CHAPTER XXV.

Waikato Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2060, 19 September 1885, Page 5 (Supplement)

CHAPTER XXV.

JtADAME ROCDART'S PUPIL. Three weeks bad passed since Lord Gars* dale went away, leaving hia fair young wife without one word of farewell or comfort. For a long time Alice had hoped against hope. She had expected a letter saying that he was sorry to have forgotten her, sorry not to'have bidden her a most affectionate fartwell. For many days ihe waited for that letter, but it never came ; and then she knew that the matter of bidding her farewell was so entirely indifferent to him, he did not even remember that he had not made it. It was almost liks a death-blow to her, this certain conviction of his utter indifferenoa. She oould never quite realise that only a keen sense of honor had made him marry her ; that waa beyond her; there must have be«n a little love, she said to herself. Now she realised the truth lin all its deformity ; Bhe understood that Bhe was indeed a barrier between her husband and the full enjoyment of his life. Slowly, surely, fatally the truth dawned upon her. What should she do ? More than once she wished, dearly aB she loved him, that she could die— die, and leave him free— die, that he might forget all this shadow darkening his life, and perhaps marry again, some one in his own rank of life, with whom he might be happy. Then, when nor thoughts reached this climax, she abruptly dismissed them. This would not do ; ho did not love her, but she could not endure the thought that he should love any one else. No, she would not kill herself ; she must do something else. What should she do ? For long days she lay thinking over that important question— what should she do? Slowly enough the plan revealed itself to her which was to lead to suoh strange situations. She would go to school, and educate herselt so that when he did return he should be proud of her, and not ashamed— that he should admire her. Alice, to use a business phrase, " took stock of herself ; " she tried to estimate hor own personal appearanoe, her powers of captivation. Could any degree of training, she wondered, ever make ncr as graceful and elegant as the ladies who belonged to his woild? She would try; and after long days of thought and study, she settled upon a way out of her diflicuUies. The first thing was to Bwear Hottie to secrecy ; if she proved true, there were but few obstacles in her way ; for Alice's plan was to go first to some firat-olass finiehing-achool, thon to fiud a situation in some aristocratic family, cithor aa governess or companion, whore sho would be able to Btudy the habit') and manners, the customs and training of a class which differed so greatly from her own. Then, when he came home, sho would be ready for him ; Bhe would have improved and altered so greatly thai he would fall in love with her all over again. So, in her simply 'itrfUßhlforward way, she wt to work at nnro. Hhe sought, information in Uio jnopor channel, and sho was told that the boet finiuhing-sohool in England was that of

Madame Roubarl, a French lady, who resided in Hyde Paik Gardens, and who consented to [ receive a few young ladies on the condition that they paid her two hundred per annum each, with extras. The e\traa were the chief resoarec of Madame Roubart, and they brought her in a vt ry handsome income. Parents opened tbf ey<-3 of wonder as they perused the Hat of extras. It wan managed after this fashion : On 9 child required a bootlace—two do/on were purchased, amounting to sixpence—" hoot-laces, one shilling," went at once into the bi'l of every youug lady in the school. Three cabs would be chartered on a rainy Sunday to take bo many young ladies, contract prico, to church — " cab to church and back, five shillings, would be "the next item. Assistant mistresses and maßters looked upon Madame Roubert with wondpr ; those items were something marvellous, and they all knew her facility for inventing them. Some of Madame Roubart's pupils had married well, and it was to this fact that most oi her success was to be attributed. It was just possible that some of the pupils brought up entirely on her system might make a trifling mistake in spelling; but on points of etiquette, of graceful manner, of a thorough knowledge of all the ways and forms of society, Madame Roubart's pupils were unsinpasseJ. It vras quite sufficient at any time to say that a young lady had been finished at her establishment to insure her a certain amount of success. Pretty girls were sent to Madame Roubart's that their beauty might be made the most of, plain ones that they might; lack nothing but beauty. Lady Ada Stcnforth, a few months after she left Madame Roubart's, captivated the young Marquis of Reameaton by her graceful danoing and finished manner ; Miss Clayton charmed the Marquis de Alcone, the rich and handsome oousjin of the French ambassador, by the perfect manner in which she spoke French-, Miss Langdale had married the Duke of Portca3tle, who declared her to be the best bred girl he had ever met ; so that Madame Roubart's fame had increased considerably. She had had some thought of increasing her terms, say to three hundred instead of two, but she was advised not to attempt it. Madame Roubart occasionally took a pupil who did not belong to the higher ranks— one who had more money than high birth. •It was not often that she did so ; but when Bhe did, the money advantages gained amply compensated for it. Madame Roubart was herself a comely-look-ing lady of forty, but looking deoidedly ten years younger ; she had the dark eyes and quick, bright face of a Frenchwoman ; sho was graceful, bland, serene, and dignified; -her pupils adored her ; they never heard a disagreeable word from her ; if she had anything of that kind to say, any fault to find, any ohjeotion to raise, it was done always through her head mistress, Mrs. Howard, a widow lady of great accomplishments, who was happy enough in finding so comfortable a homo. Madame Roubart had a luxurious little boudoir, where she was accustomed to repose after the labors of the day, and where her favorite pupils were called for a private tete-a-tete, and madame sat there one evening, with an open letter in her hand. Mra. Howard, her faithful aide-de-camp, was with her, and they were discussing its contents. •' Derwent," said madame ; " the name does not strike me aa familiar ; I do not remember it. She cannot be related to Lady Derwent, that ia evident, or she would not say that she is unknown ; still, D^rwent is a good nauio, and two hundred per annum for just the elegancies of life iq not to be despised. What do you say, Mrs. Howard ?" "I have not read the letter, madarae," replied that faithful auxiliary ; and Madanw Roubart plaoed the letter in her hands. She read: " Dhab M-uhmi: :— I should be glad to know if you could receive me as a border in your establishment. I have received a good education, but, owing to my having been abroad for some years, I am not conversant with the rules of English society. I am aware that you will probably require references ; being quite unknown, I have none to give that I can oi'fer you. I am residing with my parents at Rudeswell. I can offer you two hundred per annum, paid in advance Will you kindly let me hear from you at your earliest convenience. " I am, madame, yours obediently, Alico Darwent." II Mrs. Howard read the letter carefully. " It is a good letter," she said, thoughtfully ; " well written, well expressed, and I am sure, is written by a sincere person." " Yes ; but what olasa of person ?" said madame, impatiently. "In short, should you think it safe for me to receive the writer of it ?" Mrs. Howard looked thoughtfully at the paper. 11 1 think so," she replied ; " I should say quite safe. If there were anything wrong, she would hardly have written here. She is, perhaps, the daughter of some provincial squire or banker, who has been to a continental school aDd finds herself at a lobs in English society. By all means take her, madame." Madame Roubatt smiled, half sadly, as it was her languid fashion to do. " I shall take your advice, Mre. Howard," she said. And the result was a letter saying that Madame Roubart would be willing to receive her. They waited with some little anxiety for the arrival of the pupil ; they were relieved when she appeared. A fair, beautiful young, girl, with a sweet, half-sad face, tender eyes, and sensitive lips— " a wild-flower kind of beauty," Mrs. Howard declared. There was a long tete-a-tete between madamo and Alice on the first night of her arrival. Madame sent for her to her boudoir. She was already greatly interested in the girl's appearance ; she placed lier in an easy-chair. •' Now, my dear Miss Derwent," she said, " it seems to me that we are rather frionds than mistreea and pupil ; I havo some few things that it will be better to say to you at once. Of course you are aware that I have done a very unusual thing in taking you with- j out references of any kind— tell me, quite frankly and honestly, have you any motive for desiring secrecy ? " " None," replied Alice, " except that my parents are poor ; they do not belong to the same class as the parents of your pupils." "Let us quite understand eaoh other. Why do you wish to acquire different habits, different manners?" Alice thought for a moment before she replied. " Because in the years to come I shall have a different position to fill." " You are engaged, then, to be married — or something of the kind ? " continued madame. " Something of the kind," replied Alico. " Now I understand, Miss Derwent. You expect to fill a high position, and you wish to be prepared for it. That shall be done— it was only needful for me to know what was required. Could yon trust me far enough to tell me what that position will be ? " Alice raised her sad, sweet eyes to the comely face. " No," she replied ; " that I cannot do. I hava promised, and I must keep my word." Greatly did madame marvel who it wastliat she had under her roof, and what rank sho would have to fill.