Ethel Watts Mumford

“ He was used to changes, but somehow his gorge rose at his surroundings, and he longed desperately to be on a level with that distant image of all good—Victoria.
The thought of Philippa and her green boudoir intruded. He smiled half in amusement, half in scorn, and wondered at himself for choosing so poor a tool. What was it, unless remorseless Fate, that made him select that shallow, prating fool? Did he not know the vanity of woman well enough by this time to comprehend that she must be envied by some one before she can enjoy any possession—most of all a secret? ”

“ Just to break bread with you alone, to clink glasses with you alone, sit opposite you, as if I had the right to sit there always—yes, just to hear you called 'madame' by the waiter," he laughed, sadly.
Philippa hesitated. "Are you sure we won't be seen?"
"Positive! Why, I would give my life sooner than have one word said against you, and I know as well as you what the world is. The world never believes in a pure and disinterested love—it does not wish to—it has itself to excuse by the faults of others." ”

“ Her instant desire for concealment hurt him. Philippa looked pained. He felt like a blundering bore, and quickly added, "But it's just like you to feel that way about your aunt, and I love you for it."
She cuddled close to him, holding his hand in both hers and twisting his plain gold seal as if it engrossed her whole attention. "You see I'm an orphan. I haven't much money, just barely enough to give me necessaries. Aunt Lucy has done everything for me, you can't guess half, and if I suddenly turn against her—for she'll think it that—it will break her heart. ”

“ Durham had made her escape and was coming toward them.
"Isn't she handsome!" exclaimed Herr Balder, "dear Muse!"
The Muse certainly was handsome. Her girlish, slender fairness did not prevent her face from showing the vigorous intellect behind it, nor the cynical humor of her eyes, which were the only old thing about her. She subsided on the divan, and gazed at her friend with mirthful inquiry.
"Having a good time?"
Victoria nodded. "Yes, but I'm a little confused. You know Herr Balder?"
"Oh, dear, yes; every one in the inner circle knows his geniusship." ”

“ Has not one of your poets said, 'Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned'? And to you, Philippa, to you she will certainly come with her accusations, for she will inevitably see that you have absorbed my life. Whatever I am, whatever I may have been, you know that you are my love, my only love, and I cannot bear that she should turn you from me."
Philippa was splendid. Holding out her hand across the table, she took his in a firm and friendly grasp. You were right to trust me with your secret. She cannot hurt you in my eyes. ”

“ Philippa's heart hardened with a passing qualm of hate; she sat up suddenly and angrily. Almost she had admitted to herself that she was no fit mate for such a man, and that the effort that Victoria would undoubtedly make was founded on a quite accurate penetration of her real character. The momentary spasm of dislike that had gripped her returned a hundredfold stronger, steady and burning. She must lose the excitement of her present life, because her hand was forced; she must make sure of the brilliant future her marriage to Morton Conway would bring. ”

“ The square was a seething mass of struggling humanity, swaying, vast, expectant. Men in white, bearing staves, were opening a passage before the great main entrance of the church. A full brass band was massing its forces, ready to herald the opening of the doors. Everywhere people were hurrying, running, calling, scrambling for better positions, or endeavoring to fight their way through the press. All was color, light, animation, expectation, and faith. A soft touch on her arm roused her. She looked up into Victoria's face, set hard and white as two heavy tears slipped slowly down her cheeks. ”

“ Valdeck, left alone, dismissed the thought of his neighbor, as he took a long drink from the now half-emptied bottle. His ears were ringing and his oppression and anxiety lifted a little. He ate with more relish than he had expected, and pushing back his chair, lighted a cigarette. Gradually the world receded, the blue rings of smoke spread and hung gently in the air, his brain was tranced in a not unpleasant numbness. He was still conscious that he was menaced in some way, but he no longer clung to details. Only the face of Victoria, haloed in cigarette smoke, looked vividly down on him. ”

“ Victoria controlled a laugh and looked as soulful as the circumstances seemed to require.
The poet turned to follow his hostess, and she encountered a valentine in each of Herr Balder's round eyes. The suppressed laugh broke out. She blushed at her rudeness, and endeavored to cover it.
"I feel as happy as a girl at her first ball," she gurgled.
"And I am as happy as a man in love," he replied, voicing the valentine.
"Why, I thought a man in love was always a most unhappy creature?" ”

“ Valdeck hid a smile with his serviette. She was too delicious, this girl. His curiosity began to rise concerning this Victoria whose character he had just destroyed. Evidently she was a woman of independence and intelligence. It was rather a pity to spoil her reputation; but it had to be done. Besides, he reflected, was it not a custom current in society, was it not sufficient to justify any calumny, that the person thus punished should happen to know things derogatory to the calumniator? "The greater the truth the greater the libel" works more ways than one. ”

“ Anne. It spread from rank to rank, as fire whips across a prairie, till the whole throng rocked with it—an immense emotional swell.
Vic's face paled a little, and she shook her shoulders as if to throw off the hysterical contagion of the crowd.
Sonia looked sympathy. "Grips one right by the throat, doesn't it?"
There was no more stopping now. The procession in its compact thousands advanced as if lifted bodily. The weary straightened themselves, the sick lifted their heads, the eyes of the dying lit once more.
"Makes one understand the crusades," Shorty murmured, tearfully. ”

“ You know how one always attributes a deeper motive than the apparent one because the obvious appears too simple."
"That is the habit of wily people," said Mrs. Durham; "but Vic, my dear, you are not of that kind. You are direct; that is your power and your charm. I'll back an impression of yours against three of my own, and I'm not so very modest and humble about my own penetration. My advice to you, my girl, is, if you feel there is a screw loose in the elegant Miss Ford, watch her. You are very apt to be right."
"I don't intend," said Victoria, rising, "to bother my head about it longer. ”

“ Philippa dropped her oyster-fork, and her eyes dilated.
"Victoria Claudel! For goodness sake, what do you mean?"
He appeared to hesitate, and the conversation ceased as the servant served the soup.
"My dear girl," he resumed, after a moment, "I must, to protect myself and your good opinion of me, do a thing that is considered, and rightly considered, dastardly among men. I must speak ill of a woman to whom I am indebted, more than indebted." ”

“ No longer the clink of china, nor the wrangling of argumentative voices, no longer the cheerful shout of Gustave, or Hortense, down the dumb-waiter, "Deux bœuf a la mode, trois haricots, une demi-tasse." He fumbled for his watch, and glanced at the time. Half-past ten. Stumblingly he rose, and made his way to the window, threw up the sash, and gazed uncertainly out. Across the way silhouettes came and went upon the drawn-down shades; further on he saw the blurred outline of the lady of the amazing lingerie. The stars overhead shone with a palpitating, uneven light. ”

“ Morton and Philippa rose from the divan somewhat hastily, and Philippa held out her hand with languid grace and a murmur of "So glad," which froze on her lips as Victoria deliberately thrust both hands in her muff, and Mrs. Durham's clear, light eyes gimleted into her hostess's violet orbs. She opened the battle without parley.
"Miss Ford, I have come with Miss Claudel, as a married woman and her close friend, to demand of you the meaning of certain lies I have heard coming unmistakably from you, which concern the private character of Miss Claudel." ”

“ Victoria went on, disregarding the interruption, "and let you judge for yourself."
Philippa's thoughts during the recital were a series of repressed exclamations. "Heavens! she's accusing him of burglary! Did one ever hear of such vindictiveness! Lucius was right; she's a danger in petticoats! What a horrible lie! Oh! it's murder now! What next, I wonder! The wickedness of it! She's overstepping herself; nobody will believe that. Can such women live, to play with a man's life and character like that? ”

“ Catching up the silver figure, she kissed its foot passionately, and then turned to her hand-bag. From it she took a cloth and a small bottle, smiling wisely all the while. Stealthily she crept into the adjoining room, made her way to the bed, and stood over the unconscious sleeper.
Valdeck slept on, his usual acute senses drugged into stupidity.
She leaned over him long, as if to make sure.
"Yes," she murmured, "that is the man! He is the one who was pointed out to me—he is the one I have followed, and the good St. Anne says I am right." ”

“ Durham nodded. "Yes, as one nears the years of, say—indiscretion, it's well to treasure an occasional illusion. It makes one think kindly of one's self as well as of others."
"Besides," Victoria went on, occupied with her own chain of thought, "he keeps my mind too busy when we are together; I have no leisure to think of anything but the subject in hand. And I've always observed that to fall in love with a person, there must be a possibility of an occasional silence, or, at least, a lull: then one's senses begin to take note. ”

“ Mrs. Durham stamped her foot. "Go on to your Platonic rendezvous; there is no convincing you of obvious facts."
Victoria planted herself firmly before her chum. "Do you want to get rid of me, or do you think twenty-five is so old that you wish to provide for me as one sends a pauper to the old ladies home? I won't marry till I've found Galahad, Don Quixote, and Satan himself rolled into one. He'd be worth studying."
"And I'll bet you the proceeds of my next chef-d'œuvre," Mrs. Durham replied, "that you marry the most ordinary of mortals, and before you're five years older, too." ”

“ One learns," and here Philippa looked vastly worldly-wise and bitter, "not to expect a man's life to be as spotless as a woman's, or even a woman's as spotless as it ought to be. I must own, though, that what you tell me of Victoria would surprise most of her friends more than it does me. I have never quite held her in my esteem to the point of absolute trust. There is a suggestion of defiance in her Bohemianism. She permits herself liberties that are not wise. She lunches with any man she likes, whenever she pleases, in the most public places. ”

“ Philippa watched her aunt with disguised disgust. "Great, ugly thing! She thinks she's a beauty," she commented, inwardly, for Philippa loathed vanity in others. She turned her head, gasped with the pain the movement caused her aching eyeballs, arose, and walked gingerly to the violet-hung bed.
"I'm going to lie down," she said. "I do feel so ill—tell Marie to come to me. I want my lavender-water, and the shades pulled down. I wonder if I shall die!"
"You've got a nervous headache—you won't die," said Mrs. Ford, scornfully. ”

“ Morton had held his breath for some moments. This being in the presence of a three-cornered woman's conflict daunted him, as it well might any man, however stout-hearted, particularly when one of the contestants happens to be a fiancée, and another a lifelong friend. His loyalty to Victoria flamed up with the hope that she might clear herself of the accusations brought against her. For an instant he almost hoped she would avenge the hurt. Then the loveliness of Philippa triumphed, and he felt only the sting of the insult offered her. ”

“ Anne and the Virgin. As the lights shone through the mellow translucence of the parchment, they seemed a sudden florescence of myriad calla lilies of miraculous radiance. Through the door of the chapel, into the open starlit night, the pilgrims poured, the procession carrying her along with it. She disengaged herself for a moment, and rather shamefacedly purchased a candle, and begged a light from her neighbor, a tottering old woman, the white bands of whose coif were hardly less pale than the face they framed. ”

“ Yet she must contain her righteous indignation if she was to save Valdeck from the net that would be cast about him.
Victoria's story reached its climax. Philippa's mental exclamation points multiplied. His mother's pin that he gave me out of his great love of me a part of the plunder! What won't she say! The very idea! She ought to be buried alive for such infamy. Never mind, a day of retribution will come, and the dispensing hand of justice may be the small white-gloved one lying here so meekly. ”

“ Then, I'll probably marry somebody who will beat me, and I shall like it, and it will make Morty so mad he won't be able to come around any more. Then we'll each think how nice the other one was all our lives."
"I can't marry a boy," Morton protested. "And if any one tried to beat Victoria, it wouldn't be Victoria who would go to the hospital. The fact of the matter is, the only thing for her is a nice, slender, yellow, fuzzy-haired pet from Madame Despard's kennels. She could ruffle it and love it, and go right on her rejoiceful way without worrying it or herself or any one else." ”

“ Aren't you afraid to let Victoria be seen among all our good-looking, uniformed Russians?" demanded Sonia, as one with a grievance.
"No," broke in Mrs. Durham, with annoyance in her tone; "he isn't—he isn't jealous at all. Did you ever see two people so beautifully suited, who simply don't want to get married? They won't fall in love—it's disgusting!"
"I rather like it myself," said Victoria; "it saves such lots of bother. ”

“ He always was fortunate with his women confederates, conscious or unconscious, he commented. There was Eugenia, what a jewel the woman was. It was unfortunate that the police had suspected her, it prevented his seeing her as often as he would like.
Squab and salad were served, and Valdeck came over to the divan and sat beside Philippa.
"Let's drop all this for the present," he said, gently taking her hand; "let's talk of you, it's a pleasanter subject; only tell me that this confidence hasn't completely barred me from your respect. What can you know of a man's life and temptations!" ”