The Argosy — page 15: what you’re looking at

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

2 Winifred Power. protest. He treated Gertrude with a grave and even kindly deference that compelled her reluctant gratitude. It was owing to his influence, unconsciously exercised over her, that she bore herself in these days with a graceful and new humility which went a long way towards disarming hostile criticism. Like many people of quick tact, she was very far indeed from being thoroughly insincere. Her mobile nature was too responsive to various moods for that. She felt as well as saw what other people were feeling; every quality in her— violence, generosity, selfishness, benevolence—was partly spontaneous, partly deliberate ; and it was the very complexity of nature in her, resulting from all this, which made half her power to charm. A narrower soul than hers would not have appreciated Mark’s high- mindedness; a nobler one would have been forced by it into a renunciation of personal aims. But Gertrude Dallas remained at once both calculating and grateful. In her dreams of the future, Mark played a prominent part. She intended to do a great deal for him ; and already had a foretaste of the exultation she should feel in compelling his recognition of her power. Meanwhile, Mrs. Hatherley had nothing for it but to wait with such patience as she could muster for the day of Mrs. Burton’s return from her fortnight’s wedding tour. She confidently believed that this would also be the hour of her triumph. Mrs. Burton would tell what she knew of Gertrude’s past; and the credit which had been denied to Mrs. Hatherley would be accorded to her. Never were well-founded expectations more bitterly disappointed. Ideas in Mrs. Burton’s mind bobbed up and down with the rapidity and impartiality of peas in boiling-water. This was especially the case when any novelty excited her; and just now between Mr. Bur- ton and wedding presents, new dresses and congratulatory visits, her life was a series of novelties. Under these circumstances, it was just a chance which impulse might come uppermost in her. Mrs. Burton in the morning was as capable of snubbing Miss Dallas as in the afternoon she was capable of adoring her ;*it all depended upon the aspect of the question which good-humour and self-interest or ill- humour and self-absorption combined to present to her. ‘The first of these connections was predominant in heron the day when she heard the neys of Sir John’s engagement. A quarter of an hour later saw her in the drawing-room of The Limes. And just as Mrs. Hatherley, enchanted to see her, had opened her lips for her now habitual plaint, and Flossie’s eyes were already suffused with the dew of coming tears, Mrs. Burton took the breath out of both of them by sweetly smiling, and asking with the liveliest interest, for “ dear Sir John” and “the beautiful bride-elect.” On a sign from the speechless Mrs. Hatherley, her daughter limply rang the bell, and Gertrude was produced from the library. Mrs. Burton immediately folded her in her arms, and asked if she had not always prophesied for her a destiny in accordance with her merits. COPMICLIOO KS, Eo