"Oh, indeed, you are mistaken, grandmother! Sir Thomas is an admirable

husband--blind and deaf to all I do, as a good husband ought to be. And

as for Dick, look at him--bowing and smiling, and ready to do me any

service, while the girl he nearly died for is quite forgotten."

"Upon my word, you wrong Dick. His love for that woman is beyond

everything. I wish it wasn't. What right had she to come into our

family, and spoil plans and projects made before she was born. I should

clearly love to play her her own card back. And I must say, Arabella,

that you seem to care very little about your own wrongs."

"Oh, I am by no means certified that the woman has wronged me! I don't

think I should have loved Dick, in any case."

"Ha!" Lady Capel looked in her granddaughter's musing face, and then,

with a chuckle, hobbled to the bell and rang for her maid. "You are very

prudent, child, but I am not one that any woman can deceive. I know all

the tricks of the sex. Oh, heavens! what a grand thing to be two and

twenty, with a kind husband to manage, and lovers bowing and begging at

your shoe-ties! Well, well, I had my day; and, thank the fools, I did

some mischief in it! Yes, there were eight duels fought for me; and

while Somers and Scrope were wetting their swords in the quarrel, I was

dancing with Jack Capel. Jack told me that night he would make me marry

him; and when I slapped his cheek with my fan, he took my hands in a

rage, and swore I should do it that hour. And, faith, he mastered me!

Your grandfather Capel had a dreadful temper, Arabella."

"I have heard that Cousin Dick Hyde has a temper too."

"Dick is vain; and you can make a vain man stand on his head, or go down

on his knees, if you only vow that he performs the antics better than

any other human creature. The town will fling itself at Dick Hyde's

feet, and Dick will fling himself at yours. Mind what I say; my

prophecies always come true, Arabella, for I never expect sinners to be

saints, my dear."

And during the next six months Lady Capel found plenty of opportunities

for complimenting herself upon her own penetration. Society made an idol

of Capt. Hyde; and if he was not at Lady Arabella's feet, he was

certainly very constantly at her side. As to his marriage, it was a

topic of constant doubt and dispute. The clubs betted on the subject. In

the ball-rooms and the concert-rooms, the ladies positively denied it;

and Lady Arabella's smile and shrug were of all opinions the most

unsatisfactory and bewildering. Some, indeed, admitted the marriage, but

averred, with a meaning emphasis, that madam was on the proper side of

the Atlantic. Others were certain that Hyde had brought his wife to

England, but felt himself obliged, on account of her great beauty, to

keep her away from the conquering heroes of London society. It was a

significant index to Hyde's real character, that not one of his

associates ever dared to be familiar enough to ask him for the truth on

a question so delicately personal.




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