UNKNOWN

Waikato Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2054, 5 September 1885, Page 5 (Supplement)

UNKNOWN

\h talked to her for a few minutea, and then hi. rising senn< s teemed to steady themselves — ihr Ratine, throbbing pnl«e to grow still. Th/n ho looked maro calmly at the witching loveliness of that most fair face— the face tint rtrove mpn. mud with its beauty. He paw that bhe was /air as a lily, with the mopt delicate, dainty coloring, sempthing like a richly lined peach — a oolor that seemed co vary wkh every thought, with every word, that was never for two minutes alike, and that was faint amon« the hues of heaven. Sho had dark eyes, proud and sweet, with a polden glow in their pp!f>«did depths— eyes teat haunted one., perfect in color, in shape nnd expression ; the only fault that even the most severe of critics could find was that the beautiful mouth was a triflo too proud; thero was something— a thought too haughty in the curves of the lips ; but when she smiled, tnd the pearly teeth gleamed through the Bcarlet lips, that mouth wan almost divine in its beauty. He saw then that the dark, rippling hair had also a golden light in it. In her evening drees of white nilk and scarlet flowers sho looked more lovely than he had thought it was given to any human being to look. He had lost himself completely ; he had forgotten the whole world in the charm of that most beautiful woman's smile. ne took hr down to dinner ; but it was a fcrce. PI- 'a after plate was taken away from before X a untouched; he could neither eat nor dnuk— he cculd do nothing but think of her, look at her, listen to her. The oountess, among all her engagements, found time to notice that. "Tho spsll has worked," she said; "my boy has lost his heart." It was well for her that she did npt know how completely that spell was in vain. Tbe most meroiful part of our lives is in the faot that so much is hidden from us. " How happy your sister looks," said Lady Ethel to Lord Carsdale. "If every bride looked as htppy and ai smiling, I ihonld say it spoke well. for marriage." "She is happy, Lady Ethel; and why ihould she not be ? " The dark, baautiful eyes, with their proud light, rested half sadly for one moment on hia face ; then, trailing at him, she answered : 41 1 hart not ieen very muoh of the gay world, yet lam longing for it — I love it with ■11 my heart ; but I have seen f«ur weddings, and at three of them the brides looked mort miserable, and everybody laid what excellent matohM they were. At the fourth the bride looked very happy, and all her friend* yery ■ad; they laid the was throwing herrelf away. She was marrying a handsome, noble, generoui young colonel, who Mimed to wor■hip the very ground ehe trod upon. So that yon tee my ideas of marriage are slightly unsettled." "I am clad that you think my sister looks happy," ahe said. 44 Bhe could not help it ; she is marrying a duke, and a Very nice duke he Menu to be." *H« is," eaid Lord Candale, " qaite as nioe at he looks." She glanced at his grace of Claverdon with keen attention. "Hisfaoeis a trifle too square," she said, " and I do not like the color of his hair. ' 44 You are difficult to please, Lady Ethel," he said. 41 Not in a friend," she replied; "a husband is quite a different matter — to have the same faoe always before one, it should be a handsome one." " You like handsome men, Lady Ethel ?" he ■aid, feeling seoretly pleased, for he would not have been human not to have felt some pleasure in his own spjendid physique just then. 11 1 have my own idea of what is handsome," she replied, " and it seldom agrce3 with the ideas of others." " A duke must always be handsome, because he is a duke, I suppose," he raid. 44 That does not follow. The handiomfat man I have ever seen was a private soMier in tbe Royal Dragoons— a tall, fair Saxon." There was a pleam of ma' tco in the emphsßis she placed on the word " f^ir." He glanced at ber qnickly. 14 You admire fair people," bp psirt. "My mother has a firm conviction that fair complexions and weak minds fp together." 41 1 have seen som« little <vpninrss even in dark people," said La^v E-.hc-l. " Tell me, Lord Carsdale, who i» the eentlpmnn talking to your other f,Ut°r Lady Gertrude ?" 41 That is Lord lUwdon. Do you admire him ?" he added, quickly. Lady Ethel gava him in imurod glance. She had quickly fathomed bl-> j^nlo-i'ly, and delighted in it. " Lord Rawdon seems to admire your sister, whioh is more to the. purpose," she answered, lightly. Lady Ethel was muoh inclined tn like Lird Carsdale; he was hendnome, bright, and intelligent ; besides which there was something in his face that piqued her — that made her think about him. She cmil.l not tell exactly what it was— a resfrvr— it was the face of one, she fancied, who had a secret to lifpp. Then what nonsense it was to think of Bucha thing. What cecret coulrl ho havp? Ho wai young — not more than t«pntj--onr, the had heard Lady Linda say. Altogether, Lady Ethel liked tbn young lord very much better than she had ever liked any one yet, and that wan saying a great dpal, for her lover? had been legion. After'dinner Lord Carnrialc found it almost impossible to talk to her. >SSn was surrounded with admirers ; «ho held quite a little court, and sho was queen. He looked with lorifrinK eyes at every one who wsnt near her ; he could do nothing but watch ber; *he w&« jo imperially fair, so haughty even in her grace, co graceful even in her pride, be could look at no one else. It was long before he could find an opportunity of speaking to her ; then he said : 14 Lady Ethel, I have been longing to speak

to yon ; yon are co '••'.top ..' A idorcM [ havp bo chance." "I do not iraagii.o that cv^y ona adorPS me who speaks to me," eho <uif!, laughingly ; " and, Lord Oarsdftle, do you know the wp.y to secure aplace when you wrnt one?" " No," he replied. 4 Take it, whether any o^o &Ue hae it or not," paid the beauty, an she turned away. And Lord Carcdale stood thinking of her words. " I will take it another ti-u-J," ha said, " no matter who has to make way for me." And he kept bw worrf. Tno day of tho wedding wa.s a fine one— so fine that Lady Waldiove thought in her own mind ft had been on purpose for her. The wedding itself was a r-crftct iucc«°s ; the sun shone with oil tbe biightnesd and warmth of summer; the sky was clear and bliw; {he birds sang; the whola country had been foarched for flowers ; the whola country soemod iv a state of commotion. Lady Linda made a beautiful bride ; the bride-maids were exquisitely drewed, but none squalled the fair, peerleis Lady Ethel. The oeremony was a perfect cuceess — there was not one single drawback. Lady Waldrove looked down tho long line of noble guests with a heart full cf satisfied pride and ambition. If Lord It iwdon would only prepoBC to Lady Gertrude, and Vivian marry Lady Ethel, she would be, she thought, the proudest, happie q t woman in the world. The (bitit'ur was a scene to be romembcrcd. rt was doubly delightful to Lord Caradale, because he Bat next to-Lady Ethel ; it was not the place appointed for hrm— Lady Waldiove was far too diplomatic for such straightforward hints. The seat was intended for Sir Henry Fnllic, and the brilliant belle looked up with a smile as Lord Carsdalo took it. " That is Sir Harry's place, Lord Carsdale," she said. "Is it, Lady Ethel? You see, I have followed your advice ; I have taken the place I wanted, no matter who else has claim to ft." It was a fatal thing for him. Long befpre that breakfast was over he said to himself that he was hopelessly in love with this beautiful young queen; that out of all the world she was the one woman for him ; that he loved her with the deepest, maddest pas«ion man ever had for woman yet, and flaat he must leave her — leave her Before harm came of his mad love. Then he saw what he had done; he had bound himself for life ; he had married a beautiful, untaught girl, who could never be a wife for him; he had married, and ruined, and blighted his wholo life, and there was nothing left for him. He e&w it all now. But for this rash, foolish marriage., ho might have wooed and perhaps havo won the peerlesi young beauty, who seemed' dispced, in her proud fashion, to smile on him. He tried to comfort himself with the qld formula— it was for honor's sake; but the words fell without meaning this time, and ho began to think he had not known what honor was.