A Shepherd at Court, Chapters X - XI [pp. 344-356]

1884.] A SAepherd at Court. 349
ladies, and through whose means such trans- asked absently what had become of him,
formation had been effected. but forgot to listen for the answer. There
"I, too, have had of Monsieur Gurney's were two or three notable exceptions: Mrs
benefits," she added in a burst of confidence. Lawlor remembered him with an impatient
"Ah, ciel! but it is given one only once in a sense of defeat, a hardening of heart toward
life to have such a friend." Helen, and withal an eager desire to make
Helen looked at her wistfully, wishing she her future "copy fair her past." Mrs. Rivcould absorb some of her positive faith. Ti- ers remembered him in the breathing spaces
na, who had been staring with solemn eyes of her self-absorbed life with the practical inat this vivacious apparition with hollow terest with which she remembered accomcheeks and dead-black eyes, and tattered modating tradesmen and available diners-out
pink "zephyr"thrown coquettishly over her and amiable dancing men, and-as in this
head, and had taken note of the ghostly foli- instance-suitable matches for Helen. She
age that trailed from the balcony overhead, had followed the trail of their friendship
impulsively offered the purple mass of per- more or less accurately: she knew to a moral
fume she still carried, and retired precipi- certainty that Gurney had proposed the night
tately under a shower of "merci~," and before he left, and that something was
"Ires char'nantes." wrong; but here t)er penetration stopped.
She declared they must put off their visit She waited in vain for confidence or confesto the Traufners that day-she had ex- sion from her young kinswoman. She knew
hausted her charitable emotions. But she better than to force it, and, watching with
was unusually thoughtful on their way home, veiled eyes her changed manner, she guessand as usual in such brief moments of so- ed that Helen, for some scruple or caprice,
lemnity, went into ~e confessional. On this was doing battle with her own inclination.
occasion she told hesitatingly of her foolish "[ declare, I think I could box her ears
visit to Jack. "~Vas it very, very bad, do with a good grace," she said confidentially to
you think?" she said, shaking her head in her husband. "She's enough to provoke a
melancholy deprecation. saint."
"It might have been, with less honorable "She must be if she provokes you," quoth
men for your friends," said Helen, dryly. Mr. Rivers, who was not without a faint
"Upon my word," she added half to hejself, sense of humor.
"I didn't think Jack had it in him, or that "To throw away such chances!" she addpeople made such sacrifices nowadays, out- ed.
side of book covers. As for Mr. Gurney, "So they are," said Mr. Rivers rubbing
`It is given one only once in a life to have his chin thoughtfully. But his wife, suddensuch a friend,'" she quoted softly. ly aware that these responses were not en Tina gave her a sharp side glance, and tire~y sympathetic, cast at him a reproa~hful
pursed up her scarlet lips, and as they drew look and shut her lips.
up at that moment before Mr. Rivers's mar- Helen herself had more difficulty in keepble steps, she leaned over suddenly and ing Gurney out of her thoughts than in them.
kissed Helen. She thought if his words meant anything he
"Ah, you are not so much wiser than the would evade or defy her interdict, but he never
rest of us, after all," she murmured with a made sign to show he was alive. Her heart
little smile of satisfaction, "and I'm very confirmed the verdict of the shabby aliens
glad of it, too," and she drove away. of Dale Street, even while her mind followed
It goes without saying that Gurney's exit the rules by which men were judged in her
from society had been as a pebble flung into own world of purple and fine linen. When
the eddies of a swift river. The instant he she was trying to find where "a hair divides
was out of sight, his place was filled and the false and true," she would turn the scale
he was forgotten. Now and then somebody by taking out the little jewel-crusted dagger