THE STORY-TELLER

Waikato Times, Volume XI, Issue 885, 23 February 1878, Page 3

THE STORY-TELLER

WIFR IN NAME ONLY. Bif the author of Dora Thorne " • ; On Her WeudinoMor^," " kk. dembe'i> by Lovb," ' A Woman's War' &c , &o. (Continued from our issue of the 16 th inst.) CHAPTER VIII. Miss L'Estrange kept her word, saying but little to those who would fain have engrossed her whole attention—that was given to Lord Arleigb. She watched his whole face keenly throughout the performance. He did not evince any great interest m it. * you do not care for La Grande Duchcsse !' she said suddenly. «No-frankly, I do not, he replied. _ .... 'Tell me why,' said Philhppa. 'Can you ask me to do so, Philinna' lie returned, surprised, Sdffi he added, 'I will tell you. I First of all, despite the taking n,u<ic, it is a performance to which I should not oare to bring my WJie or sister.' * Tell me why,' she said again, <It lowers my idea of womanhood, I could pot forgive the wom;.n, let her be duchess or peasant, who could show any man such great love, who could lay herself out so deliberately to win a man.' , -nr She looked at him gravely. He I continued — . is very pWHung, I

grant— as are grace and talent j but the chief charm, to me of a woman is her modesty, just- -as' the great charm of a lily is its whiteness. Do you not. agree wiih me, Philippa?' '„..■' ' Yes,' she replied; ' most certainly I do; but, Norman, ■' you are hard upon us. Suppose that a woman loves a man ever so truly — she must not make any sign ?' ' Any sign she might make wou'd most certainly, m my opinion, lessen her greatest charm,' he said. ' But,' she persisted, * do you not think that this is rather hard? Why must a woman never evince a preference for the man she loves ?' ' Woman should be woov j d — never be the wooer,' said Lord Arleigh. ' Again I say that you are hard, Norman. According to you a woman is to break her heart m silence and sorrow for a man, rather than give him the least idea that she cares for him. ' I should say there is a happy j medium between the • Duchess of i Gerolstein nnd a broken heart. Neither men nor women can help their peculiar disposition, but m mv opinion a man never cares less for a woman than when he sees that she wants to win his liking.' He spoke with such perfect freedom from all consciousness that she knew the wor is could not be intended for her ; nevertheless she had learnt a lesson from them. 'I am like yourself, Norman,' she said — * I do not care for the play at all ; we will go home ;' and they left the house before the Grande Duchess had played her part. Philippa L'Estrange thought long and earnestly over her last conversation with Lord , Arleigh. She had always loved him ; but the chinees are that, if he had been devoted to her on bis return, if he had wooed her as others did, she would have been less, empresse. ■ As it was, he was the only man she had not conquered, the only one who resisted her, on whom her tascination fell without producing a magical effect. She could not say she had conquered the whole world while he remained unsubdued. Yet how was it ? She isked herself that question a hundred times each day. She was no coquette, no flirt, yet she knew she had but to smile on a man to bring him at once to her feet ; she had but to make the most trifling advance, and she could do what she would. The Duke of Morntcn had twice repeated his offer of marriage—she had refused him. . The Marquis of Langlan J, the great match of the day, had made her an offer, which she had declined. The Italian Prince Cetti would have given his possessions to take, her b*ck with him to his own sunny land, bat she had refused to go. No woman m England had had better offers of marriage j but she refused them all. How m was it, that, when others sighed so deeply and so vainly at her feet, Lord Arleigh stood aloof? Of what use was her beauty, wit, grace, wealth, and talent, if she could not win him ? For the first time she became solicitous about her beauty, compariiag it with that of other women, always being compelled, m the end, to own that she excelled. If Lord / rleigh talked or danced with or showed attention to any lady, she would critically examine her claim to interest, whether she was beautiful, mentally gifted, graceful. But Philippa detected another thing — if Lord Arleigh did not love her, it was at least certain that he loved no one else. The whole world was spoiled for her because she had not this man's love. She desired it. Her beauty, her weahh, her talents, her grace, were all as nothing, because with them she could not win him ? What had men told her ? That her beauty was irresistible. It might be that he did dare for her, that he intended to carry out his mother's favorite scheme, but that he was m no hurry, that he wanted her and himself to see plenty of life first. It was easier, after all, to believe than to think that she had completely failed to win him. She would be quite satisfied if it were so, although it was certainly not flattering to her that he would be willing to wait so long ; but, if he would only speak— if he would only say the few words that would set her mind quite at ease — she would be content. Why did he not love her ? She was fair, young, endowed with great gifts ; she had wealth, position ; she had the claim upon him that his mother an* hers had wished the alliance. Why. did she fail ? Why did he not love her? It seemed to her that she was the one person m all the world to whom he would naturally turn— that, above all others he wouH select her for his wife] /et he * id not evince the least ilea of 1 t doing. Why was it? Since that ni ;ht when he had so frankly told h c his ideis a l iout women, she ha I been most careful, mos' reserved. * Jf he li es -eseive and indiffer. ence,' fshe said .0 herself, 'he >hall have plenty oi it.' Yet it was at the same time Si- mixed m kiuduess. with thoughtful consideration for him, that the w uder was he did not succumb. ' I Hist find out,' she said to herself * wherhei he dues j really care foi* ne.' How to do so I she did ndt quite know— but women's wits ai j proverbially keei . The more s) 3 s*w' of him tb> j better she like I him— his single., windedness, bis cjuyaty, his &it a

m women and his tespect for them were greater than she had seen m any other, she loved him for these qualities. The more she contrasted him with others, the greater, deeper, and wider grew her love. It nvist be thai m time he should care for hfcr. The Duchess of Ayroun gave a grane ball, to whi.-h, as belle of the season. Philippa was invited. . * Shall yeti go V she asked of Lor J Arleigfh. / 'I have hardly decided/ he -re-. plied. * T)r> go, Norman ; T like waltzing, hut I do not care to walfa with every one. Do go, that I might dance with you. * You do not mind waltzing with me then V he said. The glance she gay« him was sufficient. He could not help feeling flatterer*. .\ ■« I shall be there, Philippa, he said ; and then she promised herself that on that evening she would try to discover what his sentiments were with regard to her' She took great pains with her toilet ; she did not wish to startle, but, to. attract— and the two things we , e vp.rv different. Her dress looked brilliant, being of a silvery textvre ,'tne trimming wascompostfd of small fprn-leaves ; a parare of fine diamonds crowned her head.

To be Continued.