For Woman's Love Part- 2 by Mrs. E. D. E. N. Southworth (i love reading books txt) 📕

All In Deep Mourning And The Conversation Was Rather Subdued; But,  Then,

It Was Perhaps On That Account The More Interesting.

The Many Courses,  Altogether,  Occupied More Than An Hour.

When The Cloth Was Drawn And The Dessert Placed Upon The Table,  At A

Signal From The Iron King The Butler Went Around The Table And Filled

Every Glass With Champagne,  Then Returned And Stood At His Master's

Back. Mr. Rockharrt Arose And Made A Speech,  And Proposed A Toast That

Greatly Astonished His Company And Compromised Two Of Them. With His

Glass In His Hand,  He Said:

"My Sons,  Daughters,  And Friend: You All Doubtless Understand The Object

Of This Family Gathering,  And Also Why This Celebration Of An

Interesting Family Event Must Necessarily Be Confined To The Members Of

The Family. In A Word,  It Is My Duty And Pleasure To Announce To You All

The Betrothal In Marriage Of His Grace The Duke Of Cumbervale And My

Granddaughter,  Mrs. Corona Rothsay. I Propose The Health Of The

Betrothed Pair."

Cora Put Down Her Glass And Turned Livid With Dismay And Indignation.

All The Other Diners,  The Duke Among Them,  Arose To The Occasion And

Honored The Toast,  And Then Sat Down,  All Except The Duke,  Who Remained

Standing,  And Though Somewhat Embarrassed By This Unexpected Proceeding

On The Part Of The Iron King,  Yet Vaguely Supposed It Might Be A Local

Custom,  And At All Events Was Certainly Very Much Pleased With It. Being

In Love And Being Taken By Surprise,  He Could Not Be Expected To Speak

Sensibly,  Or Even Coherently. He Said:

"Ladies And Gentlemen: This Is The Happiest Day Of My Life As Yet. I

Look Forward To A Happier One In The Near Future,  When I Shall Call The

Lovely Lady At My Side By The Dearest Name That Man Can Utter,  And I

Shall Call You Not Only My Dear Friends,  But My Near Relatives. I

Propose The Health Of The Greatest Benefactor Of The Human Race Now

Living. The Man Who,  By His Mighty Life's Work,  Has Opened Up The

Resources Of Nature,  Compelled The Everlasting Mountains To Give Up

Their Priceless Treasures Of Coal And Iron Ore; Given Employment To

Thousands Of Men And Women; Made This Savage Wilderness Of Rock,  And

Wood,  And Water 'Bloom And Blossom As The Rose,' And Hum With The Stir

Of Industry Like A Myriad Hives Of Bees. I Propose The Health Of Mr.

Aaron Rockharrt."

All,  Except Cora,  Arose And Honored This Toast.

Mr. Fabian Rockharrt Replied On The Part Of His Father.

Then The Health Of Each Member Of The Party Was Proposed In Turn. When

This Was Over The Two Ladies Withdrew From The Table And Went Into The

Drawing Room,  Leaving The Gentlemen To Their Wine.

"Oh,  My Dear,  Dear Cora! I Am So Glad! I Wish You Joy With My Whole,

Whole Heart!" Exclaimed Violet,  Effusively,  But Most Sincerely And

Earnestly,  As She Clasped Corona To Her Heart. The Next Instant She Let

Her Go And Gazed At Cora In Surprise And Dismay.

"Why,  What Is The Matter,  Cora? You Are As White And As Cold As Death.

What Is The Matter?" Demanded Violet As She Led And Half Supported

Corona To An Easy Chair,  In Which The Latter Dropped.

"Tell Me,  Cora. What Is It,  Dear? What Can I Do For You? Can I Get You

Anything? Is All This Emotion Caused By The Announcement Of Your

Betrothal To The Duke?" Demanded Violet,  Hurrying Question Upon

Question,  And Trembling Even More Than Cora.

"Sit Down,  Violet. Never Mind Me. I Shall Be All Right Presently. Don't

Be Frightened,  Darling," Said Cora,  As Well As She Could Speak.

"But Let Me Do Something For You!"

"You Can Do Nothing."

"But What Caused This?"

"My Feelings Have Been Outraged!--Outraged! That Is All!"

"How? How? Surely Not By Mr. Rockharrt's Announcement Of Your Betrothal

To The Duke? It Was Rather Embarrassing To The Betrothed Pair,  I Admit;

But Surely It Was The Proper Thing To Do."

"'The Proper Thing To Do!' Violet,  It Was False! False! I Am Not

Betrothed To The Duke. I Never Was. I Never Shall Be. I Would Not Marry

An Emperor To Share A Throne. My Life Is Consecrated To Good Works In

The Very Field In Which My Dear Husband Died. I Have Said This To My

Grandfather And To You All,  Over And Over Again. If It Had Not Been For

Mr. Rockharrt's Accident That Endangered His Life,  I Should Have Gone

Out To The Indian Territory With My Brother,  And Should Have Been At

Work There At This Present Time. I Shall Go At The First Opportunity."

Cora Spoke Very Excitedly,  Being Almost Beside Herself With Wrath And

Shame At The Affront Which Had Been Put Upon Her.

"I Thought The Duke Was An Old Admirer Of Yours,  And Had Come Over On

Purpose To Marry You," Said Violet.

"That Is Too True. He Came Against My Will. I Have Never Given Him The

Slightest Encouragement. How Could I When My Life Is Consecrated To The

Memory Of My Husband And To The Work He Left Unfinished? I Fear Mr.

Rockharrt Assured The Duke Of My Hand; And When He Heard The False

Announcement Of Our Betrothal,  He Took It For Granted That It Was All

Right. He Must Have Done So; Though He Himself Was Much Taken By

Surprise."

"How Very Strange Of Mr. Rockharrt To Do Such A Thing. If I Had Been

You,  Cora,  I Should Have Got Up And Disclaimed It."

"No You Would Not. You Would Not Have Made A Scene At The Dinner Table.

I Was In No Way Responsible For The Announcement Made By My Grandfather,

And In No Way Bound By It. The Silence That Seemed To Indorse It Was

Rendered Absolutely Necessary Under The Circumstances."

"But What Shall You Do About It?"

"As Soon As I Can Speak Of It Without Making A Scene,  I Shall Tell Mr.

Rockharrt And The Duke Of Cumbervale That A Most Reprehensible Liberty

Has Been Taken With My Name. I Will Say That I Never Have Been,  And

Never Will Be,  Engaged To The Duke Of Cumbervale,  Or To Any Other Man.

That Is What I Shall Do About It."

"It Would Mortify The Duke Very Much."

"I Do Not Care If It Does."

"And,  Indeed,  It Would Put Mr. Rockharrt Into A Terrible Rage."

"I Cannot Help It. Here Come The Gentlemen."

At That Moment The Four Gentlemen Entered The Drawing Room. The Duke

Came Directly Up To Cora,  And Bending Over Her,  Said In A Low Voice

Inaudible To The Rest Of The Party:

"Corona,  You Have Blessed Me Beyond The Power Of Words To Express! Only

The Dedication Of A Life To Your Happiness--"

There The Ardent Lover Was Suddenly Stopped By The Cold Look Of Surprise

In Cora's Eyes. His Face Took On A Disturbed Expression.

"I Think There Is Some Serious Mistake Here,  Sir,  Which We May Set Right

At Some More Fitting Opportunity. Will You Have The Kindness Not To

Refer To The Comedy Enacted At Our Dinner Table To-Night?"

"I Will Obey You,  Although I Do Not Understand You," Said The Duke.

"Oblige Me,  Duke! I Want To Show You A Map Of The Projected Oregon And

Alaska Railroad," Said The Iron King,  Coming Toward His Guest With A

Roll Of Parchment In His Hands.

The Duke Immediately Arose And Went Off With His Host To A Distant

Table,  Where The Map Was Spread Out,  And The Two Gentlemen Sat Down To

Examine It. Mr. Fabian And Mr. Clarence Came Over To Join Cora And

Violet.

"This Is A Pretty March You Have Stolen On Us,  Cora! I Had No More Idea

Of This Than The Man In The Moon! But I Congratulate You,  My Dear! I

Congratulate You! Your Present From Me Shall Be A Set Of The Most

Splendid Diamonds That Can Be Got Together By The Diamond Merchants Of

Europe. No Mere Set That Can Be Picked Up Ready Set,  Eh? Diamonds That

Shall Grace A Duchess,  My Dear!" Said Mr. Fabian Ostentatiously.

"Cora,  My Dear,  I Was As Much Surprised As Fabian. But,  Oh! I Was Happy

For Your Sake. The Duke Is A Good Fellow,  I Am Sure,  And Awfully In Love

With You. Ah! Didn't He Offer A Just And Heartfelt Tribute To The

Father! I Declare,  Cora,  I Never Fully Appreciated My Father,  Or

Realized What A Great Benefactor He Was To The Human Race,  Until The

Duke Made That Little Speech In Proposing His Health. How Appreciative

The Duke Is! Really,  Cora,  Dear,  You Are A Very Happy Woman,  And I

Congratulate You With All My Heart And Soul; Indeed,  I Do," Said Mr.

Clarence,  Wringing The Young Lady's Hand,  And Turning Away To Hide The

Tears That Filled His Eyes.

"Thank You,  Uncle Clarence. Thank You,  Uncle Fabian. I Am Grateful For

Your Congratulations,  On Account Of Your Good Intentions;

But--Congratulations Are Quite Uncalled For On This Occasion."

"Why--What On Earth Do You Mean,  Cora?" Inquired Mr. Fabian,  While Mr.

Clarence Looked Full Of Uneasiness.

"I Mean That I Have Never Been Engaged To The Duke Of Cumbervale,  And

Never Mean To Marry Him. Mr. Rockharrt's Announcement Was Unauthorized

And Unfounded. It Was Just An Act Of His Despotic Will,  To Oblige Me To

Contract A Marriage Which He Favors."

The Two Men Looked On The Speaker In Mute Amazement.

"We Will Not Talk More Of This To-Night. But The Matter Must Be Set

Right To-Morrow," Said Cora.

A Little Later Mr. And Mrs. Fabian Rockharrt Took Leave And Departed For

Their Home.