CHAPTER XLV.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 191, 12 February 1887, Page 6

CHAPTER XLV.

" THE FERN FANTASIE." The trinket which Helen Hope left in Norman Leigh's hand was a lunar-moth, made of pea-1 and silver, a protty trifle enough He stood looking at it in the privacy of the window embrasure, where she had found him. It was quite open to him to refuse her appointment; ho had told her on the Seine bridge that he would nevev meet her again ; he could absent himself from the " fern fantaeie," or, by not wear ing the pearl ornament, lose himself in the crowd of similar maeques which would there be assembled But Leigh had a fierce, abnormal craving for excitement. Helen's mad adoration flattered his pride, and hia curiosity was strongly excited to learn how abe had coaoe among Mrs Ainelie'a guests, and how she couid be of the small exclusive company of the Countes9 of Norfolk. Tho Counters of Norfolk waa a women of great genius, kind heart, and lofty reputation ; ahe was also given to the most extravagant whims—had always some new mania of the hour, and was royally lavish in expenditure. For three years ferns had been the great passion of the Countess of Norfolk. Her fernery had become celebrated in all England—we may say in the world—for she received now ferns from the four quarters of the globe, and botanists camo from many lands to study her treasures. The counto°r never gave but two great entertainments in a season, but each of these was expected to be a theme of wonder and helpless envy and admiration. She hao. discovered an entirely new variety of fete for thia season, and called it a " fern fantasie." Her guests were choicely selected, and not too many to destroy +he impression of the occasion, the rooms were entirely trimmed with ferns, night blooming cereus, and a cream and chocolate blossom, called " the beauty of the night." Tiny lamps were arranged through the foliage and along the ceiling to represent stars, while a globe of serenely shaded light lent a soft, generoua refulgence, like the beams of the moon," The guests were all expected to wear fancy costumes representing things of the night, or deep woods—the green and bronze of ferns, and the silver tissues like moonlight, and the white creatures that flit in starry silence. A hidden band of stringed instruments discoursed a music like the chorus of sum-

mer nights, lifted in strength and sweetneps. To this entertainment Anna Ainslie had received a card through intercession of Violet, who was a great favonrite with the countess. But Anna had also received invitation to a party given by Captain Gore's sister, with whom she had formed a close acquaintance. This she had confided to Helen, and Helen had arranged thatehe herself should claim Mrs Watson's invitation, and that, leaving the house together, she and Anna should privately change costumes and Helen should personate Anna at the " fern fantasie," leaving Anna free to go to Mrs Watson. As Anna had marvellous gift for conversing in monosyllables, the exchange might be fairly easy. It was thus that in a green domino, with mossy-brown trimmings, Helen Hope arrived at the Countess of Norfolk's under chaperonage of Violet, who, on entering the carriage, had innocently remarked ; " Why, Anna ! how tali and slender that plain domino makes you look, and what an immense time you kept the carriage." " Yes," said softly the voico of the suppositious Anna. Norman Leigh was also in the carriage, sulking in ene corner. Hiß presence thrilled and fired the mad heart of the infatuated Helen Hope. For him life was a spaßm of fury, as vrherever he went he expected to set> Edna attended by devoted cavaliers, from whom he, the husband of Violet, must be excluded, Merry and charming masques filled the splendid reception rooms of xhe Countess of Norfolk. Night, Titania, Sleep, Dreams, all the fern varieties, Endymioi, Diana, Oteron, Puck, Orion ; but, stateliest and loveliest of all, was Edna Haviland as Luna. She was in a robe and veil ot diaphanous tissue, with silver threads ; it was looped with stars, and sown with tiny crystal drops like dew. To look at her was to remember the eong of the roraanco lay, " Her eyes are aofter than sleep." On each shoulder her delicate, miaty veil was caught by a pearl and pilver lunar moth. Violet Leigh was Titania, and a sweet fair queen she was. Lord Leigh was in a plain domino of green velvet, with silver dotp, representing a South American fern — on hia shoulder was the lunar moth. There were many dominoes of silver and brown, such t»a Anna Ainolie had chosen. Early in the evening Leigh attached himself to th« train that followed Edna, for, as she wore no mask, all knew her, and a crowd pressed about her. " We aro matched by fate to-night, fair Luna," said Leigh, "the same emblem rests on the ehoulderof us both." "That is curious," said Edna. "I thought no one else had such ornaments. My uncle had those made for me when he was in Genoa, and I gave one away. 1 ' "Let us wander into the conservatory and hear the new music prepared for the evening, ' the Soug of the Nightingale.' I believe that is Tom Tower as the Arctic Owl, and little Ensign Blunt as the Screech Owl, and well suited " " And you are Lord Lei^h, by your voice," said Edna, as they stood on the threshold of the conservatory. "Tha»k you for remsmoering anything about me," said Leigh. "I do not wiah to remember anything unkind about you, lam sure. I left Rose Lodge very annry at you, but now that I have met your wife, and love her with all tny heart, I cannot be your enemy." " Will you be my friend ?" asked Leigh, eagerly. " I tell you honestly, Norman," said Edna, "I will be your frieod, just as you show yourself worthy of friendeMp, by making your wife happy. Was there ever a sweeter-looking creature than she is now, as the queen of fairy-land ?" " Well enough ; but you know yon are the bright particular star of the whole orening." " You know that it was always one of my peculiarities to dislike compliments, and the longer I am in society the more I weary of them. You have been kind and polite, and as I wish you to be since I entered your social circle, Lord Leigh, and I am willing to let bygones perish, and be friends, if your lovely little wife w the centre and bond of our friendship." "Tell me," burst out Leigh, "do you mean to marry ?" " The question is not a fail- one ; but in time, no doubt, I shall marry." The Marquis of Alworth came up, and reminded <:he lovely Luna that she was to dance with him. Many of the merry guests were now in the ball-room, Strausa's waltzes took the place of the soft nocturnes, and Lord Leigh, with wrath in his heart.strolled farther into the conservatory. There, in the green depths of almost tropic richness, his reverie was iuterrupted by a domino of green silk with moas-brown fiingea. " JN'orman, you have come to me ! Are you learning at last that one heart of all the world is true and faithful, oue woman would die for you — finds heaven only in your presence ?" " 1 cauae — I am curious Helon, to know your open sesame to sucb select circles ac this and tho rout at Mrd Ainslie's. Have you, too, inherited a fortune, and become a lady of fashion ?" "As Edna has. If I had, remember, yours would be the eye in these gay scenes that a./ look would seek, yours would be the one voice I should hear. I should not pass you as she does, with that cold, calm smile, and mock you with my lovers. I cannot tell you how I came here. I came to tell you that I am always true, and in loneliness you can turn to me." " But why consider me lonely ?" "I know things that you do not. Edna is preparing to marry. In a few months ahe will have secured a title, as she has alwaya schemed to do. And in that few months you will be a widower." Leigh started. 11 What are you saying, girl ?" " Blind creature ! do you not see that your wife is fading before your eyes? Then, Norman, you will be free ! Then will you turn to me? Remember my faith, my adoration ; that I of all women love you mos t — would live to please your slightest whim. Toll me, when you are free, will you marry me ?" " No, I will not," said Leigh, shaking off her hand from his arm and muttering an oath. "I don't believe what you say. My j wife is well enough, well as ever she was. j And if it did happen that she died, and I could not get the one being in all the world that I care for — Edna— then make up your j mind that I will marry in ray own rank, and have an heir who has no blot on his an cestry." Helen turned and hid her face in the thick fronds of a fern, and moaned a depolate, wild moan of a wounded creature hiding to die : " Oh, Norman, Norman !" " Look you, girl ! I believe, on my life, if I even hinted that I would marry you in the event I was left free, you were quite equal to poisoning my poor little countess. I may be a bad man— l am ; but Heaven knows there are some depths in your nature far lower than I find in mine." " She would need no help from me 1" cried Helen. "She is dying fast enough^; she goes day by day steadily to her doom. And you won't see it, and you taunt me.

Fool ! Wretoh ! I will bring you to my level, mark my words ! "

" A SLENDER FIGUBE, FLYING THROUGH THE NIGHT "

Whenever Helen Hope introduced the name of Kenneth Keith in her frequent conversations with Violet, Violet was either silent or quickly and adroitly changed the conversation. But though not one word was mid, Helen felt more aud more assured that Kenneth had been the one great love of Violet's life—that in spite of herself her heart still clung to him in a silent, hopeless agony. To her surprise Violet seemed to favour a union between Edna and Keith—it was only in this connection that she would mention him at all. Helen could not understand this; the idea of self-renunciation was foreign to her, and it had never entered her mind that one would ]do right for simple love of Tightness. One day Bhe 3aid boldly to Violet: " Since it is evident that Lord Leigh does not cate for you, why don'b you give him up entirely, and make other friends, and find happiness with someone who would care for you." Violet looked inexpressibly shocked. " Cannot you see that we cannot live in this world forever—and we should, of all things, strive to please God, and then we shall have peace and happiness in the world to come. Sometimes I think you are a very wicked woman, Helen." "Don't think so, dear Lady Leigh. I really am not. I only spoke to try you, and know your springs of action, for you are so silent about these deep feelinga. I like to be sure you have —it comforts in© when I think of you." And then Helen turned the conversation to subjects which she knew would please Violet—charities which she might dispense, ways she might take, in the advancing summer, to make herself loved and remembered at Leigh Towers "after she had gone. But in her purpose of revenge on Leigh, in bringing him to her level as she had threatened, she was not willing that Violet should die in peace and honour in her home, and Leigh should make decorous mourning, and, rich in Violet's fortune,come out after brief retirement to make a new choice, and still ignore herself. If she could contrive ito cover Leigh with suspicion and contumely, so that for a time at least she should be fairly driven out of English society to the Continent, she nattered her« self that she might accompany him, and in 30tne moment of depression, illness, or even inebriety, might Becure a marriage ond be Lady of Leigh. If she could goad Violet in her declining health to fly from her husband's house, then all the powerful connection of the Montreasors and Ainslies would lif fc up a world clamour about Leigh's cruelty, would believe any tales she might set in circulation, and the early death of Violet—which Helen did not for one instant doubt—would fix public opinion in execration of Leigh. Craftily, again and again, Helen returned to tbis theme. " Why do you not abandon all this life that is wearing you out ?" she said. " Why not go away by yourself for a year or so, until you recover strength and live down your sorrow? Such a course would be a lesson to Lord Leigh ; he would miss you and treat you well whon you would be willing to return." " I would not do such a thing for the world," said Violet. " Even if my husband would be glad to be rid of me, other friends would care —my aunts " " How much does Lady Montressor love you ? Did not Mrs Ainalie deliberately sell you, to secure a high position for you, so you • could aid her daughters in social life ? She i* already planning that, 'if dear Violot dice,' sweetest Anna or darling Flora shall take her place as Countess of Leigh " "Oh, Helen ! Helen !" " Why should I not tell you the truth ? You might be free of all these schemes and false friends." "But Lady Burton, Edna?" faltered Violet. "If you were not quite blinded you would see that Lady Burton is setting all her love on Miss Haviland, and trying to get her for Lord Keith. Miss Haviland will take the greatest match offered her. From the way she and Leigh exchange glances, I think if you were out of the way that would be her match. Lord Keith cvi. dently adores her. At your dinner here the other night, when you were so aweet as to let me come and look on, dear, I saw them talking together in a window for a long time. I understood—he was pleading hie suit, and she was putting him off easily, to see if the marquis would propose." Yes, Violet also had noticed that long, close conversation, and had rebuked her natural jealousy, and had told herself that it was just what she most desired, to see these two united in dearest bonds. And what had really been the eubjecr of discussion 1 In the weeks spent under one roof a warm friendship had grown up between Keith and Edna. Deep love of Violet panoplied his heart against a passion for any other woman, but all that a aister might have been to him he found in Edna ; and that evening Edna had suddenly told Keith that it was for Violet's sake that she had sought out his mother, aud come into society ; that the deare9t hope of her life was to bring joy and light into the life of the darling little hostess, who drooped pathetic among her guests, and seemed weighed down by her point-laca and diamonds. In the sudden confidence of that interview, Edna told of her early acquaintance with Leigh, of her changed name, and how sh-* sometimes felt as if the deceived Violet, and acted a false part in not telling her all. " I hate deceit, and I am not acting openly to her. Lord Kenneth, will you not help me to unfold all ? Will you tell your friend, Lady Leigh, the real story of my sarly fancy, and all that has followed, except that in any way Lord Leigh has sooraed to follow me Binco then ? Make ail fair and open between us." "I cannot," Baid Keith. "Let my mother do that." ''Some way I think you could do it better.' " I cannot venture to see Violet alone," burst out Keith. "She looks so lonely, so sad, so forlorn, it would overmaster me." Then Edna read his bitter secret, and Violet's. She started. " Oh, Lord Keith, your heart ." She stopped. "My hoart haB a grave in it, wide and deep, and wet with ceaseless grief; in it liesdead and cold the love of my life, the fairest, winningest, Bweetest young creature ; and her name—was Violet." " And ehe ? I know she must have loved you." Keith bowed. "Love her only the more, help her more? in that Bhe is dowered with double sorrow, ehe has a grief to match every pound in her fatal millions." "Your mother shall certainly tell her all," said Edna; "and there shall be deeper confidence between us." •> Bu t Lady Burton took a severe coldi an was for a few days threatened with dange-

cub consequences. Edna devoted herself to her, not leaving her room. She sent a little note or two to Violet, put did not Bee her. That absence and silence worked fearful results. Helen Hope was given time to use her last argument. She had kept pressing that notion of " going away alone" onf the innocent, inexperienced Violet. She depicted a charming cottage In Derbyshire, a cottage draped in roses -and honeysuckle, in a peaceful village, beside a grey old church, where a saintly man ministered to a flock that were of the fashion of simple early •Christians. There Helen claimed to have the mo«t comforting of mothers, who would welcome the little lonely countess. Helen declared that she herself would go there and devote hereelf to Violet— that the price Violet could pay would make the widowed mother completely happy. She aalf crazed Violet by these suggestions. The little countess was in a terribly nervous | state, and Helen had a curious influence j over her, Thon came the note stating that L<*dy Burton was ill, but that in a few days Violet would again be visited by " her devoted friend, Edna Haviland." 44 Humph 1 that note is as true as her name," said Helen. 41 And why is not her name true?" demanded violet.v iolet. 44 It is, in a way, taken lately to secure property, you know." "No, J don't know. I never heard of it." " Do you moan to &ay that ehe has been all this time deceiving you, and you do not know that she is my old pupil, Edna Amijroese from Cornwall and Rose Lodge '" "What ! what)" cried Violet. " Poor child ! Then they have deceived you, Lady Burton, Keith, and all ! I tupposed you knew.Sheset out to see if she could keep her empire over Leigh ; no doubt he put her up to it, aa you refused to invite her. They made you do it by this trick. But she sees Keith is a good match, and so she has engrossed him. Every one of them is making a tool of you, and playing with your innocence. Violet sprang to her feet, her oye* burned, her whole frame quivered. " You swear this is true— that she is Edna Ambrose — that all knew it but me— that Lady Burton, Edna, KenDetb, Leigh, all are deceiving me ?" " I swear it on my knees— they are all deceiving you, every one of them." " Then I will fly from them for ever. I will never return. I will go and i ide, and die—away from deceivers. I will go tomorrow morning. Yee,ves, I will go. Oh, this is too cruel \ Edna, Keith, Lidy Burton—all leagued against me- against poor little Violet, !" The next May morning had not risen when froaj that grand Belgravian mansion might have been seen a slender figure flying through the night.