condensed novels-第3部分

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sang　Lothaw　gayly。

The　Duchess　looked　shocked。　　After　a　prolonged　silence；　Lothaw
abruptly　and　gravely　said：

〃If　you　please；　ma'am；　when　I　come　into　my　property　I　should　like
to　build　some　improved　dwellings　for　the　poor；　and　marry　Lady
Coriander。〃

〃You　amaze　me；　dear　friend；　and　yet　both　your　aspirations　are　noble
and　eminently　proper；〃　said　the　Duchess；　〃Coriander　is　but　a
child；and　yet；〃　she　added；　looking　graciously　upon　her　companion；
〃for　the　matter　of　that；　so　are　you。〃


CHAPTER　III。


Mr。　Putney　Giles's　was　Lothaw's　first　grand　dinner…party。　　Yet；　by
carefully　watching　the　others；　he　managed　to　acquit　himself
creditably；　and　avoided　drinking　out　of　the　finger…bowl　by　first
secretly　testing　its　contents　with　a　spoon。　　The　conversation　was
peculiar　and　singularly　interesting。

〃Then　you　think　that　monogamy　is　simply　a　question　of　the
thermometer？〃　said　Mrs。　Putney　Giles　to　her　companion。

〃I　certainly　think　that　polygamy　should　be　limited　by　isothermal
lines；〃　replied　Lothaw。

〃I　should　say　it　was　a　matter　of　latitude；〃　observed　a　loud
talkative　man　opposite。　　He　was　an　Oxford　Professor　with　a　taste
for　satire；　and　had　made　himself　very　obnoxious　to　the　company；
during　dinner；　by　speaking　disparagingly　of　a　former　well…known
Chancellor　of　the　Exchequer；a　great　statesman　and　brilliant
novelist；whom　he　feared　and　hated。

Suddenly　there　was　a　sensation　in　the　room；　among　the　females　it
absolutely　amounted　to　a　nervous　thrill。　　His　Eminence；　the
Cardinal；　was　announced。　　He　entered　with　great　suavity　of　manner；
and；　after　shaking　hands　with　everybody；　asking　after　their
relatives；　and　chucking　the　more　delicate　females　under　the　chin
with　a　high…bred　grace　peculiar　to　his　profession；　he　sat　down；
saying；　〃And　how　do　we　all　find　ourselves　this　evening；　my　dears？〃
in　several　different　languages；　which　he　spoke　fluently。

Lothaw's　heart　was　touched。　　His　deeply　religious　convictions　were
impressed。　　He　instantly　went　up　to　this　gifted　being；　confessed；
and　received　absolution。　　〃To…morrow；〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃I　will
partake　of　the　communion；　and　endow　the　Church　with　my　vast
estates。　　For　the　present　I'll　let　the　improved　cottages　go。〃


CHAPTER　IV。


As　Lothaw　turned　to　leave　the　Cardinal；　he　was　struck　by　a
beautiful　face。　　It　was　that　of　a　matron；　slim　but　shapely　as　an
Ionic　column。　　Her　face　was　Grecian；　with　Corinthian　temples；
Hellenic　eyes　that　looked　from　jutting　eyebrows；　like　dormer…
windows　in　an　Attic　forehead；　completed　her　perfect　Athenian
outline。　　She　wore　a　black　frock…coat　tightly　buttoned　over　her
bloomer　trousers；　and　a　standing　collar。

〃Your　Lordship　is　struck　by　that　face；〃　said　a　social　parasite。

〃I　am；　who　is　she？〃

〃Her　name　is　Mary　Ann。　　She　is　married　to　an　American；　and　has
lately　invented　a　new　religion〃

〃Ah！〃　said　Lothaw　eagerly；　with　difficulty　restraining　himself　from
rushing　toward　her。

〃Yes；　shall　I　introduce　you？〃

Lothaw　thought　of　Lady　Coriander's　High　Church　proclivities；　of　the
Cardinal；　and　hesitated：　〃No；　I　thank　you；　not　now。〃


CHAPTER　V。


Lothaw　was　maturing。　　He　had　attended　two　woman's　rights
conventions；　three　Fenian　meetings；　had　dined　at　White's；　and　had
danced　vis…a…vis　to　a　prince　of　the　blood；　and　eaten　off　of　gold
plates　at　Crecy　House。

His　stables　were　near　Oxford；　and　occupied　more　ground　than　the
University。　　He　was　driving　over　there　one　day；　when　he　perceived
some　rustics　and　menials　endeavoring　to　stop　a　pair　of　runaway
horses　attached　to　a　carriage　in　which　a　lady　and　gentleman　were
seated。　　Calmly　awaiting　the　termination　of　the　accident；　with
high…bred　courtesy　Lothaw　forbore　to　interfere　until　the　carriage
was　overturned；　the　occupants　thrown　out；　and　the　runaways　secured
by　the　servants；　when　he　advanced　and　offered　the　lady　the
exclusive　use　of　his　Oxford　stables。

Turning　upon　him　a　face　whose　perfect　Hellenic　details　he
remembered；　she　slowly　dragged　a　gentleman　from　under　the　wheels
into　the　light　and　presented　him　with　ladylike　dignity　as　her
husband；　Major…General　Camperdown；　an　American。

〃Ah；〃　said　Lothaw；　carelessly；　〃I　believe　I　have　some　land　there。
If　I　mistake　not；　my　agent；　Mr。　Putney　Giles；　lately　purchased　the
State　ofIllinoisI　think　you　call　it。〃

〃Exactly。　　As　a　former　resident　of　the　city　of　Chicago；　let　me
introduce　myself　as　your　tenant。〃

Lothaw　bowed　graciously　to　the　gentleman；　who；　except　that　he
seemed　better　dressed　than　most　Englishmen；　showed　no　other　signs
of　inferiority　and　plebeian　extraction。

〃We　have　met　before；〃　said　Lothaw　to　the　lady　as　she　leaned　on　his
arm；　while　they　visited　his　stables；　the　University；　and　other
places　of　interest　in　Oxford。　　〃Pray　tell　me；　what　is　this　new
religion　of　yours？〃

〃It　is　Woman　Suffrage；　Free　Love；　Mutual　Affinity；　and　Communism。
Embrace　it　and　me。〃

Lothaw　did　not　know　exactly　what　to　do。　　She　however　soothed　and
sustained　his　agitated　frame　and　sealed　with　an　embrace　his
speechless　form。　　The　General　approached　and　coughed　slightly　with
gentlemanly　tact。

〃My　husband　will　be　too　happy　to　talk　with　you　further　on　this
subject；〃　she　said　with　quiet　dignity；　as　she　regained　the
General's　side。　　Come　with　us　to　Oneida。　　Brook　Farm　is　a　thing　of
the　past。〃


CHAPTER　VI。


As　Lothaw　drove　toward　his　country…seat；　〃The　Mural　Enclosure；〃　he
observed　a　crowd；　apparently　of　the　working　class；　gathered　around
a　singular…looking　man　in　the　picturesque　garb　of　an　Ethiopian
serenader。　　〃What　does　he　say？〃　inquired　Lothaw　of　his　driver。

The　man　touched　his　hat　respectfully　and　said；　〃My　Mary　Ann。〃

〃'My　Mary　Ann！'〃　　Lothaw's　heart　beat　rapidly。　　Who　was　this
mysterious　foreigner？　　He　had　heard　from　Lady　Coriander　of　a
certain　Popish　plot；　but　could　he　connect　Mr。　Camperdown　with　it？

The　spectacle　of　two　hundred　men　at　arms　who　advanced　to　meet　him
at　the　gates　of　The　Mural　Enclosure　drove　all　else　from　the　still
youthful　and　impressible　mind　of　Lothaw。　　Immediately　behind　them；
on　the　steps　of　the　baronial　halls；　were　ranged　his　retainers；　led
by　the　chief　cook　and　bottle…washer；　and　head　crumb…remover。　　On
either　side　were　two　companies　of　laundry…maids；　preceded　by　the
chief　crimper　and　fluter；　supporting　a　long　Ancestral　Line；　on
which　depended　the　family　linen；　and　under　which　the　youthful　lord
of　the　manor　passed　into　the　halls　of　his　fathers。　　Twenty…four
scullions　carried　the　massive　gold　and　silver　plate　of　the　family
on　their　shoulders；　and　deposited　it　at　the　feet　of　their　master。
The　spoons　were　then　solemnly　counted　by　the　steward；　and　the
perfect　ceremony　ended。

Lothaw　sighed。　　He　sought　out　the　gorgeously　gilded　〃Taj；〃　or
sacred　mausoleum　erected　to　his　grandfather　in　the　second　story
front　room；　and　wept　over　the　man　he　did　not　know。　　He　wandered
alone　in　his　magnificent　park；　and　then；　throwing　himself　on　a
grassy　bank；　pondered　on　the　Great　First　Cause；　and　the　necessity
of　religion。　　〃I　will　send　Mary　Ann　a　handsome　present；〃　said
Lothaw；　thoughtfully。


CHAPTER　VII。


〃Each　of　these　pearls；　my　Lord；　is　worth　fifty　thousand　guineas；〃
said　Mr。　Amethyst；　the　fashionable　jeweler；　as　he　lightly　lifted　a
large　shovelful　from　a　convenient　bin　behind　his　counter。

〃Indeed；〃　said　Lothaw；　carelessly；　〃I　should　prefer　to　see　some
expensive　ones。

〃Some　number　sixes；　I　suppose；〃　said　Mr。　Amethyst；　taking　a　couple
from　the　apex　of　a　small　pyramid　that　lay　piled　on　the　shelf。
〃These　are　about　the　size　of　the　Duchess　of　Billingsgate's；　but
they　are　in　finer　condition。　　The　fact　is；　her　Grace　permits　her
two　children；　the　Marquis　of　Smithfield　and　the　Duke　of　St。　Giles；
two　sweet　pretty　boys；　my　Lord；to　use　them　as　marbles　in　their
games。　　Pearls　require　some　attention；　and　I　go　down　there
regularly　twice　a　week　to　clean　them。　　Perhaps　your　Lordship　would
like　some　ropes　of　pearls？〃

〃About　half　a　cable's　length；〃　said　Lothaw；　shortly；　〃and　send　them
to　my　lodgings。〃

Mr。　Amethyst　became　thoughtful。　　〃I　am　afraid　I　have　not　the　exact
numberthat　isexcuse　me　one　moment。　　I　will　run　over　to　the
Tower　and　borrow　a　few　from　the　crown　jewels。〃　　And　before　Lothaw
could　prevent　him；　he　seized　his　hat　and　left　Lothaw　alone。

His　position　certainly　was　embarrassing。　　He　could　not　move　without
stepping　on　costly　gems　which　had　rolled　from　the　counter；　the
rarest　diamonds　lay　scattered　on　the　shelves；　untold　fortunes　in
priceless　emeralds　lay　within　his　grasp。　　Although　such　was　the
aristocratic　purity　of　his　blood　and　the　strength　of　his　religious
convictions　that　he　probably　would　not　have　pocketed　a　single
diamond；　still　he　could　not　help　thinking　that　he　might　he　accused
of　taking　some。　　〃You　can　search　me；　if　you　like；〃　he　said　when　Mr。
Amethyst　returned；　〃but　I　assure　you；　upon　the　honor　of　a
gentleman；　that　I　have　taken　nothing。〃

〃Enough；　my　Lord；〃　said　Mr。　Amethyst；　with　a　low　bow；　〃we　never
search　the　aristocracy。〃


CHAPTER　VIII。


As　Lothaw　left　Mr。　Amethyst's；　he　ran　against　General　Camperdown。
〃How　is　Mary　Ann？〃　he　asked　hurriedly。

〃I　regret　to　state　that　she　is　dying；〃　said　the　general；　with　a
grave　voice；　as　he　removed　his　cigar　from　his　lips；　and　lifted　his
hat　to　Lothaw。

〃Dying！〃　said　Lothaw；　incredulously。

〃Alas；　too　true！〃　replied　the　General。　　〃The　engagements　of　a　long
lecturing　season；　exposure　in　travelling　by　railway　during　the
winter；　and　the　imperfect　nourishment　afforded　by　the　refreshments
along　the　road；　have　told　on　her　delicate　frame。　　But　she　wants　to
see　you　before　she　dies。　　Here　is　the　key　of　my　lodging。　　I　will
finish　my　cigar　out　here。〃

Lothaw　hardly　recognized　those　wasted　Hellenic　outlines　as　he
entered　the　dimly　lighted　room　of　the　dying　woman。　　She　was　already
a　classic　ruin；as　wrecked　and　yet　as　perfect　as　the　Parthenon。
He　grasped　her　hand　silently。

〃Open…air　speaking　twice　a　week；　and　saleratus　bread　in　the　rural
districts；　have　brought　me　to　this；〃　she　said　feebly；　〃but　it　is
well。　　The　cause　progresses。　　The　tyrant　man　succumbs。〃

Lothaw　could　only　press　her　hand。

〃Promise　me　one　thing。　　Don'twhatever　you　dobecome　a　Catholic。〃

〃Why？〃

〃The　Church　does　not　recognize　divorce。　　And　now　embrace　me。　　I
would　prefer　at　th