The Argosy — page 203: what you’re looking at

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

186 Lady Valeria. me out and made friends with me at Florence. I wonder what made her insist on my coming to England at all?” “T know—perfectly,” with a nod of dark meaning, “and so did Lord Monchalsea. Likewise his creditors. Never mind. She was a very excellent sponsor for you on your first appearance in English society—a gay old countess with plenty of money. Now that you have seen the folly of it all, and /aven’t married a duke—or Lord Monchalsea—you can throw her over and fall back upon me. [ma far safer friend.” “TI can’t give her up now. She really does depend on me, and I was glad enough to meet her once. I thought my life was over, and she seemed to offer mea fresh beginning. I longed so much to get rid of the past. Think of the years I had spent in the shadow of death—and worse—” she ended in a shuddering whisper. Hester knew she was thinking, not only of her lost parents, but of the short year of her own married life; the wretched story of a child- bride sacrificed by her father’s ambition to the fancy of a cynical, worn-out man of the world, whose life and death were alike unedify- ing and best forgotten. ‘‘’Tell me who else are coming,” she went on, without looking round. ‘Mr. de Cressy, Lord Charles and Mabel Brant “4 ‘That means the Beethoven Septett is to be done after all! How have you managed about the clarinet—or have you come down to the Mozart in A. ?” “T think Mabel will be content with my forlorn hope. He has practised with Mr. de Cressy’s society, and as no other clarinet-player was to be had é ‘Do you mean to say you’ve got young Paramount?” Hester ex- claimed, turning on her with wide-open eyes. ‘““Why not? He seemed delighted to come in just for the Septett. You know we have to get a professional for the horn, that’s beyond any of our amateurs; so where’s the harm ?” ‘Oh, none whatever. If everybody is content,so am I. Only don’t turn the boy’s head altogether, as ——” “Go on, you hadn’t finished. Turn his head as Rs ‘As you and the Vicar have done for his sister, I was going to say. I shall expect to meet Aer here next.” “Perhaps you may,” Mrs. Damien answered, a little confusedly, “for I have asked her to come and hear her brother’s performance. What caz it matter, Hester? Can’t the girl sit in a corner and listen to a little music without being any the worse? Or why do you grudge her such a tiny scrap of pleasure ?” Hester was silent for a minute. ‘I believe mean jealousy is at the bottom of it all! I was just thinking over all the people I have been attacking and disparaging in the last half-hour. Mr. Stannard, Lady Monchalsea, Elsie Paramount—everybody you happen to honour with your special notice, Rose, my dear. Vow you have the key to my ' CORNICLOOOKS EO m