Ainslee's Magazine, February 1913 — page 51: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE POINT OF VIEW “It is true, you are of age, Stella,” Canon Ebley allowed, “and if you like to take the law into your own hands we cannot legally prevent you—as I have tried to explain this morning to your aunt and Eustace—but it is all very shocking and unusual—and very disturbing. You must remember Count Roumovski is a foreigner, and we Eng- lish people are prejudiced. I—fear for your happiness, my dear child.” “You do not pay me a high compli- ment, sir,” Count Roumovski said, but without resentment. ‘Time, however, will prove whether | can take care of your niece or no. Do you feel any fear for yourself, Stella?” “Not in the least,” Miss Rawson said, and they clasped fond hands. “I would go away with you, Sasha, to the ends of the earth now, at once, and never ask you a single question. And I should certainly die if I were forced to go back to Eustace Medlicott.” “Then I suppose there is nothing more to be said,’ Canon Ebley stam- mered, upon which Stella again flung herself into his arms. “Indeed, sir, I give you my word that you will not regret this decision,” Count Roumovski said gravely. “I be- lieve your niece and I were made for one another.” “We will hope so,” returned Canon Ebley, who could no longer keep up a stern resistance in the face of perfectly logical arguments and a witch of a girl purring over him and patting his cheek. He could have given in with a fair grace but for the awful knowledge that his stern spouse and the irate late fiancé would arrive at any moment and reproach him for his want of strength. .At this juncture of the affair Prin- cess Urazov came forward, and said, with a gracious smile: ‘Now, I think you and J should agree with one another, sir. I had just as great cause for surprise as you had at the news of my brother’s engagement to your niece, but I know and love him so well that I did not question the wis- dom of his choice. And as you know and love your niece, can we not agree to try and make them happy together by 4I giving them our blessing? After all, it is no crime for two young people to love one another!” And she put out her hand, which Canon Ebley, who was, after all, longing for peace, was obliged to take. Then, with a charm and dig- nity that he was forced to admire, she drew him to the pair, and placed his hand on their clasped hands, and her own over it. “See,” she said, “Sasha and Stella, we both wish you all happiness and joy—is it not so?” And Canon Ebley was constrained to murmur “Yes.” At this instant the door was opened violently, and the Aunt Caroline, fol- lowed by the Reverend Eustace Medli- cott, burst into the room, brushing aside the frightened waiter who would have prevented them; then they stopped dead short, petrified with astonishment, and before she could prevent herself Stella had pealed a silvery laugh, while she rushed forward and _ affectionately kissed her aunt. “Dear Aunt Caroline!” she said. “Uncle Erasmus understands quite, and has given us his blessing, so won’t you, too?” But Mrs, Ebley was made of sterner stuff. She was horribly shocked; her feelings had been bruised in their ten- derest parts; the laws of convention had been ruthlessly broken by her niece, and forgiveness was not for her. She drew herself up with disgusted hauteur, while the Reverend Mr. Med- licott stood there glaring at the party, too speechless with humiliation and pain to utter a word. “Erasmus,’ Mrs. Ebley said, with scathing contempt, “I do not know how you have let yourself countenance this disgraceful scene, but I shall not do: so, and if my niece still persists in bringing shame upon us all I must beg you to conduct me back to our hotel. I wash my hands of her, and shall no longer own her as my sister’s child. Come!” At this Stella gave a pitiful little cry, and turned tender, beseeching eyes to her lover, and the sound of her voice COMMUC IOOKk (C@)