For Woman's Love Part- 2, Mrs. E. D. E. N. Southworth [reading list .TXT] 📗
- Author: Mrs. E. D. E. N. Southworth
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Countenanced Such A Proceeding If I Had Been In The Country."
Part 2 Chapter 18 (A Crisis At Rockhold) Pg 30
"That Is All Very Deplorable, But Yet It Hardly Warrants Your Very
Strong Language, Fabian. I Am Sorry That You Have Discovered Her To Be
'Ignorant, Deceitful, And Unreliable,' But Let Us Hope That Now, When
She Is Placed Above Temptation, She Will Reform. Don't Take Exaggerated
Views Of Affairs, Fabian."
The Elder Man Was Growing Calmer And More Thoughtful. Presently He Said:
"You Are Right, Clarence. My Indignation, On Learning That That Woman
Had Succeeded In Trapping Our Iron King, Led Me Into Extravagant
Language On The Subject. Forget It, Clarence. And Whatever You Do, My
Brother, Drop No Hint To Any One Of What I Have Said To You To-Night,
Lest Our Father Should Hear Of It; For If He Should--"
Mr. Fabian Paused.
"I Shall Never Drop A Hint That Might Possibly Give Our Father One
Moment Of Uneasiness. Be Sure Of That, Fabian."
"That Is Good, My Brother! And We Will Agree To Ignore All Faults In Our
Young Stepmother, And For Our Father's Sake Treat Her With All Proper
Respect."
"Of Course. I Could Not Do Otherwise. And, Fabian, I Hope You Will
Reconsider The Matter, And Bring Violet To Rockhold To Join Our Family
Reunion."
"No, Clarence," Said The Elder Brother; "There Is Just Where I Must Draw
The Line. I Cannot Introduce My Wife To The New Mrs. Rockharrt."
"But It Seems To Me That You Are Very Fastidious, Fabian. Do You Expect
Always To Be Able To Keep Violet From Meeting With 'Ignorant, Insincere
And Unreliable' People, In A World Like This?" Inquired Mr. Clarence,
Significantly.
"No, Not Entirely, Perhaps; Yet, So Far As In Me Lies, I Will Try To
Keep My Simple Wood Violet 'Unspotted From The World,'" Replied Mr.
Fabian, Who, Untruthful And Dishonest As He Was In Heart And Life, Yet
Reverenced While He Wondered At The Purity And Simplicity Of His Young
Wife's Nature.
"I Am Afraid The Pater Will Feel The Absence Of Violet As A Slight To
His Bride," Said Mr. Clarence.
"No; I Shall Take Care That He Does Not. Violet Is In Very Delicate
Health, And That Must Be Her Excuse For Staying At Home."
The Brothers Talked On For A Little While Longer; And Then, When They
Had Exhausted The Subject For The Time Being, Mr. Clarence Said He Would
Go And Look Up Sylvan, And He Went Out For The Purpose. Fabian
Rockharrt, Left Alone, Resumed His Disturbed Walk Up And Down The Room,
Muttering To Himself:
"The Traitress! The Unprincipled Traitress! How Dared She Do Such A
Part 2 Chapter 18 (A Crisis At Rockhold) Pg 31Deed? Didn't She Know That I Could Expose Her, And Have Her Cast Forth
In Ignominy From My Father's House? Or Did She Venture All In The Hope
That Consideration Of My Father's Age And Position In The World Would
Shut My Mouth And Stay My Hand? She Is Mistaken, The Jade! Unless She
Falls Into My Plans, And Works For My Interest, She Shall Be Exposed And
Degraded From Her Present Position."
Mr. Fabian Was Interrupted By The Re-Entrance Of Mrs. Rothsay. He Turned
To Meet Her And Inquired:
"Where Did You Leave Violet, My Dear?"
"She Is In Her Own Room, Which Is Next To Mine. I Went In With Her And
Saw Her To Bed, And Waited Until She Went To Sleep," Replied Cora.
"Poor Little One! She Is Very Fragile, And Has Been Very Much Fatigued.
I Do Not Think, My Dear, That I Can Take Her On To Rockhold To-Morrow. I
Think I Must Let Her Rest Here For A Day Or Two."
"It Would Be Best, Not Only On Account Of Violet's Delicacy And
Weariness, But Also On Account Of The Condition Of The House At
Rockhold, Which Has Not Been Opened Or Aired For Months."
"That Is True; Though I Had Not Thought Of It Before," Said Mr. Fabian,
Who Was Well Pleased That Cora So Readily Fell In With His Plans.
"What Do You Think Of The Pater's Marriage, Cora?' He Next Inquired.
"I Would Rather Not Give An Opinion, Uncle Fabian," She Answered.
"Then I Am Equally Well Answered, For That Is Giving A Very Strong
Opinion!" He Exclaimed.
"The Deed Is Done And Cannot Be Undone!"
"Can It Not? Perhaps It Can!"
"What Do You Mean, Uncle Fabian?"
"Nothing That You Need Trouble Yourself About, My Dear. But Tell Me
This--What Do You Mean To Do, Cora? Do You Mean To Stay On At Rockhold?"
"I Suppose I Must Do So."
"Not At All, If You Do Not Like! You Are An Independent Widow And May Go
Where You Please."
"I Know That And Wish To Go; But I Do Not Wish To Make A Scene Or Cause
A Scandal By Leaving My Grandfather's Protection So Suddenly After His
Marriage, Which Is Open Enough To Criticism, As It Is. So I Must Stay On
At Rockhold So Long As Sylvan's Leave Shall Last, And Until He Shall
Part 2 Chapter 18 (A Crisis At Rockhold) Pg 32Receive His Commission And Orders. Then I Will Go With Him Wherever His
Duty May Call Him."
"Good Girl! You Have Decided Well And Wisely. Though The Post Of Duty To
Which The Callow Lieutenantling Will Be Ordered Must, Of Course, Be Fort
Jumping Off Point, At The Extreme End Of The Habitable Globe. Well, My
Dear, I Must Bid You Good Night, For, See, It Is On The Stroke Of Eleven
O'clock, And I Am Rather Tired From My Journey, For, You Must Know, We
Rushed It Through From New York To North End Without Lying Over," Said
Mr. Fabian, As He Shook Hands With His Niece.
He Retired, And His Example Was Soon Followed By All His Party.
Part 2 Chapter 19 (A Family Reunion) Pg 33
The Next Morning, After An Early Breakfast, The Travelers Assembled In
The Hall Of The Hotel To Take Leave Of Each Other. Clarence, Sylvan, And
Cora Entered The Capacious Carriage Of The Establishment To Drive To
Rockhold, Leaving Mr. And Mrs. Fabian Rockharrt On The Porch Of The
Hotel, At Which They Had Decided To Rest For A Few Days.
"We Shall Go To Rockhold To Welcome The King And Queen When They Return,
Cora," Said Mr. Fabian, Waving His Hand To The Departed Trio, Though He
Had Not The Least Intention Of Keeping His Word. He Then Led His Pretty
Violet Into The House. The Lumbering Carriage Rolled Along The Village
Street, Passed The Huge Buildings Of The Locomotive Works, And Out Into
The Road That Lay Between The Fool Of The Range Of Mountains And The
Banks Of The River.
The Ferryboat Was At The Wharf, And The Broad Shouldered Negro Dwarf Was
Standing On It, Pole In Hand.
His Look Of Surprise And Delight On Seeing Sylvan And Cora Was Good To
Behold.
"Why, Lors Bress My Po' Ole Soul, Young Marse An' Miss, Is Yer Come Sure
'Nough? 'Deed I's Moughty Proud To See Yer. How's De Ole Marse? When He
Coming Back Agin?" He Queried, As The Carriage Rolled Slowly Across The
Gangplank From The Wharf To The Deck Of The Ferryboat.
Part 2 Chapter 19 (A Family Reunion) Pg 34
"Your Ole Marse Is Quite Well, Uncle Moses, And Will Be Home On The
First Of The Month With His New Wife," Said Sylvan, Who Could Not Miss
The Fun Of Telling This Rare Bit Of News To The Aged Ferryman.
The Old Negro Dropped His Pole Into The Water, Opened His Mouth And Eyes
To Their Widest Extent And Gasped And Stared.
"Wid--W'ich?" He Said, At Last.
"With His New Wife And Your New Mistress," Answered Sylvan.
The Old Negro Dropped His Chin On His Chest, Raised His Knobby Black
Fingers To His Head And Scratched His Gray Hair With A Look Of Quaint
Perplexity, As He Muttered,
"Now I Wunner Ef I Tuk Too Heavy A Pull On To Dat Dar Rum Jug, Fo' I Lef
De House Dis Mornin'--I Wunner If I Did."
His Mate Stopped And Pulled The Pole Up Out Of The Water And Began
Himself To Push Off The Boat Until It Was Afloat.
They Soon Reached The Opposite Shore, Drove Off The Boat And Up The
Avenue Between The Flowering Locust Trees That Formed A Long, Green,
Fragrant Arch Above Their Heads, And So On To The Gray Old House. In A
Very Few Moments The Door Was Opened And All The Household Servants
Appeared To Welcome The Returning Party. Most Of Them Looked More
Frightened Than Pleased; But When Anxious Glances Toward The Group
Leaving The Carriage Assured Them That The Family "Boodlejock" Was Not
Present, They Seemed Relieved And Delighted To See The Others.
With The Easy, Respectful Familiarity Of Long And Faithful Service, The
Negro Men And Women Crowded Around The Entering Party
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