LITERATURE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 3550, 27 August 1879, Page 3

LITERATURE.

♦ . ] MISUNDEBSTOOD. BY 51. B. 0. Miss Aurora Vane lifted her pretty face — just now clouded with disappointment, but withal a very pretty combination of regular features, good complexion and brilliant hair and eyes. "Isn't it toj bad, Mibs Liston ? After all the time and trouble and expense I've baan to make my 'evening* a grand success too. I could cry for vexation." Only, instead of crying, Misa Vane gave a vicious little pull at her pet lap-dog's eara. "Bat what is, Aurora? What has happened to annoy you P " Miss Liston ensconced herself comfortably in a Turkish chair, and helped herself to the orango cream chocolates in the lace-papered box beside her. "Oh, everything. The little French girl I had engaged to sing the contralto has just sent mo word that she bos an attack of d.phtheria, and Granville Danton isn't coming." . j Mia 3 Liston could aeo the teara of vexation just ready to drop. ( "Really, that is an annoying combination of circumstances. Can't you replace , the singor? I think I biow of a young lady^irho would oblige you. What were you lo pay little Miss Da. Craie?" ' — j " Oh, sho is a regular professional, you know. She wouldn't open her mouth, for less than five guineas. But you couldn't expect me to give that to an amateur." Miss Liston smiled. "I think my 'amateur' is equal to yoar professional, Aurora, and I am grioved.to see you disposed to be unwilling to pay Miss Wostwood what you would give the other. Daisy West wood .would be so thankful of the opportunity to earn the money, and sho has a lovely alto voice— in my opinion far oxcelling Miss Da Craie's." Aurora's lips curled.

"Daisy Westwood! The idea of asking her to sing for money ! Why, she was engaged to Granville Danton once when the Westwoods were rich." "Yes," said Mias Liston, gravely, "and Danton behaved outrageously, I understand. Well, as he won't bo here, and false pride won't obscure Daisy's good sense, lean see no impropriety in your engaging her. Shall Igo for her?" Aurora's bluo eyes looked intently in Miss Liston's face, as she arose ahd drew on her glovos. - " If Mr Danton Bhould come — " j "I understand," Miss Liston said, with a [ quiet little sarcasm in her voice. " You aro a little afraid of being . outrivalled ; but you may reßt content. Daisy despises your Mr Danton even more than "you adore him." There crept a little angry flush to the girl's cheek. " I do not at all ' adore ' him, or any one else, Aliss Liston, I hope. All the same " " Yes," and tho lady made a comical little grimace as she picked up the train of her carriage dress. " I know what you mean. Besides, Mr Danton won't be here. At nine tonight, shall I say ? " And she drove off on her little errand of charity, leaving Aurora undecided whether to rejoice or regreL at the prospect. **' # # * " If you think I had bettor, mamma ? " Mr and Mrs Westwood both looked at Daisy's flushed, eweet face, as the girl appealed to her mother, almost wistfully. For Miss Liston had repeated her message, and Dai^y had listened with glad, eogor attention until Miss Liston had spoken Miss Vane's name, and then all the pride in the girl's nature had risen in arms, to fall again at sight lof her mother's pale, anxious face— at thought 1 of the comforts sho could givo her mother with tbe proceeds of the evening's work. Mrs Westwood smiled cheerily, and eomehow it was more pitiful than tears on her pale, patient face. " It must bo just as you please, dear." Daisy turned her face away for one minute, and then she crested her head almost defiantly. "Of coursp, I'll go, Mios Liston, ancl thank you ever so much for your kindness. Five guineas will bo a perfect godBend to mamma and I just now, for our coal-cellar is empty and — Oh, well, we'll get on somehow. And what shall I wear, Miss Liston ? White tulle over white satin, and pearls, or black silk and velvet and diamonds ?" And Bho laughed gaily, perfectly succeeding in deceiving her mother's anxious eyes, but not in the leost hiding from Miss Liston the bitter sarcasm she was really feeling. " Daisy is so naughty," Mrs "Westwood explained, such tender indulgence in her mother-tones, " and, of course, it is so natural Bho should be thinking of what she once really had. But what shall you wear, dear ? I'm afraid " Miss Liston gently interrupted her. ''There will be no difficulty about that. Daisy, you are more than welcome to a lovely white grenadine I never have worn, and with a fow flowers " But Daisy's eyes flashed almost angrily. " MiBS Liston ! I would not have your dref a. I will not go if I have to borrow— clothes ! We have not fallen quite bo low as that. Ob, Miss Liston, indeed I don't mean to bd bo ungrateful, but— l couldn't borrow— a — dre-s !" Her voice choked with the proud tears that rushed to her eye. Then she dashed them resolutely away, and smiled brightly. " Indeed, I shall do very woll, Miss Liston. I have a dress saved from the wreck, which I have been altering — one of mamma's silka, the Bilvergray one, that I have been so often tempted to sell. And there arc several of my white carnations out ; so, altogether, I shall look— oh, royal ! " Only, somehow, it made Miss Liston'B heart ache to hear tho girl's brave chceriness. But she did look "royal" when the curtain went up and sho stood on the elegant little Brussels-carpeted stage that had been erected at the end of Miss Vane's drawing-room — royal as even a princess looked. And overy one of that be-diamonded, aristocratic audience held their breath while the slender, silvery-robed girl, with tbo passionf ul dark eyes, sung her song, making such a flood of melody that the very canaries iv their cages ceased thoir own rippling trills. And Aurora Vane knew from the enthusiastic encores that would not be silenced, that the success of hey opening "evening" was a grandly assured fact, all through Daisy Westwood. And sho did not know, at tbe very instant when she sat slowly flirting her elegant feathered fan, and listening to the entrancing sweetness of Daisy Westwood's voice, that just inside the door, beyond which he was unablo to proceed, in consequence of the lateness of his unexpected arrival, Granville Danton was standing, drinking in every Bound the girl made, and watching her with his eager, compelling eye, until, in the very act of bowing her final adicux, Daisy caught sight of him, handsome, half smiling, yet with such cruel scorn and critical sarcasm in his blue eyes. Sho did not falter then, but, outside the room, when she Btood alone in the little inclosed side portico, that had been improvised into a rotiring room, between times, for Mis* Vane's " hirod performers," Bho sunk, quivering from hoad to foot, into the ono chair, the hot tears springing to her eyes, great tears of anguishful memory scathing and buffeting her. And right in tbe midst of it all, when just the other aide of tho stage she could hear the laughter and applause attending the comicalities of Professor Von Dumpfel, the humorous contributor to the entertainment, Graaville Danton walked in. "Daisy Westwood!" He called her name oagerly, and she sprang from the chair, her eyes flashing through the tears, her head whirling, her heart all athrob. "How daro you speak to mo? Loave this room or I shall, this minute ! How daro you Btand thero, and look at mo, and speak my namo! " " And then, beforo Danton could move his lips, or prevent hor quick motion, Bhe had darted past him, catching up hor wraps, and and was gone from out Miss Vano's house. A few minutes later Miss Liston came to find her, with a message frora Misa Vane— that " the ladies and gontlemen woro waiting ; was she ready ? " And the next day there came another message to her, accompanied by the money she had earned at the expense of so much misery j for with the sight of Granville Danson's face, in it smiling exultation over her humiliation— or, at least, what scomecd to Daisy his exultation and her humiliation — hod como the keenest misery her young life had evor krown, even keener in its smarting pain than that she suffered once upon a time, not so very far back, when Granville Danton had been so crjel to her. And an hour after Miss Vano'B money had all gone to pay the grocer's bill, and replenish tho yawning coal-collar and nearly empty flour-barrel, Granville Danton walked into the little parlour where Daisy sat at her sewing, from which she could not possibly make a retreat. I He went in without knocking, and went down tho room to whero alio tat. "Daisy!" She rose from her chair, white with tho pain and anger of the shock of his sudden presence. "Mr Danton!" Despite hor flashing eyes and appallingly frigid displeasure, ho extended his hand. "Daisy, you shall not silence me. I havo something to say " Bhe interrupted him hotly. " You havo nothing to say to me, now or ever." Sho had withdrawn herself several steps furthor from where she stood, and was returning his look with one of cold indignation. " But I tell you I have something to say to you, and by the heaven above, you shall hear mo »ay it. Do you think I have found you after these wretched months, only to let you escape me, and condemn me unheard ? " His words were emphasised with- passionate intensity, and Daisy felt a sudden vague uncertainty rush ovor hor. But she answered coldly, indifferently as boforo. " If you wish to speak, Bpeak." " I do wish to speak, to demand why, when I sought you last night, aftor the long, long parting betweon üb, you flew from me as if I contaminated you ? Daisy, if you knew the search I had made for you ; if you know how bitterly I lamented the circumstances that havo divided us, if you knew how eager I am

to be forgiv6n my share, and to forgive yod your share " A fluttering colonr drifted into her facej and she suddenly dropped her lovely head towards him, in a piteous, bewildered way. . "I am afraid I don't understand you ! You — are sorry? You — regret " He stepped up beside her, and suddenly captured her, drawing her head to his breast' and kissing her quivering lips. "Regret it? Oh, Daisy, my darling, my darling ! No— you shall "not get away from me ! ]S T o, Daisy, you may struggle all you please, but you ehall never leavo my arms until you forgive me, and tell me you are my sweet, promised wife. First, kiss me f " Sho had always loved him; she would never love anyone^else, . so what could she do but juat what she did— give way to the flood of tears that would not be restrained, and tell him all that was in her heart, and promise him whatever he demanded ? And Miss Aurora Vane can never forgive herself, or Miss Liston, for having Daisy Westwood to take Mdle. Dv Craie's place ; and for all she cried herself ill with disappointment and vexation, when sho heard of Miss Westwood's engagement, she never dare show her jealous spite, when, not very much l*ter, she was a guest bidden to Granville Danton's wedding reception, at which tho little Dv Craie sang her sweetest for a price that was extravagantly munificent. " We will make her as happy as wo can," Mr Granvillo Danton ?&\d, tenderly, just before he and his fair bride went down intQ tlieir elegant parlours, " because I really feel that, in a measure, I owe a great deal of happiness to her. And you are liappy, my wife." While no man could have desired a more satisfactory answer than tho look of passionate adoration she gave him, as she dropped her lips to him to be kissed.