that she had ever seen this mysterious stranger ; but discretion and Lady Glenfelix's feelings were scarcely in accord ; 'she would linger about the haunts of fashion for another week,'she decided—'make one more effort to be introduned to Mr Denman,'

This point settled, she went to sleep, and woke about ten o'clock, looking as froah and sweet and lively, as though late hours and weary thoughts were non-existent, when her maid brought in her letters. ' Would dearest H ira come to a very amusing entertainment that was to take place that afternoon at the Albert H»ll, in aid of tho Society for Organising Charitable Belief.' So wrote the Honorable Lady Blakeland. Of course, 'dearest Mira' was only toi delighted, and about ftur o'clock the two ladies, in the countess's victoria, might be seen driving towards Kensington, in the throng which the attractions of the destitute had brought together. Once inside the door, which, so great was the crowd, was the work of no small difficulty, Lady Glenfelix and her young companion found themselves in quite a circle of acquaintances. Ihe centre of the hall had been cleared out and turned into a promenade—the various performances going on in booths erected for the purpose. In fact, the coup d'au was very much that which a fair would produce if it were frequented by the ariatooraoy and its country element left out. Miranda was, as usual, surrounded by numerous admirers. Lord Bandolph, owing to her capaciousness, had rather cooled off of late, and left the field open to other competitors, who, perhaps, eaoh one In his vanity, thought that Lord Bandolph was his only rival. If so, more than one was destined to be dis illusioned at the fete, for on a sudden Lady Glenfelix exclaimed—'Who is he ? I must know wh3 he is !' Denman was standing not a dozen yards off, in his usual Irreproachable toilette. He had bestowed the gaze of admiration which Miranda's beauty always seomel to demand from him, and had turned away to look at some other fair object. 'That man there by the pillar?' asked the cavalier who at that moment happened ta be in attendance on her ladyship. ' Yes, yes --that man. I particularly want to know.' ' He is Spencer Joliffe, the acl;or.'

Lady G-lenfellx felt as if she must either faint or scream ; but she managed to oontrol herself, only she looked deadly white. ' Spenoer Joliffe ?' she repeated; 'ah, yes, I saw hitn at the Duchess's Theatre last night. He la very like aMr Dennun I have met —a most extraordinary resemblance.' • "Well, of course he is Uenman j that's his private name—swell of some sort, I believe.' ■ Mr Denooan is * She could utter no mnre. ■ A first rata fellow, and a capital actor,' put in her companion; 'shall I introduce you V 'No —not now; I do not fael very wall; some other time.' « You do look 111! Shall I ' Lady Glenfelix had fainted; and to get her through the throng into the air was no easy task. By herculean efforts, however, it was accomplished ; and no one rendered more willing assistance than Dicky Penman, known as Spencer Joliffe. When Miranda Countess opened her eyes, his face was the first object she saw. Would it have been wiser if she had declined to go to the fete, and left town that morning ? Being a sentimental woman."vhe ascribed all her meetings with Mr JDenmau to the mysterious workings of fate, and forgot to inquire what he thought about the matter. He was very courteous and gentlemanlike, and attentive—so much so that she mistook his seeming empressement for love. It wonld bave surprised her somewhat had she known that what she deemed love was the mere admiration Mr Denman was accustomed to bestow on every beautiful object, be It woman, picture, horse, or landscape. Miranda was more beantiful than most women; hence she came in for a larger share of his admiration. But if she had known how densely crowded wbb the gallery in wh!oh he placed her—what a number of of stars of equal and leaser magnitude had followed her admission there—Bhe would scarcely have been flittered. Besides, oonld the haughty countess forget that this man, known as tfpencer Joliffe, was an aotor —as such laying himself open to the criticism of anyone who chose to pay a shilling for a place In the pit ? 'So does a politician, an author, an orator,' she replied, when Miss Blak-iland raised this objection. But if she did not think the matter a iierious one, Mr Denman evidently had scruples—or perhaps was not sufficiently in love with the countess to give himself the trouble of a flirtation. He left a card in Charles street the day after the fete, but did not ask if she waß at home. This was a grave tffront, and one which her ladyship was not likely to forgive ; in fact, she wrote a noto at once asking lord Ban dolph to dinner, and to encouraged that forgiving youth that in twenty-four hours he proposed in due form, and was accepted. Lady G-lenfelix left town a few days later for her country house, only retprnir>g to London in October to order her wedding garments for the marriage, which waß to take place in November. Of course Mies Lucy Blakeland was a bridesmaid. Lady Tredmont gave a dance in the evenlog in honor of the event, and for Luoy's especial benefit. To that young lady's no small surprise, who should come to their dance but Mr Denman, who had been brought by a friend of Lady Tredmont'b. K aturaliy, he was introduced to the young lady of the house, who could not reeist a little chaff. She gave him, in a gushing way that she had, a graphic and perhaps slightly exaggerated account of all that bad occurred. To her intense amusement he looked considerably disconcerted. Owing to his indolence and too great appreciation of the beautiful, it was very plain that he had thrown away perhaps the greatest chance that had ever been offered him in his life. • And she is married, you say V ' Yes, married this morning.' He led the fair Lucy to her chaperon, murmuring to himself as he did so " There is a tide in the affairs of men Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune ; Omitted, all the voyage of their life Is bound in ahallows and in miseries."