"
Hylda started. Words from the letter Sybil Lady Eglington had left
behind her rushed into her mind: "Experiment, subterfuge, secrecy.
'Reaping where you had not sowed, and gathering where you had not
strawed.' Always experiment, experiment, experiment!"
"I have only been married three years," she moaned. "Yes, yes, my
darling; but much may happen after three days of married life, and love
may come after twenty years. The human heart is a strange thing."
"I was patient--I gave him every chance. He has been false and
shameless. I will not go on."
The Duchess pressed both hands hard, and made a last effort, looking into
the deep troubled eyes with her own grown almost beautiful with feeling
--the faded world-worn eyes.
"You will go back to-night-at once," she said firmly. "To-morrow you
will stay in bed till noon-at any rate, till I come. I promise you that
you shall not be treated with further indignity. Your friends will stand
by you, the world will be with you, if you do nothing rash, nothing that
forces it to babble and scold. But you must play its game, my dearest.
I'll swear that the worst has not happened. She drove him to his club,
and, after a man has had a triumph, a woman will not drive him to his
club if--my darling, you must trust me! If there must be the great
smash, let it be done in a way that will prevent you being smashed also
in the world's eyes. You can live, and you will live. Is there nothing
for you to do? Is there no one for whom you would do something, who
would be heart-broken if you--if you went mad now?"
Suddenly a great change passed over Hylda.
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