Lover and Husband: A Novel

SIR RALPH did not go to Mrs. Archer’s the next day. Nor for several days after that. How he got through them he could not have told; though probably none of those about him saw...

AH, yes! What of Ralph? Through all these months, to Marion so weary with suspense and ever-recurring disappointment, what had he been about? How came it that he, whom we have h...

Cissy and Marion grew so accustomed to their calm, pleasant, life at Altes, that save for occasional home letters, they could have fancied themselves permanently settled in the...

THE lessons went on fairly enough. There were days on which Lotty’s conduct could not be truthfully described as “obedient and attentive;” days, too, on which poor Sybil was pro...

MALLLINGFORD again! And not looking more cheerful than when we last saw it. Then it was late autumn, now, except for the name of the thing, a scarcely more genial season, early...

“The little bird now to salute the morn Upon the naked branches sets her foot, The leaves still lying at the mossy root; And there a silly chirruping cloth keep As if she fain w...

THEY were married in the end of June, after all engagement of six weeks only. There were no reasons for delay, and several which made expedition expedient. Harry spent his last...

RALPH called early the next morning, as he had promised. He was relieved to find, by Marion’s account, that Sybil was fairly well, and that there appeared no necessity for sendi...

AUTUMN again! Three years only since the dull September day when we first saw Marion Vere in her father’s house in the London square. Three years ago, which have brought more th...

THE autumn days were already beginning to draw in, and it was growing late in the afternoon when Marion and her guardian entered Miss Tremlett’s presence; so the light was dim;...

“I will be quiet and talk with you, And reason why you are wrong: You wanted my love—is that much true? And no I did love, so I do: What has come of it all along.” R. BROWNING.

“Between the dawning and the day, The wind fell and the thunder ceased, The rod light came up from the east, As my dear love a-dying lay Between the dawning and the day.” BALLAD.

were dying—will you try to receive what I am going to say to you as if indeed it were a dying man’s request? It may seem cruel and heartless to ask it just now, but it is my las...

“Rue des Lauriers, No. 5:” last thought in her head at night, first when she woke in the morning. In her dreams too the words had been constantly before her: “No fear of my forg...

MR. VERE breakfasted alone that morning. He was surprised at his daughter’s absence, more particularly as he was considerably later than usual, having had a sleepless night. In...

THOSE few days had been dull enough for Marion. The weeks of happiness, unquestioning, if not thoughtless, that had preceded them, had ill prepared her for the sudden change. Fo...

AS Harry Vere turned the corner of the square, a carriage drove past him, in the direction of his father’s house. It passed quickly, but not before he had recognised the lady se...

THE next morning was bright and sunny. Marion woke early, feeling, thanks to her eighteen years, perfectly rested and refreshed. Under these circumstances too, as might be expec...

“O that spectre! For three years it followed me up and down the dark staircase, or stood by my bed: only the blessed light had power to exorcise it.” A REVELATION OF CHILDHOOD....

“He comes, the herald of a noisy world; News from all nations lumbering at his back. . . . . Messenger of grief Perhaps to thousands, and of joy to some: To him indifferent whet...

LONDON in September. A dull, close, airless day. The streets would have been dusty enough too, no doubt, had there been a breath to stir the dust, which one felt instinctively,...

“Which when his mother saw, she in her mind Was troubled sore, she wist well what to weene; She could by search nor any means out find The secret cause and nature of his teene....

FIVE minutes after Marion had left Lady Severn’s drawing-room that rainy morning, another young lady entered it. A tall, handsome girl. Beautiful almost; at least, to those who...

She had not much fear of its being unfavourable, and from the readiness with which the servant threw open the drawing-room door, announcing her, unprompted, as Miss Freer, she f...

“Could Love part thus? was it not well to speak? To have spoken once? It could not but be well. * * * * * * O then like those, who clench their nerves to rush Upon their dissolu...

“I DON’T much like that horse your husband is riding to-day, my dear,” said Lady Anne, as she sat down to her knitting beside the fire-place. “It’s all very well young men ridin...

“With all her might she cloth her business To bringen him out of his heaviness. * * * * * Lo here what gentleness these women have, If we could know it for our rudéness. Alway r...

IN consequence of the family dinner at Mrs. Baxter’s, and the impression there made upon the master of the house by the discovery of Mrs. Baldwin’s antecedents, that young lade...

SHE had thought the worst over, but it hardly proved to be so. He lay, indeed, peaceful and calm, her own Geoffrey again, restored to himself in mind and spirit, no longer tosse...

“So, I will lay one kiss Upon thy hand, and looking through the lights Of thy soft eyes, whisper the old word That runs before all detail and change, ‘farewell.’” ORESTES.

“AND what then do you and Harry think I should do? Where, I should rather say, do you think I should go, for I am sure you have thought of some plan?” asked Marion, later is the...

SHE did not die, however. Young lives do not end so easily, and young hearts do not so quickly break as their inexperienced owners would imagine. She was very, very ill. For man...

So when the dinner hour drew near, the two sallied forth to the “Lion d’Or.” They were ushered into a good-sized room, where a long table stood prepared for a considerable numbe...

“AND what sort of a person did you say Mrs. Baldwin was, my dear?” enquired Mr. Baxter of his wife, when, the engrossing ceremonial of the correct four or five courses having be...

“O death, death, death, thou ever floating cloud, There are enough unhappy on this earth, Pass by the happy souls that love to live: I pray thee pass before my light of life And...