A WOMAN-OF-THE-WORLD'S ADVICE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7119, 7 June 1901, Page 4

A WOMAN-OF-THE-WORLD'S ADVICE.

;(% F. 0. PHILLIPS.) Mn^AJjgoriwm Toynbee- -^ra* one pfnfae *^9^»t -^Xfaemmiy miserable women in , ibsactaf... .Ybnaf , Urandsome, possessing a rtah hwbttKl, und «very qualification to . fbloe in •ooiety, eho felt that all these ftdfa*Ug« w«r© thrown away because her iajbaad neglected her. /As a matter of feotr it woa not actual negleofc, but only ibfi ronult of the lives they led. Algernon • Tayßoee oert«inly liked* racing, and he al«o prefewed spending bis evening* at a oluli to doing so at Rome. But, ior all 1 it<fe»t, he loved 1» wife in a modified—or, V&wigi, I ought to aay, modern — fashion, ■- *tooh i» not demonstraoioii, and which ««Ml«a«lly lead* the wife to rebeV Ho eoald not untterßtaodi that hie wifa. was^»oi utitfi&d to have pleniy of mon% to pß«v4 and entire • liberty of action; • He tnought her very unreasonable, and somejjinea told her so. 0» these occasions, Mrs Toynbee would retort— "I married you for low— not money." "Then you are particularly luckvy he WOttld answer, •" for you have both." And HO^they gradually drifted apart, »nd Mrs Toynbee had decided to suffer in silencs. H«r husband's ehaffinig sarcasm irritated her more than> his iiMifference. .It was , only natural that^when things arrived at • tbw stage there should appear oa the scene . » third' person capable and willing to heal . her grounded feelings. The person in question was one of those idle young men with " fatal " looks, whose, oriy aim in life appears to be to sow discord in married lives, and who are to be- met. with in all well- 1 constituted society. He did not make vio- j lent love to Mrs. Toynbee— that was noti !>arfc of his system to begin wtyh— but he) et fall careless remarks concerning his j ' own miserable, misunderstood life; and, j later on, he cautiously hinted that per- 1 haps Mr*\ Toynbee's 'life was »o happier than his. \ Evelyn Toynbee began bjL being flattered at • the- interest 'he todk in her, and gradually she took an interest, iv him, "' In "course" of time, ' this interest developed into friendship, followed by a mild kind - of loye, -ani it had -now almost reached- the ' #tage of frenzied passion. Mr Toyirbee oeifeUsr saw nor cared what' happened, and other people- <whd : ; did, and. • were : perhaps » little jealous of. her, congra tul^ te ' i , on haying such "a dear, delightful hus : '.baiwi." . j . Amongst those who perhaps saw clearer than anyone and who made no comment was her bosom-friend, Lady BarJdy-West. Xh«y were near neighbours, the Toynbees I living- in Hans Place and Lady Barkly^ Weit in Cadogan Square. The latter was . ft Thorough woman of the world, the widow of a baronet who had left her a, large fortune — on .condition that she did not remarry — and a consumptive f child to. bring Mp There were few days on which these' 1 iftdiea ad net meet. When first Evelyn ' hid settled in London, she was very inexperienced, and she had accepted Lady JJatjciy-West as friend, ' guide and. ooun•*Uor - • -v- , • a " And yet, now that a crisis had arrived Jjv iher* existence, she did not seek her . friend's advice. Lady Barkly-West had the reputation of being a woman of unimpeaohable morals : no one had ever acewni her of the slightest deviation from ; tfca path 'of matrimonial rectitude; or eeu,p!«d her name with that of any man. And 7«t *he was not dull or prudish. A irpman of thirty-five, still very handsome, : *lir«y» beautifully dressed, and entertainteg )«^eJy> «be migiht! have had many adJBiTfrs, but «he' knew just where to draw ■ y ikc If»b when they showed signs of repke- ■ |Rg «o?siaiitf by what she laughingly called '•'tesifooMry. •■ i A» J have said, she saw clearly whither Evelyn Toynbee was drifting, and she was very fcarry for her. Whenever she called at jfajw Flaw, »hegeneially found Mr Downey • ih ft, statjmeatal attitude in the drawingfqsffi, $ho «vw them tog«fther at the theaIfe, Rfc Sft»doWß, in the Park, whenever end could conveniently meet. %c ]&&? M^Do'wawy better; perhaps, than. : Jgfslyj^. buft »h« decided .to say nothing. Aiiksugh she was really attached, to her, ft**} wetfd be v«ry Mrry "if anything > Jtgepe^ed," l^o fci»Tr tibat advice in the • jk€eb^| stftte of things would only add«fuel |# t^» iaaw. "If aha wishes for my advice *«4 gEßefieswe, sih» wiHl.a«k for it," she : A^ttflit". " But I will not be the first to ' ffef it," U Wft6 ftboufc this time that Evelyn did da^ide wwnstbing must be done. Her |(tts^an4 ? e iedifferaaco lad reached' a- climax, . as.4' M? P&Vft&:/ii attwntiona hftdi become so fireafilßg \^i»t Bft* -felt that they were really ipdfi (§j each othsr, and that her marR4^9 W6# 4 gigantic blunder which it was : Mf'tlteigf T9 correct. %h& feft4 t?Rvcr«d aadtfought long enough, fjegesfeiife «ho would belong to the only • jaaa undemcod her and was ready . & sgefilea evwytibmg for her. Only, there . Htfisp. h^m half moasures. She would have ; §« eh^ie^s?, jceotiags and stolen kisses; ; fk&f mm nii&G a de»p«rat© plunge and run *^4y f9ge&sF. Si» love waa overwhelming, . jkttTsHe'weuH wvatd it by making a sacri- . fea gf &i&f&a£g ft woman ih'oTd» most : fia?.- f efv\lSa«ix> iho had no children ; :h« hpb^4 W3tfl4- # ne<> miw her— only she : "VWiqlq suf§F hf teing a social outcast. : Hafl^g he?ai^^Sy 8»ao thin decision, she f««aesu;e4 ?RsMng b»< plftM. Sue was 1 gs;Bg fp g. • fe^il • t-ha* night where • ?&• " te#W «W weytd mast h*r lover, •' ajid £$& YF6i44 t?U him of the : faß^giifiii pjp aj&fc. Bufc, &*& , »f avL ar^e w a«J4 iEYjie bays*if to dinner : jj|«3 met w^s £isea.fc ta tftlPi fettt i^at would j : £§£&& pn 3£6tt33B£33gE£, j ". was ¥§ry jleaied to '. fcftvel}fir. MpSciaiiy ft§ gi^a felt B«r§ tftfl^o ; se«pi^iEg m m &th fee* Pft§ refrained • gKKa, megtipßjßg Sewne^'s nawo or ! §Bl>2Bie# Vim?? t&s pervo»«j : i» ts^ed *3Si4|y gad {umtft ftt rerndom, ; |j^gc from Wfmsy, witiiout ; «£j- ?ißPjerint ??|S^: I* W*S «©lj sitev : $j?s6r; *B£ff|i^K4 .^lia.«y Bq?Jdy-Woat'B ; gS^ 2 Ffw^ &® 4eaMed te mafco A ; »§»9 a»M* «•■««? S9sfeea ; : „ ;i¥fct> is -i.ua i^si $$& .^e &feail "otewHo* ; ge+^esj ? ' sQ^'uegaa. -*T am going a^ay : ":n|eaHy? >: pp^g-jtev fcien4 wUkast «• ; h:|>lfrf3"^# cuvpfh^ . "But I i jiupg«?S ?o# ypll come "vack — rfce seftatya U : bftly ps~Gi?ivf' ' ' - ■ IshV''"-*' ■ ."'"'.'" ■ • - ■ { #:tfo it. a ?e>f-JWBasas# esmpiftinfc," : ??*?^ W* Roijfiff skasas ci ftad Jiy : F-Sfgßl*!' &&" . ' , ! ■tha^. is wMsi I rW ga*Bg te do,' 1 t-j£s ; ftgsitallggly, *fesly==^efi3y t s ."Sfi; J«apfl^ «^ ?! < •:•■ - ••■■■• •' fhm mere fpa? a. pagsp. ' "M*? 1 ft #i ij?4j SftfW-W.ert row," ' l^ipg HP? SB^ft e^oßefl&toh- on ; ..Sfi6ujd.er. gapj «I fhjsk I «a» 1 - $SHr» J?«flfletr 1-sj }mi. ■. *m® fm Ha#L?=Weßt tigiied, ,a» im« ( '■ Vaq ?va ssf2 ? z%f Q6Bf," f&o laid,. «He fpili refus,e : ' 3 - U'-U* toss* W 4e?9te«Us/eke aald, "and "ISffgn^a ds& aqi; f«S?§ ifhat I <io. He w$ ba gkd ta fee jig ef ac," t " I em ssn-y \s &.j-\jtot% cither >| Ifieset staieise^ia, O^qU Dow a*y care« ] ,p»iy foj; himsplf, p«4*y«ir to^wi is a ( t«ry faic £^2cja?a ef tbt .everyday iiw-bssd-rrabseiotelj viflO. Ho is eaaygc^ag ;,&£ earele^»r^erhap« iv little, too jjaiucS ?e. sni> way Bhoul4 M have married roc if iig (jidn't Jaw you? You hadn't a : ' (

"I Jtnow I hadn't," .answered Evelyn tearfully, "but I loved him." "Of course you did, and ao yon do now —only you don'fc know your own mind." " I lore Ceoil Downsynow. We are the aeoomty ■oomplemant of each other. Ho has told bio no ovw and over again. Why should we Tooth bo otwnally miserable for the #ak« of a silly old' marriago-Mrvice having bwa »ad wcr my head, h«lf of which I didn't understand or evaa Haton to?" " It is fortunate everyone does not think 80 lightly of the marriage aervioe. personally, I think it is an excellent institution, and on© to ba vary tmueh respected." "Oh, of oourse, you ar© above reproach and temptation, ana all ihat sort of thing 1 I han't Know why I confided in you. I felt it would be ungrateful' of me to go away without wishing you good-bye," and gomo fcara stood in her eye*. "If I am above reproach, and all that of thing,, it is, perhaps, because I have seen the utter folly of being-other-wise," said Lady Baday-West gravely. . "There 1b ao merit in being temptation-, proof unfew «nelna* been tempted." "Of course, )[ know you are very much admired," said 1 Evelyn, "but no one woyid dare make real love to you." ' Lady Barkly-Weyt laughed. "Do you think so?" she said. " You are mistaken. Men have loved me — or rather, they have said so." "But, then, you did not care for them." "I cared for one, the one who made the most violent protestations, until my eyes were opened." . " That ds different. He did not love you as Mr Downey loves me." . "Perhaps not," said Lady Baikly- West, carelessly; "and yet, oddly enough, his name was Cecil Downey." "Do you mean to say- ?" gasped Evelyn. , * . "Yes, my dear Evelyn. It is a disagreeable thing to havfe to tell you, but at one time — not so very long ago— Mr Downey was going to cut his throat or hang himself, or I know not what, unless I gave him 'hope* It was just before my husband died. When he heard of the will, life without me did not seem to possess the same- terrors -for Jiim, and he cooled down. Sordid'!. "I did >not regret him in- the/ least. . I only felt, Humiliated at having been loved for my money. If. l had given him 'hope' during my husband's life, j[t would have been au, right, but to be saddled with a penniless' wife, was more than his manly shoulders coujd bear." ' Evelyn, sat staring at her with a feeling of being stunned. Was Lady Barkly-West really telling the truth, or was this a "history invented by her to save her young friend from the peril by which she was threatened? . * She could n£t believe Cecil Downey to j be mercenary, and she almost believed him when he said, that he had never loved anyone until he met her. The shock was ter- j rible— almost overwhelming. At last, she gathered 1 sufficient strength to say, " I suppose it is not a joke you are playing on me?" ■■'.-.: "A joke?" asked Lady Barkly-West, raising her eyebrows. . . " . j " Yes ; I mean, you might, in your kindness, have thought of this to save me from what lam about to do." •. . j " I should soarcely joke on such a subject," said Lady BarMy-West. "No, I suppose not," said Evelyn, with i a- sickly; little smile. "Then it- ;ia i really ; true?" ' "What I have told, you is the absolute truth. But if you would like to see some of his letters — f think I have kept them;" "Oh no! I should hate to see them!" And then there was another pause. Evelyn was thinking how disagreeably this new* had affected her whole life. It was almost ridiculous to be told that the man for whom she was prepared to make such an heroic sacrifice would probably decline it. wMi thanks. It was humiliating beyond 'words. And then vanity came to her aid. Perhaps he had only had an exaggerated flirtation with Lady Barkly-Wept. He did not feel the same love for her as he now felt for Evelyn. Lady Barkly-Wesfc was ten year* older than Evelyn. And yet, the letters ! Perhaps she had better see them to convince herself. No*! She decided that she would rather not.. And yet it would j be difficult to put him to any test. She j oould soarcely bear the affront of his refusing if she asked him to- run away with her. In her bewilderment, she said at last, "You have dealt me a very hard blow/"' "I ani «orry t " said Lady Barkly-West, "but it only fair that I should give you my experience. Of course, it rests entirely between -ourselves. I suffered at the time bocauae— well, I suppose I really loved him, and he promised me the devotion of a lifetime and; a lot of other nonsense? which w*» only humbug. I see you scarcely believe me. If this is the case, follow out your programme, and judge for yourself now 'he likes the idea of an elopement 'followed by an appearance in the Divorce Court." '•He might not mind, for my sake," naid Evelyn weakly. "Perhaps not; you are younger and more attractive than I:" " Oh, no ; I don't mean that !" said Evelyn, quickly; "only — -" "Yes, you do mean that, and I am not j^ tl»i least offended.. Every ironum thinks she is loved as no woman has ever been loved before. I thought so myself when I was at your stage." • "I am so aau«erable at home," wailed Ev**7u. , T7 V.Why arc. you miserable? You have «vary thing to make. you' happy."' "I have money, and society, and all that »or<> of thing; but Algernon doesn't care ttw> atraw'ft for me, »nd MrDowney swears that I havo ruined his whole life/* Lady Barkly-West smiled. "Hasn't he threatened 1 to cut his throat yet?" fiho said. , "Ploswm don't make fun of our — our affection," - sal/I Evelyn. "It is really steered," " I hope it will remain so. If you were «ta snn away with him; it would hpconvj Immoral, vulgar, commonplace.." "Wo should net b& the first couple wbo km swrifload the world for love," said EypJyri. . "■ , "As* of nil., sacrifices it is the most uoeleas and utilf,": said Lady Barkly-Wes.t. "T/lia lorn, of two yottng people which, has for it» basis only passion and rebellion is thalaasii lasting bf all. I am not going tfl jn'SfiCll you awnnon, deai 1 ," she said, a* shfi uaticcd. Evelyn's impatient movement; "byt <lc believe me when I tell you that yea haven't a thousand-to-one chance e{ remaining happy after the first six masths, You may neither of you care ftbeut society. - Nowadays it is the fashion fc& say that one is bored by everything and. oVerybody. I grant that your expulsion from every decent housa may not afilcofc you, and that you have no frienddhipg ftbout which you care. But bay& you thought of your relations, of the mother who Brought you up, of your father -aBo, pftrliftps, idoli«d you as a child? Have you thought of the lasting disgrace that you will bring on them, and. that they also TrtU^Joße their doors' to you?" ■ "My parents would never close their doors to i£e," said Evelyn, a little doubtfully, . • "Then. they could receive you only in 80OT00V. and when you wera away from_Mr DwJrhey." ISo one would go to their house if thejr thought they would meet 'the tUugjb&r who in away with some man.'" "How horrid you are I" exclaimed Evelyn, driven to desperation. "I should saver wish to meet a»v of their odious friends." * " Th«a the feeliny would ha mutual, but that wouldn't make it any- the -better for yourparents." "What am I to do?" s^id Evelyn, in another burst of despair. , .

"Will you. take my advice if I offer it?" asked Lady Barkly-West. "Your advice can be only that of a. woman who has extraordinary control over her feelings, and who has, perhaps, very little heart," said Evelyn. " Hank you, dear 1 I hare quite as much heqrt as you, only I have much more experience of the world and - its Mr Downeya. Don't go to your ball tonight. Of course, you are going to meet him there and listen to all his sentimental rubbish. Star here as long as you like, and then go home, and, if Mr Toynbee is not in, sit up for him. When be comes home, tell him that you are tired of London and the opposite lives you are both leading; ask him to take you abroad at on cp, or on a yachting eras^—anywhere whore you will be able to see more of each other." ' . .. i( He would refuse, without a moment's hesitation, 1 " said Evelyn, quickly. "iflft if you put the proposition strongly enough. If he does persist in refusing, tell him that you have been dining with me .atod that this is my advice. " "What effect would that, have?" asked Evelyn sharply. " Surely you are not going to tell me tmt you have secrete with my husband? Has he, top, been making lore to you?" Lady Barkly-West burst* out laughing. "t don't remember his having ever done so, although I' have known- him nearly all my life. It is not a question of love,' but I rather fancy he has confidence in my judgment." ' . .£ ; "He would a|E'me. a lot of awkward questions. It is impossible for me to follow your advice/?. '' "Would you like me to Speak to him?" "Ohno ;* still less- 1 You would tell him my secret." . "I should certainly not do sol without your permission. You think" I have been lecturing you. Why shouldn't I lecture him? Mind you, I 'would rather not. I particularly dislike interfering between husband and wife, only, as you have confided "Yes, it is very kind of you. You are the only friend I have." "And even that friendship would not remain if you' disgraced yourself with Cecil Downey." "I cannot believe that he dots not lovs me,' 1 said Evelyn. . ■ "I dare say /he does love you after his fashion. You are extremely pretty and fascinating, but I very much' doubt his willingness to make the sacrifice of his life for ' you," :' said Lady Barkly-West, "And then* she took both Evelyn's hands in here and continued: — "Believe me, no man is worth that sacrifice. In sis months you >rould hate him far more than you hare ever disliked Algernon." "I don't hate Algernon," said Evelyn; " only he is so unkind." ■ "He is not unkind; he is only thoughtless." '■" "He ought not to be thoughtless; he ought to think of me sometimes." v • '" I dare Bay he does, only men always think more of themselves: You would fiiid Cecil Downey exactly the same, and you would have the additional disadvantage of having no friends to fall back upon. You look perfectly lovely -to-night in your ba.ll- . dress. Let your husband see you in all your glory wnen he comes home, and I will wager that-, he won't refuse your proposition." ' / The idea of her loveliness and her balldress was a nail which drove home. It suddenly occurred to Mrs Toynbee that af-. ter to-night sihe would have no need for ball-dresses, and that her loveliness would be appreciated only by Mr Downey. "I believe you are right," she said. "I. suppose I ought to give hie* ona m*tv> chance." And -thus it was that, within a -*y it* days after that conversation, people were surprised to read in the "Morning Post" that Mr and Mrs Algernon Toynbse had left. London for Norway, and "would not return for some months. The next time Mr Downey met Lady Barkly-West, he asked her carelessly if she knew why they had left so suddenly. "I can't think," she said smilingly, " unless it be that my wits are just a little sharper than yours. ' And to this provoking reply Mr Downey found nothing to nay: * . _