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

Countenanced Such A Proceeding If I Had Been In The Country."

"That Is All Very Deplorable,  But Yet It Hardly Warrants Your Very

Strong Language,  Fabian. I Am Sorry That You Have Discovered Her To Be

'Ignorant,  Deceitful,  And Unreliable,' But Let Us Hope That Now,  When

She Is Placed Above Temptation,  She Will Reform. Don't Take Exaggerated

Views Of Affairs,  Fabian."

The Elder Man Was Growing Calmer And More Thoughtful. Presently He Said:

"You Are Right,  Clarence. My Indignation,  On Learning That That Woman

Had Succeeded In Trapping Our Iron King,  Led Me Into Extravagant

Language On The Subject. Forget It,  Clarence. And Whatever You Do,  My

Brother,  Drop No Hint To Any One Of What I Have Said To You To-Night,

Lest Our Father Should Hear Of It; For If He Should--"

Mr. Fabian Paused.

"I Shall Never Drop A Hint That Might Possibly Give Our Father One

Moment Of Uneasiness. Be Sure Of That,  Fabian."

"That Is Good,  My Brother! And We Will Agree To Ignore All Faults In Our

Young Stepmother,  And For Our Father's Sake Treat Her With All Proper

Respect."

"Of Course. I Could Not Do Otherwise. And,  Fabian,  I Hope You Will

Reconsider The Matter,  And Bring Violet To Rockhold To Join Our Family

Reunion."

"No,  Clarence," Said The Elder Brother; "There Is Just Where I Must Draw

The Line. I Cannot Introduce My Wife To The New Mrs. Rockharrt."

"But It Seems To Me That You Are Very Fastidious,  Fabian. Do You Expect

Always To Be Able To Keep Violet From Meeting With 'Ignorant,  Insincere

And Unreliable' People,  In A World Like This?" Inquired Mr. Clarence,

Significantly.

"No,  Not Entirely,  Perhaps; Yet,  So Far As In Me Lies,  I Will Try To

Keep My Simple Wood Violet 'Unspotted From The World,'" Replied Mr.

Fabian,  Who,  Untruthful And Dishonest As He Was In Heart And Life,  Yet

Reverenced While He Wondered At The Purity And Simplicity Of His Young

Wife's Nature.

"I Am Afraid The Pater Will Feel The Absence Of Violet As A Slight To

His Bride," Said Mr. Clarence.

"No; I Shall Take Care That He Does Not. Violet Is In Very Delicate

Health,  And That Must Be Her Excuse For Staying At Home."

The Brothers Talked On For A Little While Longer; And Then,  When They

Had Exhausted The Subject For The Time Being,  Mr. Clarence Said He Would

Go And Look Up Sylvan,  And He Went Out For The Purpose. Fabian

Rockharrt,  Left Alone,  Resumed His Disturbed Walk Up And Down The Room,

Muttering To Himself:

"The Traitress! The Unprincipled Traitress! How Dared She Do Such A

Deed? Didn't She Know That I Could Expose Her,  And Have Her Cast Forth

In Ignominy From My Father's House? Or Did She Venture All In The Hope

That Consideration Of My Father's Age And Position In The World Would

Shut My Mouth And Stay My Hand? She Is Mistaken,  The Jade! Unless She

Falls Into My Plans,  And Works For My Interest,  She Shall Be Exposed And

Degraded From Her Present Position."

Mr. Fabian Was Interrupted By The Re-Entrance Of Mrs. Rothsay. He Turned

To Meet Her And Inquired:

"Where Did You Leave Violet,  My Dear?"

"She Is In Her Own Room,  Which Is Next To Mine. I Went In With Her And

Saw Her To Bed,  And Waited Until She Went To Sleep," Replied Cora.

"Poor Little One! She Is Very Fragile,  And Has Been Very Much Fatigued.

I Do Not Think,  My Dear,  That I Can Take Her On To Rockhold To-Morrow. I

Think I Must Let Her Rest Here For A Day Or Two."

"It Would Be Best,  Not Only On Account Of Violet's Delicacy And

Weariness,  But Also On Account Of The Condition Of The House At

Rockhold,  Which Has Not Been Opened Or Aired For Months."

"That Is True; Though I Had Not Thought Of It Before," Said Mr. Fabian,

Who Was Well Pleased That Cora So Readily Fell In With His Plans.

"What Do You Think Of The Pater's Marriage,  Cora?' He Next Inquired.

"I Would Rather Not Give An Opinion,  Uncle Fabian," She Answered.

"Then I Am Equally Well Answered,  For That Is Giving A Very Strong

Opinion!" He Exclaimed.

"The Deed Is Done And Cannot Be Undone!"

"Can It Not? Perhaps It Can!"

"What Do You Mean,  Uncle Fabian?"

"Nothing That You Need Trouble Yourself About,  My Dear. But Tell Me

This--What Do You Mean To Do,  Cora? Do You Mean To Stay On At Rockhold?"

"I Suppose I Must Do So."

"Not At All,  If You Do Not Like! You Are An Independent Widow And May Go

Where You Please."

"I Know That And Wish To Go; But I Do Not Wish To Make A Scene Or Cause

A Scandal By Leaving My Grandfather's Protection So Suddenly After His

Marriage,  Which Is Open Enough To Criticism,  As It Is. So I Must Stay On

At Rockhold So Long As Sylvan's Leave Shall Last,  And Until He Shall

Receive His Commission And Orders. Then I Will Go With Him Wherever His

Duty May Call Him."

"Good Girl! You Have Decided Well And Wisely. Though The Post Of Duty To

Which The Callow Lieutenantling Will Be Ordered Must,  Of Course,  Be Fort

Jumping Off Point,  At The Extreme End Of The Habitable Globe. Well,  My

Dear,  I Must Bid You Good Night,  For,  See,  It Is On The Stroke Of Eleven

O'clock,  And I Am Rather Tired From My Journey,  For,  You Must Know,  We

Rushed It Through From New York To North End Without Lying Over," Said

Mr. Fabian,  As He Shook Hands With His Niece.

He Retired,  And His Example Was Soon Followed By All His Party.

The Next Morning,  After An Early Breakfast,  The Travelers Assembled In

The Hall Of The Hotel To Take Leave Of Each Other. Clarence,  Sylvan,  And

Cora Entered The Capacious Carriage Of The Establishment To Drive To

Rockhold,  Leaving Mr. And Mrs. Fabian Rockharrt On The Porch Of The

Hotel,  At Which They Had Decided To Rest For A Few Days.

"We Shall Go To Rockhold To Welcome The King And Queen When They Return,

Cora," Said Mr. Fabian,  Waving His Hand To The Departed Trio,  Though He

Had Not The Least Intention Of Keeping His Word. He Then Led His Pretty

Violet Into The House. The Lumbering Carriage Rolled Along The Village

Street,  Passed The Huge Buildings Of The Locomotive Works,  And Out Into

The Road That Lay Between The Fool Of The Range Of Mountains And The

Banks Of The River.

The Ferryboat Was At The Wharf,  And The Broad Shouldered Negro Dwarf Was

Standing On It,  Pole In Hand.

His Look Of Surprise And Delight On Seeing Sylvan And Cora Was Good To

Behold.

"Why,  Lors Bress My Po' Ole Soul,  Young Marse An' Miss,  Is Yer Come Sure

'Nough? 'Deed I's Moughty Proud To See Yer. How's De Ole Marse? When He

Coming Back Agin?" He Queried,  As The Carriage Rolled Slowly Across The

Gangplank From The Wharf To The Deck Of The Ferryboat.

"Your Ole Marse Is Quite Well,  Uncle Moses,  And Will Be Home On The

First Of The Month With His New Wife," Said Sylvan,  Who Could Not Miss

The Fun Of Telling This Rare Bit Of News To The Aged Ferryman.

The Old Negro Dropped His Pole Into The Water,  Opened His Mouth And Eyes

To Their Widest Extent And Gasped And Stared.

"Wid--W'ich?" He Said,  At Last.

"With His New Wife And Your New Mistress," Answered Sylvan.

The Old Negro Dropped His Chin On His Chest,  Raised His Knobby Black

Fingers To His Head And Scratched His Gray Hair With A Look Of Quaint

Perplexity,  As He Muttered,

"Now I Wunner Ef I Tuk Too Heavy A Pull On To Dat Dar Rum Jug,  Fo' I Lef

De House Dis Mornin'--I Wunner If I Did."

His Mate Stopped And Pulled The Pole Up Out Of The Water And Began

Himself To Push Off The Boat Until It Was Afloat.

They Soon Reached The Opposite Shore,  Drove Off The Boat And Up The

Avenue Between The Flowering Locust Trees That Formed A Long,  Green,

Fragrant Arch Above Their Heads,  And So On To The Gray Old House. In A

Very Few Moments The Door Was Opened And All The Household Servants

Appeared To Welcome The Returning Party. Most Of Them Looked More

Frightened Than Pleased; But When Anxious Glances Toward The Group

Leaving The Carriage Assured Them That The Family "Boodlejock" Was Not

Present,  They Seemed Relieved And Delighted To See The Others.

With The Easy,  Respectful Familiarity Of Long And Faithful Service,  The

Negro Men And Women Crowded Around The Entering Party