[ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.] IN DOUBLE HARNESS

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXI, Issue XVIII, 31 October 1903, Page 5

[ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.] IN DOUBLE HARNESS

By

ANTHONY HOPE.

Al THOR OF “DOLLY DIALOG! E<” PRISONER OF ZENDA,” “Rl PERT <»F HENTZAN." ETC.

CHAPTER I. SOME VIEWS OF THE IXSTITLTIOXThe house —a large, plain white buildin* with no architectural pretensions—--rood on a high swell of the downs and b.oked across the valley in which Milldean village lay, and thence over more rolling stretches of close turf, till the prospect ended in the gleam of waves and the silver-grey mist that lay over the sea. It was a tine, open, free view. The air was fresh, with a touch of salt in it, and made the heat of the sun more than endurable —even welcome and nourishing. Tom Courtland, raising himself from the mass and sitting up straight, gave utterance to what his surroundings declared to be a very natural exclamation: • What a bore to leave this and go back to town!” "Stay a bit longer, old chap." urged his host, Grantley lmason, who lay full length on his back on the turf, with a straw hat over his eyes and nose, and a pipe, long gone out. between his teeth. "Back to my wife!” Courtland went on. without noticing the invitation. With a faint sigh Grantley lmason sat up. put his hat on his head, and knocked out his pipe. He glanced at his friend with a look of satirical amusement. You're encouraging company for a man who’s just got engaged.” he remarked. "It’s the devil of a business —sort of thing some of those fellows would write a book about. But it’s not worth a book. A page of strong and indiscriminate swearing—that’s what it’s worth. Grantley.” Grantley sighed again as he searched for his tobacco-pouch. The sigh seemed to hover doubtfully between a faint sympathy and a resigned boredom. "And no end to it —none in sight! I don’t know whether it’s legal cruelty to throw library books and so on at your husband’s head ” "Depends on whether you ever hit him, I should think; and they’d probably conclude a woman never would.” "But what an ass I should look if I went into court with that sort of -tory! “ "Yes. you would look an ass.” Grantley agreed. "Doesn’t she give you—well, any other chance, you know?” "Not she! My dear fellow, she’s most aggressively the other way.” "Then why don’t you give her a chance?” "What! you mean ” "Am I so very cryptic?" murmured crantley. as he lit his pipe. "I'm a Member of Parliament.” "Y’es. I forgot. That’s a bit awkward.” "Besides, there are the children. 1 don’t want my children to think tieir father a scoundrel." He paused, and add ■ i grimly: "And I don’t want tnem to be ■ft to their mother’s bringing-up. eith er.” "Then we seem to have exhausted the resources of the law." "The children complicate it so. Wait till von have some of your own. Grantley." "Look here—steady!” Grantley expostulated. "Don’t be in such a hurry to give me domestic encumbrances. The bloom’s still on my romance, old chap Talking of children to a man who’s only been engaged a week!" His manner resinned its air of languid sympathy as he went on: "You needn’t see much of her. Tom. need you?” "Oh, needn’t 1?” grumbled Courtland. He was a rather short, sturdily built man. with a high colour and stiff black hair which stood up on his head. His face was not wanting in character, but a look of plaintive worry beset it. ‘"You

trx living in the same house with a woman—with a woman like that. 1 mean!” •’Thanks for the explanation.” laughed Grantley. ”1 must go and wire when I shall Inhack, or Harriet*ll blow the roof off over that. You come, too: a stroll’ll do you good.” Grantley lmason agreed: and the two. leaving the garden by a little side gate, took their way along the steep road which led down to the village, and rose again on the other side of it . to join the main highway across the downs a mile and a half away. The lane was narrow, steep, and full of turns; the notice “Dan gerous to Cyclists” gave warning of its character. At the foot of it stood the Old Mill House, backing on to a little stream. Farther on lay the church and the parsonage: opposite to them was the po-t-otfice. which was also a general shop and also had rooms to let to visitors. The village inn. next to the post-office, and a dozen or so of labourers* cottages ex ha usted the shelter of the little valley, though the parish embraced several homesteads scattered about in dips of the downs, and a row of small new red villas at the junction with the main road. Happily these last, owing to the lie of the ground, were out of sight from Grantley Ima son’s windows, no less than from the village itself. ’And that’s the home of the fairy princess?’’ asked Court land, as they passed Old Mill House, a rambling, rather brok-en-down old place, covered with creep“Yes; she and her brother moved there when the old rector died. You may have heard of him—the Chiddingfold who xvaan authority on Milton. No? Well, h was. anyhow. Rather learned all round. 1 fancy—Fellow of John’s. But he to< k this living and settled down for life: an 1 when he died the children were turned out of the rectory and took Old Mill House. They’ve got an old womanwell, she’s not very old —with the un euphonious name of Multiples living with them. She’s been a sort of nurse-house-keeper-companion: a mixed kind of posi-tion-breakfast and midday dinner with the family, but didn’t join his reverence‘s evening meal. You know the sort of thing. She’s monstrously fat: but Sibylla loves her. And the new rector moved in a fortnight ago. and everybody hates him. And the temporary curate, who was here because the new rector was at Bournemouth for his health, and who lodged over the post-office, has just gone, ami everybody’s dashed glad to see the last of him. And that’s all the news of the town. And. behold. Tom. I’m the squire of it, and every man. woman, or child in it is, by unbroken tradition and custom, entitled to have as much jairt wine out of my cellar as his, her. or its <tate of health may happen to require.” He threw off this chatter in a gay. self <ontente<l fashion, ami Toni Courtlan 1 looked at him with affectionate envy. Ihe world had been very good to him. and he. in return, was always amiable to it. He had been born heir and only <hil<i of his father: had inherited the largest share in a solid old fashioned banking house: was now a director of the great joint-stock undertaking in which the family business had consented to merge itself on handsome terms: ha<l just as much work to do a- he liked ami possessed, ami always had enjoyed, more money than he needed. He was thirty-three now. and had been a social favourite even In-fore he left school. If it was difficult to say what positive gain hi- existence had lx*en to Society, there was no doubt that his extinction would at any time have lieen considered a distinct loss. ’’A country squire with a rosy-cheeked

count rx girl for wife! That’s a funny ending for you. Grantley.” "She’s not rosy-cheeked— and it- not an ending—and there’s the post office. <>o in. and be as civil as you can to Lady Harriet.” A smile of pity, unmistakably mingled with contempt, followed Courtland into the shop. The tantrums of other men’s wives are generally received with much the Millie mixture of scepticism and dis • lain as the witticisms of other parents" chi’dren. Both are seen large, very large indeed, by -ufferer- and admirers rvspec lively. The obligation of being as civil as he could to his wife caused Courtland to take three or four minutes in framing his telegram, and when he came out lie found Grantley seated on the bench that stood by the inn and conversing with a young man who wore a very old coat and rough tweed knickerbockers. Grant ley introduced him as Air. Jeremy Chiddingfold. and Courtland knew that he wa- Sibylla’s brother. Sibylla herself hi had not yet seen. Jeremy had a shock of sandy hair, a wide brow, ami a wide mouth: his eyes were rather protuberant. and his nose turned up. giving prominence to the nostrils. “No family likeness, 1 hope?” Court land found himself thinking: for though Jeremy was a vigorous, if not a hand some, masculine type, the lines were far from l»eing those of feminine beautv. “And he’s enormously surprised ami evidently rather shocked to hear I’m going to marry his sister—Oh, we can talk away. Jeremy: Tom Courtland doesn’t matter. He knows all the bad mere is about me. and wants to know all the good there is about Sibylla.” One additional auditor by no means embarra—ed Jeremy: perhaps not a hundred would have. ’’Though, of course, somebody must have married he.-, you know.” Grant lex went on. smiling ami stretching him-elf luxuriously like a sleek, indolent cat. ’’l hate marriage altogether!” declared Jeremy. Courtland turned to him with a quick jerk of his head. ■’The deuce you do'.” he said, laughing. "It’s early in life to have come to that conclusion. Mr. Chiddingfold.” "Yes. yes. Jeremy, quite so: "but— ’’ Grantley began. "It’s an invention of priests.’’ Jeremy

Courtland, scarred with fifteen wars’ experience of the institution thus round ly attacked, was immensely diverted, though his own feeling- gave a rather Litter twist to his mirth. Grantley argued. or rather pleaded, with a deceptive "But if you fall in love with a girl?" "Heaven forbid!” "Well, but tin- world must lie peopled. Jeremy.” "Marriage isn't necessary to that is it?” "Oho! whistled Courtland. "We may concede the point- in theory. said Grantley : "in practice it’s more difficult." "Because people wont think clearly and bravely! cried Jeremv. with a thump on the bench. "Because they’re hidebound, ami. as 1 say. the priests heaven-and-hell them till they don’t know where they are.” "Heaven-and-hell them! Good phrase. Jeremy! You speak feelingly. Your father. perhaps? oh. excuse ’me. I’m one "f the family now." "My father; Not a bit. Old Multiples now. if you like. However, that’s m>t nothing to do with it. I'm going on the lines of pure r.-a-on Mid what is pure reason ?” The elder men looked at one another, smiled, and shoe.< their heads. "We don’t know: it's no use pretend ing we do. You tell us. Jeremv." said Grantley. "It’s just nature —nature—nature! Get back to that, and you're on solid ground. Why. apart from anything else, how can you expect marriage, as we have it. to succeed when women are what they are? And haven't they always been the same? Of course they have. Read history. read fiction ‘though it isn't worth readingi. read science: and look at the world round about you." He waved hi- arm extensively, taking in much more than the valley in which most of his short life had been spent. "If I'd thought as you do at your age." -aid Courtland. "I should hav/ kept out of a lot of trouble.” "And 1 should nave kept nut of a lot of scrapes,” added Grantley. “Of course you would!” snapped Jeremy. That point needed no elaboration. "But surely there are exceptions among women, Jeremy?" Grantley pursued ap

“What is man’” demanded Jeremy. "Well, let me recommend you to read Haeckel!” "Never mind man. Tell us more about woman,” urged Grantley. "Oh, Lord! 1 suppose you're thinking of Sibylla’” "1 own it,” murmured Grantley. “You know her so well, you see.” Descending from the heights of scientific generalisation and from the search after that definition of man for which, he had been in the end obliged to refer his listeners to another authority, Jeremy lost at the same time his gravity and vehemence. He surprised Courtland by showing himself owner of a humorous and attractive smile. "You’d rather define man. perhaps, than Sibylla?” suggested Grantley. “Sibylla’s all right, if you know how to manage her.” “Just what old Lady Trederwyn used to say to me about Harriet,” Courtland whispered to Grantley. “But it needs a bit of knowing. She’s got the deuce of a temper —old Mumples knows that. Well, Mumples has got a temper, too. They used to have awful rows—do still now and then. Sibylla used to fly out at Mumples. then Mumples sat on Sibylla,- and then, when it was all over, they’d generally have a new and independent row about which had been right and which wrong in the old row.” “Not content with a quiet consciousness of rectitude, as a man would be?” “Consciousness of rectitude? Lord! it wasn’t that. That would have been all right. It was just the other way round. They both knew they had tempers, and Mumples is infernally religious, and Sibylla’s generous to the point of idiocy in my opinion. So. after a row, when Sibylla had cheeked Mumples an 1 iher to go to the devil (so to speak), and Mumples had sent her to bed. or thump ed her. or something, you know ” "Let us not go too deep into family tragedies. Jeremy.” "Why. when it had all quieted down, and the governor and 1 could hear our selves talking quietly again " "About marriage and that sort of question?” "They began to have conscience. Each would have it borne in on her that she was wrong. Sibylla generally started it. She’d go weeping to Mumples, taking all her own things and any of mine lying about handy, and laying them at Multiples’ feet, and saying she was the wickedest girl alive, and why hadn’t Mumples pitched into her a lot more, and that she really loved Mumples better than anything on earth. Then Mumples would weigh in. and call Sibylla the sweetest and meekest lamb on earth, and say that she loved Sibylla more than anything on earth, and that she—Mumples—was the worst-tempered and cruellest and unjustest woman alive, not fit to be near such an angel as Sibylla. Then Sibylla used to say that was rot. and Mumples said it wasn’t. And Sibylla declared Mumples only said it to wound her, and Mumples got hurt because Sibylla wouldn't forgive her, when Sibylla, of course, wanted Mumples to forgive her. And after half an hour of that sort of thing, it was as likely as not that they’d have quarrelled worse than ever, and the whole row would begin over again.”

Grantley lay back and laughed. “A bit rough on you to give your things to—er —Mumples?” suggested Courtland. "Just like Sibylla—just like any woman. I expect.” opined Jeremy, but with a more resigned and better-tempered air. His reminiscences had evidently amused himself as well as his listeners. "Wouldn’t it have been better to have a preceptress of more equable temper? ’ a~Ked Grantley. "Oh. there’s nothing really wrong with Mumples; we’re both awfully fond of her. Besides, she’s had such beastly hard luck. Hasn’t Sibylla told you about that, I mason?” “No, nothing.” "Her husband was sent to quod, you know —got twenty years.” “Twenty years! By Jingo!” "Y'es. He tried to murder a man—a man who had swindled him. Mumples says he did it all in a passion; but it seems to have been a cold sort of passion, because he waited twelve hours for him before he knifed him. And at the trial he couldn’t even prove the swindling. so he got it pretty hot.” “Is he dead?” “No. he’s alive. He’s to get out in about three years. Mumples is waiting for him.” "Poor old woman! Does she go and see him ?” "She used to. She hasn’t for years now. I believe he won’t have her—l don't know why. The governor was high sheriff’s chaplain at the time, so he got to know Mumples. and took her on. She’s been with us ever since, and she can stay as long as she likes.” "What things one comes across!” sighed Tom Courtland. Grantley had looked grave for a moment. but he smiled again as he slid: "After all. though, you've not told me how to manage Sibylla. I'm not Mumples—l can’t thump her. I should b? better than Mumples in one way. though. If I did. I should be dead sure to stick to it that I was right.” "You’d stick to it even if you didn’t think so?” observed Courtland. For a moment the remark seemed to vex Grantley, and to sober him. He spent a few seconds evidently reflecting on it. "Well. I hope not." he said, at last. "But at any rate I should think so generally.” "Then you could mostly make her think so. But if it wasn't true, you might feel a brute.” "So I might. Jeremy.” "And it mightn’t be permanently safe. She sees things uncommonly sharp sometimes. Well, I must be off.” "Going back to Haeckel?” Jeremy nodded gravely. He was not susceptible to ridicule on the subject of his theories. The two watched him stride away towards Old Mill House with decisive, vigorous steps. "Rum product for a country parsonage. Grantley.” “Oh, he’s not a product; he’s only an embryo. But I think he’s a promising one, and he’s richly amusing.” “Y'es, and I wonder how you’re going to manage Miss Sibylla?” Grantley laughed easily. “My poor old chap, you can’t be expected to take a cheerful view. Poor old Tom! God bless you, old chap! Let’s go home to tea.”

As they walked by the parsonage a bicycle came whizzing through the open garden-gate. It was propelled by a girl of fifteen or thereabouts —a slim, longlegged child, almost gaunt in her immaturity, and lamentably grown out of her frock. She cried shrill greeting to Grantley, and went off down the street, displaying her skill to whosoever would look by riding with her arms akimbo. "Another local celebrity,” said Grantley. "Dora Hutting, the new parson’s daughter. That she should have come to live in the village is a gross |>ersonal affront to Jeremy Chiddingfold. He’s especially incensed by her lengthy stretch of black stockings, always, as he maintains, with a hole in them.” Courtland laughed inattentively. “I hope Harriet’ll get that wire in good time,” he said. No remark came into Grantlev’s mind.

unless it were to tell his friend that hiwas a fool to stand what he did from the woman. But what was the use of that? Tom Courtland knew his own business best. Grantley shrugged his shoulders, but held his peace. (To be continued.)