The Argosy — page 163: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

150 Lottie’s “Yes.” Lady Davenant understood perfectly well what her husband meant, but the moment he went straight to the point, as was his custom when- ever he thought it worth while to see that there was a point, she was in the habit of exercising the power which she possessed of bringing him to punishment in the shape of explanation. Sir Henry was a foxhunter, and foxhunters would rather take any sort of leap than the mental one which lands them at the door of an explanation. It was after dinner however, and the baronet was wound up to the mark, so he replied stoutly : ‘‘T mean this, that I would rather he gave up his horses, and his cigars, and all the rest of it, to spend his days honestly with the woman he loves, than that he should vere round and give himself up body and soul in exchange for all the guineas that ever were coined.” Lady Davenant went on working assiduously. There isa peculiar ring in pure unadulterated truth which it is difficult to silence with shams, and Sir Henry Davenant was allowed to go on. ‘‘T confess I am disappointed in Harry, and I wish Dacre had been able to come down from the clouds and settle his ward’s affairs before all this mystification had set in. However, he may yet find out his mistake. He is possibly deceiving himself: he pretends to think he has done the right thing, and what everybody expected of him.” ‘‘ But so he has,” said Lady Davenant, relieved to find that the storm was blowing over. ‘‘ He has behaved very sensibly. It would be exceedingly foolish of him to marry Eve. It would bea perpetual struggle. Harry would have to exchange into another regiment— might be sent abroad, to some outlandish place with a shocking climate! It would be dreadful!” ‘Very well,” said Sir Henry; ‘“‘ then I suppose he has done the right thing.” And he lighted his cigar, with a sigh of relief that he had said what he had intended to say, and that the discussion was over. But Lady Davenant, left alone, was by no means so easy in her mind as she had determined it was best that she should appear to.be. Harry’s cause was his mother’s cause, and it was self-evident that a good match was more to be desired than a bad one. Her darling would be happier in the long run, even if he had to give up the romance of his youth, by avoiding the cares, anxieties, and self-im- posed but imperative sacrifices entailed by a limited income. She was not, however, so sure that he had done what was right. She said so: she had told herself so; but when it is found necessary to teach oneself with insistance that a thing is absolutely right, there may be room for doubting if it be not absolutely wrong. Harry was very dear to her, but Eve was almost equally as dear. Mr. Dacre had buried his paternal love under so heavy a mass of learn- ing that it never appeared on the surface in any available shape. He had found more consolation for a bereaved life in his study ECORNICLIOOKS 50) m