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The Hoyden

Chapter 7 HOW THE ARGUMENT GROWS HIGHER; AND HOW MARIAN LOSES HER TEMPER, AND HOW MARGARET OBJECTS TO THE RUIN OF ONE YOUNG LIFE.

Word Count: 2605    |    Released on: 01/12/2017

ne of the windows that overlook the tennis court. The guests of the afternoon have gone; only the house-party remains, and still, in the dying dayl

thout a mother's care," says Miss Knollys, who has ta

al admissions!" says Lady Rylton, who has not fo

. She saw no reason why s

harply. "You know, as well as

er," says Miss Knollys, "as it leads me to hope

argaret is not as perfect as one believes her

Rylton angrily. "I have told you that often enough, I think; b

the conclusion you have in view, do you know what will happen? You will make your

are going on behind the little lace fragment pressed to her eyes. "Am not I ten times more miserable? I, who have to give my only son-as" (sobbing) "you most admirably describe it, Margaret-to such a

nollys, as civilly as she can. S

ebb. And I will save my dearest Maurice at all risks if I can, no matter what grief it costs me. Who am I"-with a picture

rgaret, rising, with a distinct frown.

ience, my dear Margaret, I have never known a woman to frown upon a man who was as handsome, as well-born, as chic as Ma

look is a cruel one, hideously cruel. Even Marian Bethune, whose bowels of compassion are extraordinary small, chang

on, enjoying the chan

ile, coming from so

eration. All that past horrible time-her lover, his unworthiness, his

n, such mere outward charms, are fools!"

with the gayest of little laughs, "would you call you

that even Lady Rylton sinks beneath it. She makes an effort to sustain her positio

ll propose to this Mi

rd. There is something

ank, but there are so few of them with money, and when there is one, her

ly," says Margaret,

o wise! It would be folly to marry a satyr-satyrs are hor

ays Margaret. "Mone

a trifle unwisely. She has been watching the play

u object to i

I object to it? I talk of ma

arriage, I assure you; I have set my mind on it. It is terrible to contemplate, but one must

yet behind the cobweb she presses to

dy Rylton's glance grows keener. "Such a mere doll of a thing. A mite!" She laughs again, but this time (havi

t she is not altogether below our level-as she certainly is-but she has refused to see my kindness. She-she's very fatiguing," says Lady Rylton, with a long-suffering sigh

ice?" ask

other airily. "And is going to give

aurice, who cares nothing for her. Marian"-Miss Knollys turns suddenly to Marian, who has withdrawn behind the curtains, as if determined

he curtains, her face a little pale, "what is my weight in t

d, rising, comes towards her. "Why don't you an

gain, why should he? Marriage, as we have been told all our lives, is but a lottery-they

e to marry this girl?"

hing," says Marian, with

mands Lady Ry

n Marian to support

ays Mrs. Bethune, her stran

t?" questions Lady

tand you," says

s her, but she waves her back. "Pray let me explain, Margaret. Our dear Marian is so intensely dull that she wants a word in

ks into it. She comes forward in a wild, tempestuous fashion, her eyes afire, her no

etty woman before her, who looks back at her with uplifted shoulders, and an all-round air of surprise and disapprobation. "You to taunt me!" says she, in a low, condensed tone. "You, who hurr

re Lady Rylton, who, in spite of the courage born of

sing her smelling-bottle to her nose, "I must ask you

he man you selected for me. What devil's life I led with him you may guess at. You knew him, I did not. I was seve

wid

ow-tha

head, as the heroine of it. The sunlight from the dying day lights up the red, rich beauty of her hair, the deadly pallor of her skin. Through it all the sound of the te

talking of? The marriage of Maurice to this little plebeian

is a litt

ld is too young and too rich! She should be given a chance; she should n

esh?" asks Lady Rylton angrily. "He of one of t

nollys calmly. "This girl has intellect, mind, a

g in for Socialistic principles, Margaret, pray do not

reat difference? You object to her marrying your son, yet you want to marry her to your son. How do you reconcile it? Surely

on't understand. She will always

hildren?" as

thune spring

ad been pale before, it is livid now. "Why, this marriage-this marriage"-she be

ooking with a gentle glance at Marian, "t

ur to her," interrup

to him," says Margaret cold

une stops her. The latter, who is leaning against the c

Oh, foolish Margaret! Do not list

r slender figure, and, hidden therein, stil

olish," cries Margare

ind her. She looks out at Margaret, still laughing. Her

at her. It is a questioning glance. "You! Do you think Maurice ought to ask

t take some step," says

o her and speaks in s

cannot

that nothing t

h his honour?" says Mrs. Bethune,

n!" says M

disgust, but Marian follows

an--" s

art full of you, do you thin

rt? Dear Margaret, don't be an enthusiast; be lik

imple; but you should think. I have always thought you-you liked Maurice, but

marry a child!" says

mea

ally," says Marian. "But that baby

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Open
1 Chapter 1 HOW DIAMOND CUT DIAMOND, AND HOW THE SPARKS FLEW.2 Chapter 2 HOW MARGARET PLEADS FOR THE LITTLE HOYDEN, AND WITH WHAT ILL-SUCCESS.3 Chapter 3 HOW LADY RYLTON SAYS A FEW THINGS THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER LEFT UNSAID. HOW THE SCHEME IS LAID BEFORE SIR MAURICE, AND HOW HE REFUSES TO HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT.4 Chapter 4 HOW THE HEART OF MAURICE GREW HOT WITHIN HIM, AND HOW HE PUT THE QUESTION TO THE TOUCH, AND HOW HE NEITHER LOST NOR WON.5 Chapter 5 SHOWING HOW, WHEN PEOPLE DO CONGREGATE TOGETHER, MUCH KNOWLEDGE MAY BE FOUND, AND HOW THE LITTLE HOYDEN HAD SOME KIND THINGS SAID ABOUT HER.6 Chapter 6 HOW GAMES WERE PLAYED, OF SORTS ; AND HOW TITA WAS MUCH HARRIED, BUT HOW SHE BORE HERSELF VALIANTLY, AND HOW, NOT KNOWING OF HER VICTORIES, SHE WON ALL THROUGH.7 Chapter 7 HOW THE ARGUMENT GROWS HIGHER; AND HOW MARIAN LOSES HER TEMPER, AND HOW MARGARET OBJECTS TO THE RUIN OF ONE YOUNG LIFE.8 Chapter 8 HOW A STORM RAGED; AND HOW, WHEN A MAN AND WOMAN MET FACE TO FACE, THE VICTORY-FOR A WONDER-WENT TO THE MAN.9 Chapter 9 HOW MAURICE PLACES HIS LIFE IN THE HANDS OF THE HOYDEN, AND HOW SHE TELLS HIM MANY THINGS, AND DESIRES MANY THINGS OF HIM.10 Chapter 10 HOW MAURICE GIVES WAY TO TEMPER, AND HOW LADY RYLTON PLANTS A SHAFT OR TWO. AND HOW MARGARET SAYS A WORD IN SEASON, AND HOW IN RETURN COLONEL NEILSON SAYS A WORD TO HER.11 Chapter 11 HOW THE LAST DAY COMES, AND HOW SOME STRANGE WORDS ARE SAID BEFORE THE MARRIAGE IS ACCOMPLISHED; AND HOW MARION BETHUNE SCORES A POINT.12 Chapter 12 HOW TITA COMES BACK FROM HER HONEYMOON, AND HOW HER HUSBAND'S MOTHER TELLS HER OF CERTAIN THINGS THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN LEFT UNTOLD.13 Chapter 13 HOW A YOUNG AND LOVELY NATURE TAKES A SHOCK MOST CRUELLY ADMINISTERED. AND HOW A DOWAGER TAKES A NEW NAME AS A DIRECT INSULT. AND HOW TITA DECLINES TO PROMISE ANYTHING.14 Chapter 14 HOW TITA COMES TO OAKDEAN, AND IS GLAD. AND HOW MAURICE CALLS TO HER, AND SHE PERFORMS AN ACROBATIC FEAT. AND HOW A DISCUSSION ARISES.15 Chapter 15 HOW TITA TELLS OF TWO STRANGE DREAMS, AND OF HOW THEY MOVED HER. AND HOW MAURICE SETS HIS SOUL ON ASKING A GUEST TO OAKDEAN; AND HOW HE GAINS HIS DESIRE.16 Chapter 16 HOW A DULL MORNING GIVES BIRTH TO A STRANGE AFTERNOON. AND HOW RYLTON'S EYES ARE WIDENED BY A FRIEND.17 Chapter 17 HOW TITA SUGGESTS A GAME OF BLIND MAN'S BUFF, AND WHAT COMES OF IT.18 Chapter 18 HOW TITA GETS A SCOLDING, AND HOW SHE REBELS AND ACCUSES SIR MAURICE OF BREACH OF CONTRACT.19 Chapter 19 HOW RYLTON'S HEART CONDEMNS HIM. AND HOW, AS HE WALKS, A SERPENT STINGS HIM. AND HOW HE IS RECOVERED OF HIS WOUND. AND HOW THE LITTLE RIFT IS MENDED-BUT WITH TOO FINE THREAD.20 Chapter 20 HOW TITA TAKES HIGH GROUND, AND HOW SHE BRINGS HER HUSBAND, OF ALL PEOPLE, TO HER FEET.21 Chapter 21 HOW EVERYONE GOES TO LADY WARBECK'S DANCE, AND HELPS TO MAKE IT A SUCCESS; AND HOW MANY CURIOUS THINGS ARE SAID AND DONE THERE.22 Chapter 22 HOW RYLTON ASKS HIS WIFE TO TREAD A MEASURE WITH HIM, AND HOW THE FATES WEAVE A LITTLE MESH FOR TITA'S PRETTY FEET.23 Chapter 23 HOW MARIAN FIGHTS FOR MASTERY; AND HOW THE BATTLE GOES; AND HOW CHANCE BEFRIENDS THE ENEMY.24 Chapter 24 HOW RYLTON MAKES A MOST DISHONOURABLE BET, AND HOW HE REPENTS OF IT; AND HOW, THOUGH HE WOULD HAVE WITHDRAWN FROM IT, HE FINDS HE CANNOT.25 Chapter 25 HOW TITA TOLD A SECRET TO TOM HESCOTT IN THE MOONLIGHT; AND HOW HE SOUGHT TO DISCOVER MANY THINGS, AND HOW HE WAS MOST INNOCENTLY BAFFLED.26 Chapter 26 HOW TITA LOOKS AT HERSELF IN THE GLASS AND WONDERS; AND HOW SHE DOES HER HAIR IN QUITE A NEW STYLE, AND GOES TO ASK SIR MAURICE WHAT HE THINKS OF IT; AND HOW HE ANSWERS HER.27 Chapter 27 No.2728 Chapter 28 No.2829 Chapter 29 No.2930 Chapter 30 No.3031 Chapter 31 No.3132 Chapter 32 No.3233 Chapter 33 No.3334 Chapter 34 No.3435 Chapter 35 No.3536 Chapter 36 No.3637 Chapter 37 No.3738 Chapter 38 No.3839 Chapter 39 No.3940 Chapter 40 No.4041 Chapter 41 No.4142 Chapter 42 No.4243 Chapter 43 No.4344 Chapter 44 No.4445 Chapter 45 No.4546 Chapter 46 No.4647 Chapter 47 No.4748 Chapter 48 No.4849 Chapter 49 No.4950 Chapter 50 No.5051 Chapter 51 No.5152 Chapter 52 No.5253 Chapter 53 No.5354 Chapter 54 No.5455 Chapter 55 HOW MINNIE HESCOTT GIVES TITA A HINT; AND LEARNS THAT HINTS MAY BE THROWN AWAY; AND HOW MARGARET'S SOUL IS GRIEVED.56 Chapter 56 HOW TITA COMMITS A GREAT FOLLY, THOUGH LITTLE IS THE SIN THAT LIES THEREIN. AND HOW MARGARET TRIES TO MAKE PEACE, AND WHAT COMES OF IT.57 Chapter 57 HOW MR. GOWER GROWS DARKLY MYSTERIOUS; AND HOW TITA HEARS OF THE ARRIVAL OF ANOTHER GUEST.58 Chapter 58 HOW TITA'S SOUL AT LAST IS STIRRED; AND HOW HER HAPPINESS IS THREATENED AND HERSELF SET AT NAUGHT; AND HOW MINNIE HESCOTT SPEAKS.