The Rake's Progress

ys dimly revealed the massive handsome chamber, the rows of b

oubled, not so much by the threatened revelation of misfortune as by the presence

ne," said Rose Lyndwood, "for I dar

owers, pink and red, on his waistcoat sparkled with threads of gold. His complexion was naturally pale; at the corner of his full lower lip a patch of black velvet cunningly cut into the s

thing to Marius, and his brother saw it. "It's a damned unpleasant t

us s

you mean?

eyes wide now and gave

edit is no longer good for-anything. That Lyndwood

tand," answered

being ruined before?" asked the

a fashion-s

d shrugged h

now. The crash-who cared as long as the money cam

step towards

fortune?

gave him a k

ever been led to believe there was anything solely yours, for now t

by the desk ag

d. "Nothing at all?"

rd slowly, "here and in London, I do not s

edit it!" mu

have told you the trut

n his hands, resting h

auper!" he sa

crossed and st

n confusion all has remained. While the money sufficed we shared it. I cou

was s

"Susannah's money, too, is safe, of course"-he glanced at his

. His cheeks were re

or us?" he as

ered the abrupt qu

blame me

nger ma

u!" he cried. "You had no rig

remarked the Earl quietly. "We

ace, and his brother's f

t I cannot be so patient. You have to

d looked at

" he

ell you that you have behaved bitterly t

d the silver bra

e very fierc

manner mad

to think nothing of money-to imagine it was there for me when I was a man. I ha

ery pleasant for me,

d of your reputation! If you chose to squander a fortune on your pleasur

was trembling from head to foot, clutching and un

d at him with

done?" h

of speech?" cried

wood fain

longer, and I have done. There is the entailed p

that is poor charity, my lord. I w

slightl

ou a captaincy

rve on

at I can d

d his hand to

e bitterly," he sai

his beautiful

said, "do nought but di

ave an u

cuse my behaviour. I have not yet learn

!" said Lord Ly

cried Marius, with gleaming eyes.

is no answer to what you say. What I have done, I ha

ne," answered his brother, gazing at him. "A p

ed slightly

mber ye held no bond of mine for the fort

sionate. Since they had entered the ro

been living on your charity!" he

dwood in

to do-what my father would have desired me to do. While the money was there we spent

s hand on the la

. "You have spoilt my life for me"-he suddenly laughed-"and

door after him with a force that caused the c

less gaze into the shadows; his drooping lids an

ten; as the last note quivered to st

ad closed the door. "Marius tells me, i

nswered

Marius had pulled out of place and

lso?" she

lord again. "

the Countess bitterly

only faintly revealed her, sitting by the massive desk, but fell

kind of feeble energy, "Rose, it cannot happen-it must not, however

ng it," he

she answered, "but it is impos

lady, I have considered it all. If I had seen any

ss miserably. "Marius to come

lids flicke

chances f

e with a movemen

ought up to wealth; he was as ignorant as I t

ndwood

y lady," he said. "I the most of any, and if

is easy; but you have no right to stand there and tell me you ar

softly. "I had no chance to

direct expression; she waver

en their fortunes by a wealthy match. But you-who received yo

e Lyndwood. "I have not time to hunt an h

you could," interr

ell the estates t

"Ye speak proudly. It had been a finer pride that had prevente

m her into the shadows a

a disgrace that my fortune was not equal to my position-" He broke off.

im. "Oh, none at all! Nor what this means to me, or to Marius! D

e lived as he lived, only 'tis my misf

air; the wavering candle-light sought out her face and

turned his beautiful

t bitterness for me,

Marius," s

face hard

the world

t he came back to me so joyously! Listen! H

wood half smiled. "How many ma

s sank into

ice, "and I had nothing but happiness." And

ught you nothing but misfortune. Do not shed tears, my lady, and sha

breath she murmured incoherent railings and feeble c

the moonlight lay on the floor betwe

ndon to-night," said

herself against the side of the desk

e-let me be alone with Marius." A sudden gleam of anger shone through her weak tears. "Nay,

ove, and without a look between

r the candle guttered and w

up and down in the dark, crossing an

ned to the wi

on to the terrace, and the air was full of

had written, earlier that evening, the letter whose fragments

ed it, pulled out a sheet of Susan

the fierce disappointment and anger of Marius, the foolish, bitter reproaches of the

er his mother nor Marius had ever attempted to avert the ruin that

e where they had been on the ride from London, with the people and things of his own world, t

to write, slowly bu

he appointment at Venice as a retreat from a life my fortunes would no longer support. You know what other hope I dared to cherish-b

at fault in this entanglement of my fortunes, and 'tis but decent that I

r. When last you wrote you said that you were being pressed in the matter of your betrothal to your cousin Francis-he is one to whom I shou

t the night with darkening eyes, th

etter through he fold

elina

is

ed round, for he heard

His intonation held w

ir she paused; he was again gazing out at the night, and she saw only his bac

ey said to yo

I might ha

rom her; she came round his chair, her scarle

annot forgive," s

nly, and his expression startled

hey doing?"

-and Marius-raving

rl lea

e me the thief of their happiness, and-" he che

and her voice was

her his stor

nks of that-spendthrift, you, she says, ruining this romance-well, M

" breathed Mi

sort to an expedient not pleasant-but I keep you standin

n one with any claim on you"-she checked herself for fear of the ext

. "My lady considers Marius, and Marius himself-I

n of their future upon you,

pirit of the words he ha

l," he turned to her with a touch of his usual

his old self unn

ccents, "think what you are doing-why sh

ham looked at him a little space

her and heavier tone, "everyone do

e letter lying on the little desk bet

ed swiftly. "

eager look in

he said quietly. "Enough to ask you t

d, hardly knowing what she

not hear their reproaches all my days-it had to be-by

letter and put

rius that he shall not starve-and for

ed her h

stay here

t need to sl

g all day-you cannot

was taking his hat and gloves from the c

get a horse there; I must be

is bright shining dress an

em, like this?" as

more to say,"

id Susannah; her voice, her eyes, h

ndwood

moment, then his voice fell beautifull

d bravely; "I-

soon, to you a

and the sweet breeze stirred

ssham fol

She bit her lip, and the c

corner of the letter addressed to Miss Boyle showing from th

he Earl; "and-you will know

e that evening had he shown anything of his usual

ht," she

h black shadows; the white flowers looked as if carved out of silver, and the red tulips,

ham standing before the ruddy candle glow of the chamber he had just left; bright colour showed in her scarlet dres

gain, and turned away t

arius speaking in the hot bitterness of youth, Lady Lyndwood weeping complai

rself, then closed the window and drew the h

ype="