SABINA ZEMBRA A NOVEL.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 239, 28 January 1888, Page 6

SABINA ZEMBRA A NOVEL.

-Author of "Macieodof Dare," "A Princess of Thule," &c, &c.

[The Right or Translation is Reserved.]

Kow, there had been a clear understand* hig, if no formal compact;, between these Wo that their life after marriage was to be in a manner a combination of their separate lives beJtore it. Ho was to be at her right hand in all her various duties ; she was to reward herself occasionally by a little participation in hid amusemeuts. He had talked her over into considering this a very sensible and practicable scheme ; and on the one or two occasions when he wa s allowed to accompany her on her errands of nierey and help, his good humour, his shrewd acquaintance with the world's ways, and his vi vacious society, all come in very well . Unfortunately for this ideal co-partnership, however, when they leturned to London it 30 happened that tho Cesarewitch and Cambridgeshire handicaps had just been published ; and he was much interested in the discussion of these imposts ; and he was away a good deal among acquaintances whom he did not care to introduce to his wife, because their conversation was not in tho least likely to interest her. Then came the Doncaster September Meeting. But when ho had spoken of Sabina's giving herself a little holiday relaxation now and again, he had never thought of proposing to her a rough-and-tumble journey down to Yorkshire and back. He had thought of a sunny afternoon at Lord's, looking on at a. cricket match ; or a trip down the river in the steamer of the Royal Thames Yacht Club ; or the Oaks, perhaps, or Ascot, or Goodwood — something pretty, and lively, and socially amusing ; not this business-like j meeting in the north. At the same time he considered it prudent, and even kind, to break the news of his going in an artful and diplomatic manner. I " Dame Durden," said he, " you're a young and innocent thing : I wish you'd pray for the success of Squire Tipton." "That's a horse, I suppose?" she said, looking up from her books — for she now kept minute accounts of her expenditure. fi I should say so ; and a very good horse too. He's in for the Yorkshire Handicap on Tuesday ; and seeing that he ran second for last year's St. Leger, and that he is as fit as a liddle according to ail accounts, I think he'll do the trick. That's Tuesday afternoon. I suppose I ought to go down Monday night ; there's a train arriving about nine. Then the Leger is Wednesday " " But where is all this ?" she asked, innocently. " Why, Doncaster. " And then he added : " It wouldn't be worth your while, would it, to go all that way and back just for these few days ?" She hesitated ; was it not for him to de cide? " Oh, no, I'm sure it wouldn't !" he said, instantly, interpreting her silence his own way. "It isn't a ladies' meeting. I wouldn't advise you to go. A lot of fatigue ; precious little amusement. You won't find the time hang heavily on your hands, will you, till I come back ?" "Indeed no," she said, with a smile. '•' There's never a day long enough, it would seem." The truth was that she had now to gather up again all the threads of her charitable work that had been temporarily dropped ; and his devotion to his own pursuits left her all the more time down there in Chelsea, in the company of the indefatigable Janie. Janie was not at all sorry that Mr Foster did not put in an appearance. Why, it was quite like old times for her to find herself going about with her bosom friend ; and there was also tea for them, when they wanted it, in Kensington Square ; and fiabie, in Mrs Wygram's eyes, was just as beautiful, and gracious, and bland, and good-natured as ever, and quite as submissive to all the petting that could be bestowed on her. These good people did not seem to be altogether angry when they heard that Mr Foster was going down to Doncaster, though of course they made the remark that it was pretty early for him to be leaving his young wife. But before Fred Foster went to Doncaster there were a few little matters to be considered. On tho Friday evening, when Sabina returned home, she found him pacing up and down the little sitting-room in very evident disappointment. "It's pretty hard," he said. 4< l suppose [ must ask you to lend me a five-pound note "' "But I will give it you," she eaid promptly, and she went to her desk with a light hear I/, " I'm sure there is not much use in talking of lending or borrowing, as between you and me— whatever I have is yours, and Avelcome." " If you're in such a generous mood," he said, rather thanklessly, (< You might make the fiver a tenner, if you can." "Well, I can," she answered, "but it v/on't leave me very much." " It's very absurd, all this," he continued, in his grumbling way, and he scarcely regarded her counting out the money on the table. "Of course I thought the old man was going to do something — after the fuss ho made about you. I consider it very s'labby. I don't care for professions of interest and affection that don't mean anything. Why, it was enough to lead anyone into being careless — or, at least, hopeful — the way they both treated you ; and they must know very well that a wedding trip costs ' something ; and I'm sure they couldn't expect me to have saved up a fortune out ot my allowance." " But surely,.- Fred," so long as we can live comfortably enough, I would not make the relationship too much of a mercenary one?" she said, gently. "I am sure I never thought their kindness to me meant money. And look how well off we aro as compared to many ! It may be annoying to be in want of a few sovereigns now and again ; but look at the comfort of knowing that our income, however small, is assured. There are the ten pounds ; isn't it enough V" <s Yes it is— for the preaent : ifc is the whole situation that seems to me unbearable, and absurd also." "But if you have enough, what more would you have ?" she asked— and she was inclined to laugh- at this spoiled child. "You know, I shall be haying my little cheque coming along on the 22nd." " Ye 3, the twelth part of £150," he said, bitterly. "Accurately divided, to fclie shilling. No, no ; I tell you \t won'fc do, Sabie. There must be some alteration, We ought to begin as we mean io go on ; and.it in easier for, you to deal ( fyifch l ydur ( people than for me "with mme ;' for your father is a very lich man, ifatb whom.the money itself can be no object j and I am

perfectly certain he would do the right thin^ — what he ought in natural fairness to do— if he was approached the right; way." She glanced towards him, and then she lowered her eyes. " Dj you mean that— that I should ask ?' "Yes, certainly," he said bluntly. " The very least he can do ia to give you fche allowance you had beforo you were married. Surely there is as much need for it now as then ! That is the very least you ought to ask for." A faint colour overspread hor forehead. " You don't know," she said, in a rather low voice, ' ' what his manner was towards me when that matter was settled—and — how he spoke of you." "Oh, that I understand perfectly well," he said, impatiently. " Why, it's the common story. Of course people say nasty things when they don't like a marriage ; and goodness knows he's welcome to call me all the hard names ho can think of. But that's neither here nor theie. We can't afford do take a little display of temper for more than ib is worth. It's only on the stage that parents curse their disobedient daughter, and drive her forth, and keep impossible vows about never seeing her again. Blood is thicker than water, depend on it. I have no doubt your father was annoyed ; I dare say I should havo been annoyed if 1 had been in his place ; and, mind, you had been leading him on to bo annoyed. I don't understand it at all ; you can manage everybody else you come across why did you quarrel with him ?" "There was no quarrel that I know of," Sabina said simply, " but we had different ways of looking at things, that is all. When I left tho house it was on a quite friendty understanding." " Oh, well, he has simmered down by this time. And really something must be done. Will you write to him !" • "Fred," she said, with a touch of entreaty in her voice, "if you only knew the things he said—' "My dear creature, if you paid heed to the things that are said about you, or thoughtaboutyou, life would be intolerable ! Let us go to something of more importance than that. And the immediate and actual thing is that it is impossible for us to go on in this hand-to-mouth way." And yet still she hesitated. Of course he could not know everything of her father's demeanour towards her during that interview, the cold exactitude of his phrases, his contemptuous references to the man who was about to become her husband. He could not understand how eager she had been that, he would agree to renouncing' that allowance altogether, and with what a recurrent shame and mortification it was that she felt herself compelled, month by month, to receive money from Buch a source. And now— to sit down and write for more ! A happy idea struck her. "Besides, ifc would be no use writing," she said, "for they are abroad at present." F " Oh, no, thoy're not," he said, " begging your pardon. Look at this." He handed her an evening paper, and showed her a paragraph in it : — " Sir Anthony and Lady Zembra have arrived in town from a protracted sojourn at Davos-Platz. They proceed next week on a visit to Dikeley Hall, Suffolk, the country residence of Isambard Zembra, Esq., of Red House, Campden Hill." Sabina recognised the style of the patient chronicler of the house of Zembra -Miss Kenshaw, the governess, that is to say — and knew that the information was likely to be correct. "Ifc is a capital opportunity," hesaid, with a little facetiousness. "They're coming back flushed with their holidays; they'll imagine you've been cooped up in London all the time ; and surely they will take pity on honest poverty. Oh, don't you be afraid of pitching the supplication oretty strong. What is the writing of a "letter ? Ten minutes' work— with a substantial reward if you do it well enough. And you may depend on it, it won't b9 preserved as a record against you. Sir Anthony won't show that letter about ; it will be torn up directly he has read it. Why, wouldn't his constituents like to be told that the rich Sir Anthony allowed bis oldest daughter the princely revenue of £12 10s a month ; and that she had to write to him for more ? A pretty etory for the local journals; a pretty cry at the next election. No, no ; you may make your prayer as pathetic as ever you like ; that is one thing about himself that he wou't have sent to the public press." Well, for some time she sat in silent consideration, while he lit a cigar and proceeded to scan the contents of the evening paper. And if the truth were known, it was not Fred Foster, nor any of his wants or wishes, that finally overcame her deep reluctance and induced her to write to her father. It was of a great many other people she was thinking— honest, well-meaning people she took them to be, and industrious when they had the chance— who yet had fallen into untoward circumstances in the general fight of the world, and had come to look on her as their wisest counsellor and best and generous friend. The winter months would deal hardly with many of these poor folk. Scant food, scant firing, scant clothing would be«ome the parent of illness ; illness meant enforced idleness; it was those of them who were too proud to accept of parish relief who suffered the most, and needed the most skilful management, if they were to be helped at all. Then she thought of her own little store. Twenty-fivo pounds a month used to be abundance; but now that was cut down by one half ; moreover, there were a good many small incidental expenses connected with this modest establishment which sho had hardly looked forward to, and which her husband did not seem to think it was his businoss to deal with. In point of fact, she had never received a farthing from him — though he had bought her presents, and would have bought her more, only that she protested against his extravagance. On the contrary, she had lent him from her small hoardings until (as she thought of certain families she knew) she was almost afraid to see what a pittance was left ; and if there was really a chance that her father would listen ? It was scarcely asking for heraelf. It was rather begging for her poor ones. And so in the end she consented to write. And yet, as she wrote, she could not help remembering her father's manner to her, and she was not very confident. Nor could she demean herself by making too piteous an appeal. No ; she merely asked nim to reconsider fche. arrangement he had made ; and hoped that he would see his way to making her the same allowance that he had formerly made her, seeing that her marriage hod not interfered at all, and was notlikely to interfere, with those little charitable undertakings that used to have at least his tacit approval. And she trusted that his annoyance with her over the step sho had taken would cease in time ; she looked forward to that. Sabina handed the letter to her husband and lie took it and road it. " Well/ said he, lighfcly, " it's rather a business-like production, and there isn't much of the ad mijtericordiam in forma pquperiit in it ; , but I dare -say ifc will do. very well. Thepld gentjeman if too, much of ajnan of the. world, to continue' a. quarrel yirith Jris daughter, overa hundred and' fifty a year."

' He rose and gob his hat and cane. , "Come along, Dame Durden," he said, cheerfully. "We'll post this letter so that he'll get it the first thing in the morning ; and then we'll drive up to the Cafe" Royal and have a bib of dinner." "Wouldn't; it be much cheaper fco have some little thing here?' she suggested — thinking of the lent sovereigns and her diminished store. "Not for this negro minstrel. No, I may trust Mother Simmons as far as a boiled egg goes, or even a chop for lunch ; but no iurther. Come along, I'm as hungry as a hawk." And very merry and cheerfnl ho was as they went out, apparently taking it for granted that Sir Anthony would consent Perhaps the borrowed sovereigns in his waistcoat pocket added to his high spirits ; at all events, when the letter had been posted, he would have Sabina get into a hansom— though she was quite willing to walk ; and when they had got up to the cafd, and taken their places, he proceeded to order a little dinner that seemed to her quite unnecessarily prodigal. "The question now lies between Burgundy and champagne," he observed. "What do you say to that Bollinger we tried the other day "if" "I won't have any wine, thank you," she answered. "Why not?" "I would rather not have any, thank you," she said, simply. " Well, that is pretty hard on me," he remarked, with rueful sincerity. "For when we have a whole bottle, I get twothirds of it ; but when I order a pint, it is only a pint. Come, Sabie, change your mmd — I want you to drink good luck to Squire Tipton." "Really I would rather have no wine," she said. " Then a pint it must be," he said ; and he ordered that — while she had some water. They had just finished dinner, and Foster was pulling out his cigar-case, when two friends of his camo along, and nodded to him as they passed the little table. The one was a middle-aged shortish man, spare of frame, with a keen, vreather-tanned face, prominent blue eyes, and a cavefully- waxed moustache ; the other a tall young man, with rather flabby, clean-shaven cheeks, very light hair, vacant eyes, and listless demeanour. Both were in evening dress, their light overcoats being over fcheir arm, " Wait a minute, Raby," Foster called after them, and they both turned ; " I want to introduce you to my wife —Captain Raby —Mr Russell " The tall, apathetic young man merely bowed ; but Captain Raby said : " Proud to have tho honour of making your acquaint* ance, Mrs Foster," and stared at her so curiously that she dropped her eyes. " I say, what are you after to-night?" Foster continued, regarding them both. " Won't you come down and smoke a cigar in my diggings — in the Strand, don't you know?" Tho shorter of the two gentlemen was still looking at Sabina— -examining her almost. " Delighted I am sure," he said, "if Mrs Foster will permit. " "Oh, she doesn't mind a cigar or two," Fred Foster put in instantly. "Come along. We'll go down in two hansoms. Tell your man to follow us — we will show you where to pull up." In the cab Sabina said to him :—: — " Who are these two ?" " The little man is Captain Raby — a very good sort o£ fellow — and as sharp as a needle. He manages all Lord Tynemouth's turf affairs for him." " I don't like him," she said. " Why, you haven't spoken a word to him yet ! — Oh, yes, he's a very good sort of fellow— and one worth knowing." " And the other ?" " Russell ? Don't you know Russell and Schronder in Oxford-street? Of course you do. Not that he has anything to do with the business ; it's his happy occupation to spend the money that has been made in it." "He seems a soft-looking youth," was Sabina's sole comment. "Johnny Russell," answered her husband, significantly, "is a very valuable young man — an extremely valuable young man." When they had all arrived at the rooms in the Strand, Fred Foster became his own butler, and produced cigars, soda water, brandy, and also a pack of cards, while Captain Raby devoted, himself to Sabina, staring at her as he spoke. It was sixpenny " Nap " they were going to play ; and nothing would do them but that Sabina should join in ; and she, being a good-natured kind of creature, consented, though in her manner there was a trine more reserve than usually appeared there when she joined a friendly little game at the Wygrams' of an evening. Captain Raby appeared to care very libtle about the cards ; he played mechanically and indifferenty ; and was mostly concerned in chatting across the table to Sabina — his talk chiefly consisting of little sarcastic comments about her husband and his ways and doings. Moreovor, whenever she lifted her eyes— as sometimes she did in a puzzled kind of fashion, for she understood the game but slightly, and was oftentimes uncertain as to what she should do—invariably she found his eyes regarding her, and that in a curiously familiar way. He said nothing to offend, but his manner was unpleasant ; and Sabina gradually withdrew herself from any conversation, attending to the cards in a perfunctory Way, and anxious only to escape. At last, when the mild youth had boldly gone Nap, and got it too, Captain Raby said : — "I'll tell you what we'll do now. Three Nap is as good as any. Now, I don't think Mrs Foster is having a fair chance. You haven t played much, have you, Mrs Foster ? Well, now, I will come and sit beside you and play your hand for you — give you advice, anyway — I would just as soon look on— and we'll see if we can't mend matters a little." He rose ; but Sabina refused his offer on the ground that she wished to withdraw from the game anyway. She had a slight headache ; she would rather leave them to themselves. There was a little bit of a scrimmage after this ; the pale-faced youth timidly pleading with her to remain, Fred Foster laughing at her, for being a bad loser, Captain Raby almost insisting that she and he together should play the same hand, and rout their foes. Sabina gently persisted, and with a little dignity, too ; she withdrew from the table to an arm-chair, and took a book ; and then they continued the game by themselves, with the addition of a half-a-crown pool to inorease the Attraction. They played late ; Sabina wondering the while when they would go. And even after they had risen from the cards, Captain Raby would light another ci^ar, and would come and talk to Sabina in* his gallant way, and promise to see that her husband got into no mischief down at Doncaster. Immediately they had gone, Fred Foster said to her-— " Well, Madam Dignity, what offended you to-night ?" ' " Oh, nothing in particular," she said ; and then she looked. " What is that Captain Raby a captain in V " He was in the militia, I believe."

" I don'fe <think he's a gentleman," she said. - , " Well, I like that," Foster said with a laugh. "He's Lord Tynemouth'a brother-in-law,^ any rate." > ■ ! She made no reply to this. " Perhaps you preferred the draper ?" he asked. "Mr Russell? Yes, I preferred his manner very much. And I suppose he is no more feeble and foolish than other brainless young men of the same type." " Welly we're in a very hypercritical vein this evening !" he said, looking at her with some surprise. " You'll havo to learn, my dear, that .the world is made up of all Borts ; and one can't have one's friends all turned out regulation pattern. I suppose there are some Admirable Crichtona somewhere, but they don't abound in the Strand ; and they won't play whist to lighten the journey down to Doncaster. The one isn't a gentleman, and the other is a fool ! Weil, fool or no fool, he managed to rob me of three golden sovereigns this evening, that I shall have, to get back from him somehow or other next^ week. Three golden sovereigns to an infant like that ! No matter ; we'll put it straight next week, I have no doubt. So you away to bed now; and don't forget to pray that your father may arise in a blessed and heavenly temper to-morrow morning."