Theo: A Sprightly Love Story

else but a painful dream. After all, it seemed that Fortune was crueller than she had imagined possible. He was gone, and to Priscilla Gower; and she had never been able to believe that some alterati

equently, was not disappointed when she did not receive them. But she found herself feeling terribly lonely after Denis Oglethorpe left Paris. The first day she felt more stunned than anything else. The second her sensibilities began to revive keenly, and she was full of sad

r a letter of invitation, which the ties of their girlhood rendered almost a command. So to Rouen her ladyship went, for once leaving Theo behind. Madam St. Etunne was an invalid, and the visit could not be a very interesting one to a young gi

ll yourself. Theo, you look feverish, or nervous, or something of the kind. How was it I

well, and, as may be easily imagined, it did not add to her lightness of spirit to sit in her old seat and ponder over the past in the silence of the deserted room. She arose from her ottoman one night, and walked to one of the great mirrors that extended from floor to ceiling. She saw herself in it as s

very dear, pretty and young. And you were happier than I can be, for Arthur only died. Nobody ca

that some fault must have been hers, and she blamed herself that even now she could not wish that she had never met the man whose love for her was a dishonor to himself. Where was he now? He had told Lady Throckmorton that business would call him to several smaller towns o

so very wide awake indeed, and her senses were so clear. One minute later she found out what it was. There was some slight confusion down-stairs; a door was opened and closed, and she heard the sound of voices in the entrance-hall. She turned her head, and listening atte

ench, "for milady. They had thought

also-read it twice before she comprehended its full meaning, so great was the shock it

she said, "this minute, w

dying, or so near it that the medical man had thought it his duty to send for the only friend who was on

have hit upon a plan so loving, so wild and indiscreet. But it did not occur to her, even for a second, that there was any other thing to do. She must go to him herself in L

the erect young figure and desperate young face, this desperate plan

e fact, that by doing so, she forfeited he

o have been married, Splaighton, in July-only a few months from now. Oh, poor Priscilla Gower! Oh, poor gi

omprehend what it meant; so, while Splaighton packed up a few necessary articles, Theo superintended her, following her from place to place, with a longing impatience that showed itself in every word and gesture. She did not

could not go alone, you know-and I must go. There is a lace collar in that little box that you may

ppiness, that she was now doing a very unwise and dangerous thing. She only thought of one thing, that Denis was going to die.

ely tear-fraught eyes, instead of by the majestic, elderly person, the perusal of Lady Throckmorton's last letter to Denis had led him to expect. It was in the little inn parlor that he first encountered Theo

ish, or in a broken attempt at it. "Oh! Oui-I

m in a passionate imp

ne must come-so I came myself. Splaighton and I can take care of Mr. Oglethorpe. Oh, monsieur, is it true that he is dying?-will he never get well?

cky man to have won her tender young heart so utterly. Strange and equivocal a thing as the pretty child (she seemed a child to him) was doing, he never for an instant

s falling into a gully. His collar-bone had been broken, and several of his ribs fractured; but the worst of his injuries had been

her. Handsome Denis Oglethorpe lay upon the narrow little bed with the face of a dying man, which is far worse than that of a dead man. There were spots of blood

upon her knees by it, hiding her deathly-stricken young face upon her lover's lifeless hand, forgetting Splaighton, forgetting the doctor, forget

ed out. "And I never told him. Oh,

ed and outraged simultaneously by this passionate burst of grief on the part of her young mistress. He had seen so many of these unprepossessing English waiting-women that he understood

honor, even in a shrivelled little snuff-taking, French, village doctor. The pretty young mademoiselle would be calmer before many minutes had elapsed-his experience had taught him. And so she was. At le

ell. Only give me something to do, and see how faithful I shall prove. I shall never forget anything, and I shall never

hing quite like affection in his air. "My child, I shall

ver forgetful. She held to her place in the poor little bedroom, day and night, with an intensity of zeal that was actually astonishing. Priscilla Gower and Pamela North might have been more calm-certainly would have been more self-posses

ed. She was only disobedient in one thing. She would not leave her place either for food or rest. She ate her poor li

, her great pathetic eyes filling with tears. "Please

ns of despair and hope were so often changed with it. She never thought of Priscilla Gower. Her love and fear were too strong to allow of her giving a thought to anything on earth but Denis Og

coundrel I am, if I have brought them there. What! the rose-colored satin again, my darling! Do

ce her friend the doctor entered the room, and found her kneeling by the bedside, holding the unresponsive hand, with a white face and wide,

cting Lady Throckmorton, for so long a time, that it seemed almost impossible that it could be she. But strangers had evidently alighted. There was a bustle of servants below, and one of them was carrying a leathern trunk into the house immediately un

mmons at the door, and without waiting to be answered, S

e always called Theo mademoiselle in these days), "two English l

elegram, a shock of something like misgiving rushed upon her. Suppose, after all, she had not done right. Suppose she had done wrong, and they had heard of it, and came to reproach her, or worse still (poor child, it seemed worse

tair-case. She only knew that she went slowly

nd stood upon the threshold, looking in upon two figures just revealed to her in the shadow.

ed out. "Oh, Pam,

hem, like a poor little ghost, with her white, appeal

ry figure-something indescribably so i

the horse-hair sof

but Pamela had the trouble of these two,

you done? Don't you understand wha

e made Theo sit down, and gave her a glass of water to steady her nervousness. She could not b

?" she said. "What was she d

telegram said he was dying, Pam, and-I didn't c

with asperity, and failing miserably. "Mr. Oglethorpe is no

riends, and it was by the merest chance that he had discovered it in the end from Theo's own lips, and so had secretly written to Broome street, in his great respect and admiration for this pretty young nurse, who

horpe," interp

perhaps he may be saved by careful nursing. I did what I c

him and she had seemed so near to him during the few last days-she felt so poor and weak through the contrast. And Pamela

attraction for Theo. From it she could look out along the road, where the lumbering stages made their daily appearance, and could see miles of fields behind the hedges, and watch the peasant women in their wooden sabots journeying on to the market towns. She flung herself down on the bare floor, in the recess formed by the window, and folded her arms upon its broad ledge. She looked out for a minute at the road, and the fields, and the hedges, and then gave vent to a single, sudden desperate sob. Nobody knew her pain-nobody would ever know it. Perh

rms, sobbing in a great, uncontrollabl

If it was wrong, how can I help it? And, oh! what does it matter, if all the world should be lost to me, if only you could be left? If I c

o silence and exhausted quiet. She did not raise her head, but let it rest upon her arms

rely distinguish who it was. A soft, thick shawl had been dropped over her, evidently by the person in question. When Theo's eyes became accustomed to the shadows, sh

rst words, "and so I threw my shawl around yo

w that I was tired," said T

oment, before she summon

tated, at last, "to ask you how Mis

uld have accompanied me here. She has been very weak of late. It was on that acc

rton for so long, that I am afraid s

be communicative regarding Lady Throckmorton. But she had come h

re-how long?" she

week," s

ter, or worse, than wh

w, humble voice. "Sometimes better-thoug

pause, a

brave to come

h face was uplifted all at once, but the next

me me; please don't blame me. There was no o

ble softness in her tone. "I don't blame you; I

began The

time to finish her sentence; stopped

. "You are mak

n; but she evidently had understood what Theodor

new the truth, and was going to punish him? Could she be cruel enough to think of reproaching him at such an hour as this, when he lay at death's door? Some frantic idea of falling at her stern

o unconsciously wronged. She would not wrong her more deeply still; the wrong should end just as she had thought it had ended, when Denis dropped her hand and left her standing alone before the fire that last night in Paris. This resolve rose up in her mind with a power so overwhelming, that it carried before it all the past of rebellion, and pain, and love. She would go away before he knew that she had been with him at all. She would herself

here to bring me

d, half starting, as

you say?

take me away from

. "Do not be a

ms. The answer had not been given unkindly, but she could

You can take care of him now-and there is no need that he should know I ever came to St. Quentin. I dare say I was very unwise in coming as I did; but

n the same manner, and with the same wo

"You are making

d her; and as both turned toward the door, it was opened, and Pamela stood upon t

ent for the doctor. You had better come down-stairs at once, Theodora,

was Oglethorpe, sitting up in bed, with wild eyes, haggard and fever-mad, struggling with his atte

eyes. Good-by! Yes! Forgive me! Forget me, and