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London; for the sole purpose of seeing her; by the first train。







London; February 12。I found mother and daughter together in the



drawing…room。 It was one of Mrs。 Eyrecourt's days of depression。



Her little twinkling eyes tried to cast on me a look of tragic



reproach; she shook her dyed head and said; 〃Oh。 Winterfield; I



didn't think you would have done this!Stella; fetch me my



smelling bottle。







But Stella refused to take the hint。 She almost brought the tears



into my eyes; she received me so kindly。 If her mother had not



been in the roombut her mother _was_ in the room; I had no



other choice than to enter on my business; as if I had been the



family lawyer







Mrs。 Eyrecourt began by reproving Stella for asking my advice;



and then assured me that she had no intention of leaving London。



〃How am I to get rid of my house?〃 she asked; irritably enough。 I



knew that 〃her house〃 (as she called it) was the furnished upper



part of a house belonging to another person; and that she could



leave it at a short notice。 But I said nothing。 I addressed



myself to Stella。







〃I have been thinking of two or three places which you might



like;〃 I went on。 〃The nearest place belongs to an old French



gentleman and his wife。 They have no children; and they don't let



lodgings; but I believe they would be glad to receive friends of



mine; if their spare rooms are not already occupied。 They live at



St。 Germainclose to Paris。〃







I looked at Mrs。 Eyrecourt as I said those last wordsI was as



sly as Father Benwell himself。 Paris justified my confidence: the



temptation was too much for her。 She not only gave way; but



actually mentioned the amount of rent which she could afford to



pay。 Stella whispered her thanks to me as I went out。 〃My name is



not mentioned; but my misfortune is alluded to in the



newspapers;〃 she said。 〃Well…meaning friends are calling and



condoling with me already。 I shall die; if you don't help me to



get away among strangers!〃







I start for Paris by the mail train; to…night。







Paris; February 13。It is evening。 I have just returned from St。



Germain。 Everything is settledwith more slyness on my part。 I



begin to think I am a born Jesuit; there must have been some



detestable sympathy between Father Benwell and me。







My good friends; Monsieur and Madame Villeray; will be only too



glad to receive English ladies; known to me for many years。 The



spacious and handsome first floor of their house (inherited from



once wealthy ancestors by Madame Villeray) can be got ready to



receive Mrs。 Eyrecourt and her daughter in a week's time。 Our one



difficulty related to the question of money。 Monsieur Villeray;



living on a Government pension; was modestly unwilling to ask



terms; and I was too absolutely ignorant of the subject to be of



the slightest assistance to him。 It ended in our appealing to a



house…agent at St。 Germain。 His estimate appeared to me to be



quite reasonable。 But it exceeded the pecuniary limit mentioned



by Mrs。 Eyrecourt。 I had known the Villerays long enough to be in



no danger of offending them by proposing a secret arrangement



which permitted me to pay the difference。 So that difficulty was



got over in due course of time。







We went into the large garden at the back of the house; and there



I committed another act of duplicity。







In a nice sheltered corner I discovered one of those essentially



French buildings called a 〃pavilion;〃 a delightful little toy



house of three rooms。 Another private arrangement made me the



tenant of this place。 Madame Villeray smiled。 〃I bet you;〃 she



said to me in her very best English; 〃one of these ladies is in



her fascinating first youth。〃 The good lady little knows what a



hopeless love affair mine is。 I must see Stella sometimesI ask;



and hope for; no more。 Never have I felt how lonely my life is;



as I feel it now。







Third Extract。







London; March 1。Stella and her mother have set forth on their



journey to St。 Germain this morning; without allowing me; as I



had hoped and planned; to be their escort。







Mrs。 Eyrecourt set up the old objection of the claims of



propriety。 If that were the only obstacle in my way; I should



have set it aside by following them to France。 Where is the



impropriety of my seeing Stella; as her friend and



brotherespecially when I don't live in the same house with her;



and when she has her mother; on one side; and Madame Villeray; on



the other; to take care of her?







No! the influence that keeps me away from St。 Germain is the



influence of Stella herself。







〃I will write to you often;〃 she said; 〃but I beg you; for my



sake; not to accompany us to France。〃 Her look and tone reduced



me to obedience。 Stupid as I am I think (after what passed



between me and her mother) I can guess what she meant。







〃Am I never to see you again?〃 I asked。







〃Do you think I am hard and ungrateful?〃 she answered。 〃Do you



doubt that I shall be glad; more than glad; to see you; when?〃







She turned away from me and said no more。







It was time to take leave。 We were under her mother's



superintendence; we shook hands and that was all。







Matilda (Mrs。 Eyrecourt's maid) followed me downstairs to open



the door。 I suppose I looked; as I felt; wretchedly enough。 The



good creature tried to cheer me。 〃Don't be anxious about them;〃



she said; 〃I am used to traveling; sirand I'll take care of



them。〃 She is a woman to be thoroughly depended on; a faithful



and attached servant。 I made her a little present at parting; and



I asked her if she would write to me from time to time。







Some people might consider this to be rather an undignified



proceeding on my part。 I can only say it came naturally to me。 I



am not a dignified man; and; when a person means kindly toward



me; I don't ask myself whether that person is higher or lower;



richer or poorer; than I am。 We are; to my mind; on the same



level when the same sympathy unites us。 Matilda was sufficiently



acquainted with all that had passed to foresee; as I did; that



there would be certain reservations in Stella's letters to me。



〃You shall have the whole truth from Me; sir; don't doubt it;〃



she whispered。 I believed her。 When my heart is sore; give me a



woman for my friend。 Whether she is lady or lady's…maid; she is



equally precious to me。







Cowes; March 2。I am in treaty with an agent for the hire of a



yacht。







I must do something; and go somewhere。 Returning to Beaupark is



out of the question。 People with tranquil minds can find pleasure



in the society of their country neighbors。 I am a miserable



creature; with a mind in a state of incessant disturbance。



Excellent fathers of families talking politics to me; exemplary



mothers of families offering me matrimonial opportunities with



their daughtersthat is what society means; if I go back to



Devonshire。 No。 I will go for a cruise in the Mediterranean; and



I will take one friend with me whose company I never weary ofmy



dog。







The vessel is discovereda fine schooner of three hundred tons;



just returned from a cruise to Madeira。 The sailing…master and



crew only ask for a few days on shore。 In that time the surveyor



will have examined the vessel; and the stores will be on board。







March 3。I have written to Stella; with a list of addresses at



which letters will reach me; and I have sent another list to my



faithful ally the maid。 When we leave Gibraltar; our course will



be to Naplesthence to Civita Vecchia; Leghorn; Genoa;



Marseilles。 From any of those places; I am within easy traveling



distance of St。 Germain。







March 7。 At Sea。It is half…past six in the evening。 We have



just passed the Eddystone Lighthouse; with the wind abeam。 The



log registers ten knots an hour。







Fourth Extract。







_Naples; May_ 10。The fair promise at the beginning of my voyage



has not been fulfilled。 Owing to contrary winds; storms; and



delays at Cadiz in repairing damages; we have only arrived at



Naples this evening。 Under trying circumstances of all sorts; the



yacht has behaved admirably。 A stouter and finer sea…boat never



was built。







We are too late to find the post…office open。 I shall send ashore



for letters the first thing tomorrow morning。 My next movements



will depend entirely on the news I get from St。 Germain。 If I



remain for any length of time in these regions; I shall give my



crew the holiday they have well earned at Civita Vecchia。 I am



never weary of Romebut I always did; and always shall; dislike



Naples。







May 11。 My plans are completely changed。 I am annoyed and



angry; the further I get away from France; the better I shall be



pleased。







I have heard from Stella; and heard from the maid。 Both letters



inform me that the child is born; and that it is a boy。 Do they



expect me to feel any interest in the boy? He is my worst enemy



before he is out of his long…clothes。







Stella writes kindly enough。 Not a line in her letter; however;



invites me; or holds out the prospect of inviting me; to St。



Germain。 She refers to her mother very briefly; merely informing



me that Mrs。 Eyrecourt is well; and is already enjoying the



gayeties of Paris。 Three…fourths of the letter are occupied with



the baby。 When I wrote to her

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