The Man Between [4]
any suspicion of the clergyman. Oh, Ethel, he is so handsome! So good! So clever! I think every woman in the church is in love with him."
"Then if he is a good man, he must be very unhappy."
"Of course he is quite ignorant of their admiration, and therefore quite innocent. I am the only woman he loves, and he never even remembers me when he is in the sacred office. If you could see him come out of the vestry in his white surplice, with his rapt face and prophetic eyes. So mystical! So beautiful! You would not wonder that I worship him."
"But I do not understand--how did you meet him socially?"
"I met him at Mrs. Taylor's first. Then he spoke to me one morning as I came out of church, and the next morning he walked through the park with me. And after that-- all was easy enough."
"I see. What does your father and mother think--or rather, what do they say?"
"Father always says what he thinks, and mother thinks and says what I do. This condition simplified matters very much. Basil wrote to father, and yesterday after dinner he had an interview with him. I expected it, and was quite prepared for any climax that might come. I wore my loveliest white frock, and had lilies of the valley in my hair and on my breast; and father called me `his little angel' and piously wondered `how I could be his daughter.' All dinner time I tried to be angelic, and after dinner I sang `Little Boy Blue' and some of the songs he loves; and I felt, when Basil's card came in, that I had prepared the proper atmosphere for the interview."
"You are really very clever, Dora."
"I tried to continue singing and playing, but I could not; the notes all ran together, the words were lost. I went to mother's side and put my hand in hers, and she said softly: `I can hear your father storming a little, but he will settle down the quicker for it. I dare say he will bring Mr. Stanhope in here before long."
"Did he?"
"No. That was Bryce's fault. How Bryce happened to be in the house at that hour, I cannot imagine; but it seems to be natural for him to drop into any interview where he can make trouble. However, it turned out all for the best, for when mother heard Bryce's voice above all the other sounds, she said, `Come Dora, we shall have to interfere now.' Then I was delighted. I was angelically dressed, and I felt equal to the interview."
"Do you really mean that you joined the three quarreling men?"
"Of course. Mother was quite calm--calm enough to freeze a tempest--but she gave father a look he comprehended. Then she shook hands with Basil, and would have made some remark to Bryce, but with his usual impertinence he took the initiative, and told he: very authoritatively to `retire and take me with her'--calling me that `demure little flirt' in a tone that was very offensive. You should have seen father blaze into anger at his words. He told Bryce to remember that `Mr. Ben Denning owned the house, and that Bryce had four or five rooms in it by his courtesy.' He said also that the `ladies present were Mr. Ben Denning's wife and daughter, and that it was impertinent in him to order them out of his parlor, where they were always welcome.' Bryce was white with passion, but he answered in his affected way--`Sir, that sly girl with her pretended piety and her sneak of a lover is my sister, and I shall not permit her to disgrace my family without making a protest.'"
"And then?"
"I began to cry, and I put my arms around father's neck and said he must defend me; that I was not `sly,' and Basil was not `a sneak,' and father kissed me, and said he would settle with any man, and every man, who presumed to call me either sly or a flirt."
"I think Mr. Denning acted beautifully. What did Bryce say?"
"He turned to Basil, and said: `Mr. Stanhope, if you are not a cad, you will leave the house. You have no right to intrude yourself into family affairs and family quarrels.' Basil had seated mother, and was standing with one hand on the back of her chair, and he did not answer Bryce--there was no need, father answered quick enough. He
"Then if he is a good man, he must be very unhappy."
"Of course he is quite ignorant of their admiration, and therefore quite innocent. I am the only woman he loves, and he never even remembers me when he is in the sacred office. If you could see him come out of the vestry in his white surplice, with his rapt face and prophetic eyes. So mystical! So beautiful! You would not wonder that I worship him."
"But I do not understand--how did you meet him socially?"
"I met him at Mrs. Taylor's first. Then he spoke to me one morning as I came out of church, and the next morning he walked through the park with me. And after that-- all was easy enough."
"I see. What does your father and mother think--or rather, what do they say?"
"Father always says what he thinks, and mother thinks and says what I do. This condition simplified matters very much. Basil wrote to father, and yesterday after dinner he had an interview with him. I expected it, and was quite prepared for any climax that might come. I wore my loveliest white frock, and had lilies of the valley in my hair and on my breast; and father called me `his little angel' and piously wondered `how I could be his daughter.' All dinner time I tried to be angelic, and after dinner I sang `Little Boy Blue' and some of the songs he loves; and I felt, when Basil's card came in, that I had prepared the proper atmosphere for the interview."
"You are really very clever, Dora."
"I tried to continue singing and playing, but I could not; the notes all ran together, the words were lost. I went to mother's side and put my hand in hers, and she said softly: `I can hear your father storming a little, but he will settle down the quicker for it. I dare say he will bring Mr. Stanhope in here before long."
"Did he?"
"No. That was Bryce's fault. How Bryce happened to be in the house at that hour, I cannot imagine; but it seems to be natural for him to drop into any interview where he can make trouble. However, it turned out all for the best, for when mother heard Bryce's voice above all the other sounds, she said, `Come Dora, we shall have to interfere now.' Then I was delighted. I was angelically dressed, and I felt equal to the interview."
"Do you really mean that you joined the three quarreling men?"
"Of course. Mother was quite calm--calm enough to freeze a tempest--but she gave father a look he comprehended. Then she shook hands with Basil, and would have made some remark to Bryce, but with his usual impertinence he took the initiative, and told he: very authoritatively to `retire and take me with her'--calling me that `demure little flirt' in a tone that was very offensive. You should have seen father blaze into anger at his words. He told Bryce to remember that `Mr. Ben Denning owned the house, and that Bryce had four or five rooms in it by his courtesy.' He said also that the `ladies present were Mr. Ben Denning's wife and daughter, and that it was impertinent in him to order them out of his parlor, where they were always welcome.' Bryce was white with passion, but he answered in his affected way--`Sir, that sly girl with her pretended piety and her sneak of a lover is my sister, and I shall not permit her to disgrace my family without making a protest.'"
"And then?"
"I began to cry, and I put my arms around father's neck and said he must defend me; that I was not `sly,' and Basil was not `a sneak,' and father kissed me, and said he would settle with any man, and every man, who presumed to call me either sly or a flirt."
"I think Mr. Denning acted beautifully. What did Bryce say?"
"He turned to Basil, and said: `Mr. Stanhope, if you are not a cad, you will leave the house. You have no right to intrude yourself into family affairs and family quarrels.' Basil had seated mother, and was standing with one hand on the back of her chair, and he did not answer Bryce--there was no need, father answered quick enough. He