C O NTENTS
Chapter
I
II
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—Leaves in the Wind
The B roken Thread
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I II — The Interlop er
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V
of
Yo u th
Maude is Proposed to
VI —Parting ways
VI L— O ut of the Dusk o f Dreams
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16
22
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IV —The Thoughts
P age
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VI II — The O ld Curm udgeon
IX — The C all o f Life
28
35
45
53
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61
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72
—Kathl een Accepts a Friendshi p
XI — The E arl D ecla r es His Love
XII —The Miniature
XM L —Arthur Desmond Arrives
1 01
XIV
1 08
X
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81
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88
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96
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Recogni tion
XV —The Famo us Picture
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XVI —The Road o f Memory
XVII — Fraying String
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1 20
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1 26
XVIII —The Fa ll of the Year
XIX — Disgrace of Arthur D esmond
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XX —The Voice in the Rain
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XXL— Shadows of th e Night
XXII —Life s Masquerade
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XXIII —A t the Cross Roads
XXIV — Kathleen s D epartu re
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XX V —The Tangle Unwound
9
6
3
1 63 3
1 30
1 43
1 49
1 53
1 57
1 69
1 73
1 77
Kath leen M avo urneen
C HAPTE R I
L E AV ES IN
TH E
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W
IN
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b
Wind stirred shamrocks that lo w
By the Shannon s darkening water
Whis p ering ever an d ever whisp ering
To E rin 8 daughter
O f a m essage hi d in the tall reeds
In the rustling green rath grasses
‘
Choose ye this day of days
L est out o f your life love p asses
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Against the flaring winter sun set an old crone was
bending over a p ratee basket Farther o ff a girl turned
the brown earth o ne bare foot plante d firmly on th e
spade her green skirt faded an d torn her ragged red
kerchi ef flaming lifting a little in the wind
As Desmond p assed slowly o n to the B ridge of the
Twelve Arches the sun began slowly to sink behi nd the
black looming mass o f the mountains of Killaloe
Desmond paused for a moment and leaning la zily on
the broken stone coping lit his pip e refl ect iv ely all the
artist in him thrilling resp onsively to the beauty of this
corner of o ld Ireland
Towards the left ro se abruptly
towering above the low lying ragge d bank o f clouds the
square tower of St Finnan s and where to a little Irish
colleen he would say to night a careless farewell
His gaze drifted half imp atiently to the lane that
ran greenly by the cathedral then with a comprehensive
sh rug of his shoulders D esmond turned to view again
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KA T HLEEN MA V O URNE EN
8
the ever changing wonder of the hi lls and the grim back
ground o f the sombre mountains of Killaloe
Those shadows—like to black velvet so rich and deep
were they those e lusive mi sty clouds trai ling suddenly
acro ss the slop e the gol d en quivering flame that lay
soft ly over the bosom o f the further hill and a moment
later followed slowly in the wake of the sunset the
p rat ee diggers in the foregroun d all these had he repro
duc ed on canvas
In his rooms at the tourists hotel the canvases were
already stacked ready for depart ure
B eneath the
bridge whereon he leaned the Shannon swept curving
widely and beating o ut to sea where far ofl rolled the
T o morrow he woul d have
long swell of the Atlantic
left behind him the ways o f Ireland the lures o f her
the wild weeping skies o f her and he would go back to
London to the lights and the bustle of that city that is
’
like to none other in the world
Desmond s heart beat
high when he thought of what the future might contain
He had done good work he e xul ted as he looked down at
the darkening sweep o f water below
He had something to Sh oW for those two months in
Ireland
O ne long canvas was the b est thing he had
ever d one and instinctively h e had known as his brus h
transformed the canvas into a something o f glowing
indescribable beauty that here at last was that which
had in it the touch o f his long dormant genius— genius so
long dormant and careless that his elder brother the
stern p ossessor o f both the money and title of the family
had more than once written long reams over wasted time
and misplaced energy
Well o ld Denis would change his t une now
Arthur
D esmond shru gged his shoulde rs
It woul d hang on the line that picture ; in the very
marrow o f his bones he felt it would bring him fame
It w as then h e thought of Kathleen frowned then
laughed a little contemptuously
Kathleen dug for
potatoes like the bare footed girl over there who was
crossing herself now as a bell somewhere began to toll
Kathleen gathered turf lived in a hut on
f o r vesp ers
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9
LE AVE S IN THE WIND
th e h illsideba ut with a thatched ro o f where the rain
came in on stormy nights and broken panes that the
—
Y
t
grand
oth
er
stu
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w
th
rags
Kathleen was
ff
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m
o ld
out of the ordinary
H e folded his arms moodily and looked no longer at
the river nor the mountains Surely no t in all Ireland
or England too for that matter w as there ever quite
su ch a bea utiful creat ure as this Irish girl with her ha ir
and wonderful eyes and the patrician loveliness of her
face— patrician although the folk aroun d had told him
that Sheelah M urtagh the mother had been but a ser
vant with gentry in England She had married there
folk sai d with many myst erious noddings but no o ne
knew whom and only then that—o n one wild wet night
—she had come back to the cabin o n the bleak h illside
There one wild wet night had she closed her eyes when
her babe had first op ened its eyes on the world The
child grew up and fo lk spoke of her afterwards only as
Sheelah M urtggh s Katey
That was all they knew for the old grandmother was
uncommunicative long c hi ldish an d only muttered to
herself as sh e crouched over the fl ickering light of a turf
fire in the winter or sat o ut o n a broken boulder by
the cabin door in the summer giving heed to no one
Desmond going over the sto ry now thought he knew it
“
”
as it was in reality He was o f the gentry and knew
the ways o f some o f the gentry he told himself eyni
cally with a shrug o f the shoulders
The little Irish colleen after to day would pass o ut of
his thoughts as o ut of his life H e would remembe r he r
sometimes p erhaps when he looked up at the canvas
that was his ma sterpiece which he hop ed would bring
him the fame he so long if indolently had p ursue d ;
but it would be only an abstract memory after all
unless
He frowned an d a flus h came into his go o d
looking but rather efl eminat e face
Wh ere the road ran by St F innan s and skirtin g a lso
the shining exp anse of th e Shann on Kathleen would be
waiting
Half angrily he wondered why he had
bothered to make the appointment It would have been
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KATHLEEN MAV O UR NE E N
10
easier to have said good bye by letter for strangely
enough this little Irish co lleen could rea d and write
The dead mother it seemed had left a wish and enough
means for that purpos e and the old grandmother with
the intense desire o f the illiterate Irishwoman had kept
her promise to the dead
D esmond turned and went quickly over the bridge
He p asse d the usual groups gathered here and there in
the roadways grouping at the doors or ru nning out
“
”
from the white washed cabins to
urrish in the pigs
with noisy shrilln ess
There was the usual clamour
typ ical o f Irish life as the day died down the barking
crying o f children the lowing o f cattle and
o f dogs
above all the shrill chatter of the women
A p easant went past his bright red waistcoat and
slouched straw hat— a splash of welcome colour against
the grey o f the dusk— and bade him the picturesque
“
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—
g o od evening
Go d save ye kindly sor !
An d at the
end o f the lane an old whi te headed blind man was
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setting up the pipes while a group o f ch ild en danced
their rags quivering and whirling gaily in the wind
their cheeks flushed with exertion their laughter ring
ing as happily as if they danced in a fairy palace
Down where the dusk seemed to have grown greyest
and the trees threw their long dark shadows across the
road he came upon Kathleen— Kathleen who lifted her
face shyly to meet h is h er wonderful eyes haunting
beautiful in the dusk that lent to them a mystic beauty
The broad leaved green coltsfoot at the girl s feet was
a dx if t o f greenness silvering in the wan half light ha lf
dusli
“
”
Good evening Kathleen
He smiled down at her
as sh e stood shyly there the hood o f her thread worn
blue cloak thrown over her night black hair shadowing
her brow and her blue eyes Her long hair hung in its
dark stra ggling waves down either side o f her face
and he saw then that that face was very pale in her
eyes a world of Celtic melancholy
“
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“
Wh at is it Kat ey ? he said softly
C ome I will
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walk part o f the way homeward with yo u
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11
LEAVES IN THE WIND
S he was twisting the lo o se folds o f her cloak about her
face and o ut o f its faded hood her eyes looked up at
him misty reproachful and yet hal f doubt ing
—
“
i
Is it the truth that they are after say ng that you
”
will be going away ?
Her voice relapsing into its soft
blurred brogue was a little broken
Twas the news
that came down from the hills ide only this afternoon
that yo u would be going with the morning from Kil
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lalo e ?
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He loo ked at her a trifle uneasily
I ha d to go some
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tim e Katey ; this is not my country
Tis your own country then that is calling
She drew a deep breath watching his face her own sud
There were tears in her eyes
d enly pale
For a moment they walk ed o n in silence on the win d
ing road that leads to the hills that against the dusk
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Like giants at a hunting lay
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Yes my country cal ls me— at least London and all
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that London means to me does
His voice was un
steady He was not looking at her but at the darkening
mountains Around about them the worl d grew s ud
denly grey
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Ye were coming to say good bye
she interrupted
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pitifully
I thought maybe
She could sa y no
more but her breast heaved Her eyes had pain in them
now
“
O f course I would not go away W ithout s ying good
” —
“
—
h e gave her a keen side glance
bye Katey
w e have
”
been very good fri ends
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”
Friends ? she ha lf whisp ered
They had come to a clump o f wind bent trees where
the great shadows stretche d and darkened across the
road at their feet O ver o n the hillside near a light
glowed as if a cabin door were fl ung wide The little
colleen looked up at it her lips mov ing but no words
came
He stopped and suddenly took the girl s hands in his
holding them tightly
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”
Look at me Kathleen he commanded His pulses
were beatin g fast
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KATHLEEN MAV O U R NEE N
12
She lifted her beautiful eyes the long b lack lashes
glistening with tears
”
“
Are yo u crying because I am going alone ? he asked
softly
She nodded then the slow deep colour crept to her
cheeks She began to breathe quickly uncertainly
“
Katey Katey will you come them ? Will you c o me
away with me to morrow— to night
He felt her h an ds
fl uttering in his
“
You d be wantin g to take me away fro m everybody
”
from everything that has grown up in the heart o f me ?
“
“
”
From everything ? he laughed e xultingly
What
have you here child ? What life is this for y o u ? I
could take yo u away I could give you almost everything
Yo u would have clothes not rags ; you
yo u desired
would see wonderful things wonderful cities
”
“
You woul d be marrying me ?
Her voice had in it
a curious strained note bringing back to him vividly a
former scene in which she had wildly scorned his first
advances
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He frowned quickly
O h ! I couldn t marry you
”
Katey You couldn t exp ect it
H e felt her han ds
“
W h y I am not a
loosen in his saw her face whiten
poor travelling artist as you no doubt think me I
have o her p eople to think o f I bear an honoured name
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Yo u said you loved me
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sh e
whispered She was
looking at him in a strange way Was it weeks o r
years a go since she had lis tened to his impassione d
pleading since he had told her o f love that broke down
all barriers
“
”
So I do
D on t be silly Katey !
He frowned
“
aga in
I m o ff ering you what very fe w men in the
”
world would o ff er you
“
”
—
Yo u said you loved me
sh e w hi sp ered
The r e
was a piti f ul note in her voice She tore her hands away
“
Yo u told me that love was a crown Would
from his
”
—
y o u make it a crown o f shame ?
He had the grace to look ashame d for a moment then
“
shrugged h is shoul ders subtilely
I do love you but
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LEAVE S I N TH E WI ND
13
yo u sur ely never expecte d me to marry you my dear
did you ? O h ! come you are not so unsophist i c ated as
“
”
Yo u a
t h at !
He laughed half contemptuously
little p easant girl p ractically nameless to talk of shame
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She gave a su dden cry of an guish ; her hands
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went up to hide her face
0 ! And that it would be
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you that woul d be after saying such things to me
“
“
”
They are true he said relentlessly ; that is why I
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come with me Come
He hel d out his
sa y to you
“
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Yo u l ove me Katey
hands persuasively
he added
in a so fter voice
She stood still for a moment then slowly step by step
began to back away from him He saw her eyes in the
d usk tear sh ining her little face pale but exquisitely
lovely looking at him out of the faded blue hood
”
“
I do love you she sa id in a strange broken voice
I shall always love you ; but a little Irish colleen does not
barter her soul lightly Yo u— yesterday only it seemed
—made me a promise
She broke o ff pitifully
“
O gi ll e ma chree will it be yourself that has forgot
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ten ?
“
He shook his hea d
There is only one way Kath
”
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leen he said
I o if er yo u everyt hing that makes life
worth living In a year you will have forgotten the
”
sq ualid mise ry of your life here its poverty
He came
“
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neare r
Litt l e Kathleen I would always be faithful
She looked at him for an instant deathly pale
“
”
sh e repeated
Faithful !
Her voice sounded ve ry
tired
D esmond took a step forward a flash in his eyes
S uddenly he felt m o re sure o f her and words rushed to
his lips
She stoo d notionl ess he r eyes o n his face only half
l istening to the fl oo d of words that poured forth
He was sp eakin g of Paris now of London ; then
a gain
of Switzerland He flung like a glow ing un
rolling ribbon a vivid picture of their road of life
to gether
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That is life
he was saying
Here —
her e
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KATHLE E N MAV O URNEEN
14
Words seemed to fail hi m but he flung a contemptuous
look aroun d him and laughed as he looked up at the
light from the lonely leaning cab in on the hillside
“
”
—
Yo u o ff er this to me ? sh e asked There was still
the note that he could no t understand in her voice
“
“
”
Yes
D esmond turned trium phantly
Choose
”
Kathleen
“
Yo u — have tired
She drew a long quivering breath
”
—
of me soon she whisp ered
”
“
Tired o f you ! h e rep eated
He looked at her
“
frowning impatiently
Have I not said I shall never
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tire o f you Kathl een ?
She flung out her hands in a curious Irish gesture
“
—
saying again
You—said you loved me
You have
”
tir ed of me —s oon !
The blood rus hed to hi s face as she began to move
slowly from him stumbling a little as she went
”
“
Kathl een ! he cried
”
“
Go back to E ngland
sh e sa id in a quee r choke d
voice Go b a ck to your cold E ngland to the cold hea rts
that are there Go d s blessing go after ye and soften
“
”—
—
an
the heart 0 y e
he r v o ice dro pp ed
soften the
”
heart o f me that I may bear it
“
”
“
Kathleen ! he cried
if you go fro m me now yo u
”
—
go o ut f rom my life f or ever
She turned and left him without another word
He strode forwar d in a passionate impulse to ta ke her
in his arms to hold h er there fast but in a flas h she had
twisted from him and gone
The road held for a moment a flying sobbing figure a
blue cloak flutterin g in the li ght wind then the black
shadows o f the hill put pitying arms about her and hid
her from him
”
“
—
The foo l the little fool ! he said with clenched
teet h and ran down the road to its turning stopping
abruptly and breathing heavi ly as he came in sight o f
a group o f peasants rounding the steep hillside and so
he turned asi d e half sulkily half afraid for the men o f
Ireland guard their women well
Hidden in the shadow of the trees he hesitated while
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15
LE AVES IN THE WIND
th e men laughing jovially and hilariously over some
j oke amongst themselves went past He stoo d still until
they vanished from sight then turned to the road again
lifting his face uncerta inly to the hillside where the
light had flared from an op en door h is hands clenching
B ut now the light glowe d from the little cab in no
longer
He knew then that the door was shut and
barred He knew als o that to hi m it would open no
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C HAPTER II
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B ROKE N T HREAD
TH E
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“
S et the spinning wheel aside
The thread is broken
And the web unfinished lies
Fate has spoken
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In a corner o f the p oor but scrupulously clean cabin
rock st rewn hillside Sheelah Murt agh s
o n the dreary
Katey was spinning busily her head bent the blue o f
her eyes a little faded as if with over much weepin g the
O n a bo ss at her
set of her mouth wistful yet faded
feet sat an aged crone a clean kerchief tied over her
white head and knotted un der her withered chin her
short red cloak faded and worn almost threadbare
fast ened by the usual rusty black ribbon
The old
woman was carding flax laying it in flakes o n a table at
her side O n the wide hearth a peat fire glowe d redly
its glow cheer fully illumining the cabin
O ut of the mean window Kathleen lifting her head
l ooked now and again with eyes that held little or no
interest Resignation was there but resignation borne
not so much of the sp irit as of I rish fata l ism and en
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viro nm ent
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The landscap e in front of that poor cabin was far
from beautiful Two o r three dista nt farmhouses and
iso lated cottages showed their ugly architectur e The
I rish farmh ouse or cottage is typical generally two
st oried white washed to o narrow for its height with
mean doors and wi n d ows that p eer o ut with ferrety un
blinking eyes
O nly the great soft osomed mountains rested Kath
l een s eyes brought her a v ag u e comfort Wh en she
too was an old o ld woman she told herself now the
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17
T HE B RO KE N T HRE AD
mountains woul d still e there still hold the ir silent
message
It was nearly three years sin ce o ut of K illaloe and
the unknown artist had gon fi t h ree
o ut of her life
years in which Sheelah Murt agh s Katey had greatly
altered She was slimm er older lo o king but the beauty
o f her face had gained in a certa in wistful charm that
made many a man in Killaloe shake his hea d when he
looked at S heela h Murtagh s Katey
“
Shure but tis never the bit o f a dowry she will be
”
after having
one and all had said regretfully f or in
the south and west of Ireland the bride is bargained
over with no more sentiment than if she were a bun dle
of hay
The Irish match ma king customs are well
known an d accepted unquestionably and the bit 0
dowry coun ts any day for more than beauty ; therefore
Sheelah M urtagh s Katey would probably live her life
out unloved an d alone while a wrinkled spinster en
dowed with a few p ounds o r with a plot o f ground and
a cabin and maybe a few starving sheep given in
woul d certa inl y no t go down to the grave unwed were
sh e ever so unlovely
Perhaps these thoughts were p assing thr ough the
girl s mind now for suddenly she stopped sp inning with
a weary almost despairing gesture
“
B eauty warmed the heart the south and west
c ountry Irishm an would tell you but divil a fire does
it light on the hearth
The old crone was crooning chil di shly to herself a bar
or two from an ancient and we ird E rse song O ver and
over aga in she crooned the refrain in melancholy
monotony until at last Kathl een took the carded fl ax
from her gently and drew her over to the fireplace
seating her in the o ld and cosy armchair in the hearth
co rner The cabin— hovel a lmost— was o ld the floor
strewn with sand that sparkled in the fire glow O ut
side the thatch was overgrown with moss an d grass
the small ti lled plot of ground below grew p rat ees only
but the cabin was rent free O ld Sheelah Murta gh s
d ead daughter had many years before her death been
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B
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KAT H LEEN MAV O UR NE E N
18
able to buy her mother a sma ll annuity ; that was all
they had to live o n but Granny Murtagh had always
boasted and even now when she was ch il di sh and al
most helpless that sh e had never to go out on the
To night G ranny Murtagh
sh o c h ara w n
! b egging )
mumblin g incoherently went to sleep as usual in her
old comfortable seat by the fire while her gran d
daughter prepared the simple meal and spread the
home bleached cloth o n the ancient rickety table
“
”
Granny
called the girl softly a moment o r two
later ; but o ld Sheelah Murtagh for once did not answ er
as quickly as usual
”
“
She grows older an d more tired
sigh ed K athleen
“
”
I ll leave her rest a moment longer
She stoo d for a long moment by the window staring
with unseeing eyes at the blurred patch o f lan d then
with a sigh turned back to the flax She was st ooping
over it when her foot touched somethi ng that clinked
against the sanded floor The girl bent and picked it
up and saw it was the thin leather wall et that her grand
mother generally wore beneath her bodi ce supported
with tapes about her neck Kathleen always believed
a s the grandmother had years a go told her that it con
t a ined some pap ers and prints of holy saints ; p erhaps
also so often to be foun d in the cabins o f Ireland a
Bible that had to e hid from the eyes of the priests
Immersed in her own thoughts still mechanically hold
ing the leather wallet Kathleen went back to the win
dow Looking o ut sh e saw an old withered crone stand
ing against the grey light o f the distant h ill o ld Mag
E ast waving her arms wildly at someone o r other curs
ing impotently— a characteristic figure symbolic of bit
t erness and ignorance
Kathleen s eyes went back more softly to that quiet
figure by the fire and then down at the leather wa llet
After a moment s in decisio n sh e op en ed it and drew
o ut a bundl e of papers folded flatly and tied with tap e
The pap ers rustled in her nervous hands as still hesi
tant she looked over at the fi gure of the old woman but
G ranny Murtagh never stirred
It seem ed to the girl
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2O
K A THLE EN MAV O URNEEN
o ic e
Ep
s
“
had a dry stunn ed note
,
as
the wor ds fell from her
.
O n the 2 7th December, killed in action at
B asil the youngest so n o f Lord and Lady Marion
L yn dh am grandson of the E arl of C ra gmo rt o n in
his 2 2 nd year and clearly loved brother of Alicia
”
K entley C ra gmo rt on S tation Austra li a
There were other letters among them o ne signed
Alicia K entley who wrote to the woman who was un
kn own to her her dead brother s wife O n the table
beside it a birth certificate of the same year was blistered
here and there as if with a woman s tears
“
Kathl een C ra gmort o n L yn dh am born the 28th da y
o f D ecember daughter o f Sheelah Murtagh lady s maid
”
and B asil L yn dh am soldier
The girl in the cabin sat down with a low cry and
hid her face in her han ds She was thinkin g now not
o f the romance those faded pap ers held but of a man s
face in the dusk of o ne dead day She heard a man s
voice saying
“
I couldn t marry you Katey You couldn t e xp ect
it — you
a little p easant colleen practically name
less
She gave a low hea rt broken cry and a dull re
pressed misery that for th ose three long years had
hovered over her head broke over her in all its force
She stretched o ut her hands imploringly forgetting the
little world about her remembering only o ne whom sh e
had d early loved
“
”
“
O h if you had known
she cried
if you had
known you would not have gone and left me to be
breaking my heart Yo u would not have been leaving
”
me
Still sobbing sh e had gone to that silent old woman
in the corner who w as still asleep Kathleen slipped o n
her knees beside her
“
”
“
sh e whispered
How
You t oo did not know
coul d yo u know maybe for you could not read or write
but why di dn t you show me the papers Granny ? Was
it for fear that the written w ords held shame that y ou
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21
THE BR O KE N T H RE AD
told no one ? O h ! th e Irish pride— the Irish p ride down
deep in ye kept it back but it help ed to break th e heart
of me granny— it helped to break the heart and the
”
very life of me
There was no querulous a nswer no suddenly hard
childish croaking
The o ld crone never move d her
wrinkled face was very still strangely p eaceful Kath
leen with a strange fear in her heart rose to her feet
catching suddenly at the o ld withered hands whose
coldn ess sent a chi ll through her blood
”
“
“
Granny granny dear ! she sobbed
Wake up
G rann y y o u are all I have
I stayed becau se of you
”
Don t leave me
The o ld woman neve r m o ve d
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CHA P TE R I II
TH E
.
I N TE RLOP ER
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“
And the old roa d s lie behind us
And the new roads are at our feet
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“
’
The most un heard of thi ng
asserted the j udge s
wife tearfully as she sank down upon the comfortable
“ —
library couch
really can t explain for the
I
I
moment ; I couldn t even repeat what Sankerson and
And Robert Mr
Sneckitt said I was so dumbfoun ded
Sankerson said gravely that he knew all along but
that he had given his bon d o f silence He never thought
that he would have to break it but the— the circum
stances were so—so une xp ected and exceptional Robert
”
dear
“
”
Let s read the letter
said the j udge mildly He
p eered at it over his gold rimmed spectacles and put
“
down his beloved book with a sigh of resignation
Oh !
”
this isn t Sankerson and Sneckitt s letter
“
”
It s from her
said La d y Alicia more tearfully
than explicitly
He looked at his wife over his sp ectacles in astonish
“
”
ment
I thought you said sh e w as dead ?
“
”
Sheelah is The letter is from her daughter
“
”
“
A daughter !
He raised his eyebrows
Wherever
”
has sh e been all through these years ?
“
In Ireland living with the old grandmother Robert
what are we to do ? The lawyers say sh e has been
”
—
brought up j ust like a a savage !
“
It is evident what the young lady in question intends
to do when she has come this far and Sankerso n is
”
bringing her here to intro d uce her
he said a little
“
—
gri ml y and then kindly
She s B asil s child, after
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23
IN T E R L OPE R
TH E
all Alicia It seems to m e that yo u will have to hold a
family conclave o n the matter
“
Maude will have hysterics over it Ro bert She—sh e
”
wi ll surely loo k upon her as an interlop er
”
“
Umph ! Maude will soon get over it ! he answered
“
drily
This writing isn t bad for a beginning and
the spelling is correct That s more than o ne exp ects
from a— a young person brought up like a— what was it
O h ! yes a savage
I see sh e comes
yo u sa id Alicia ?
from County Limerick I never heard that there are
”
—
—
many er savages in Limerick
”
“
Savages in Limerick ! echoed a fresh young voice
Its owner came blithely into the room holding a heap o f
“
wet M almM son roses to the no se of the j u d ge
Aren t
they beauties dad dear ? Mother you look as if some
thin g had happ ened— if anyt hing could happ en at Crag
”
morton !
“
”
Something has happ ened Maude sai d her mother
“
”
Yo u have a new cousin
forlornly
“
Maude laughed gaily
Mother dear you are ador
ably funny sometimes ! In which family is the cousin
”
mother ? It is not so rare an event is it ? she remarke d
“
ca rele ssly
O ne o r other o f our numerous relatives is
”
generally adding to my auntship o r cousinship
“
”
But thi s is diff erent !
M rs Kentley was a lm ost
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I ll tell her said the j udge in his most pon d erous
and j udicial mann er H e laid the letter he had been
reading o n the table and Maude p romptly p ounced o n
it
“
You two dear p eople do beat about the bush s ome
”
“
t imes
she explained
and to day I can t wait I m
o ff to have a roun d or two of the golf l ink s with Hubert
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A ldersh am
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I m very fond o f Hubert A ldersh am
sa id Lady
Alicia apparently apropos of nothing but Maude w as
apparently too engrossed in the letter to heed the re
mark
“
”
Basil s daughter ! she exclaimed halfway through
“
She looked a t them thoughtfully
But I never kn ew
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KA THLEEN MAV O UR NEE N
24
that B asil married You all told me he w as a bachelor
”
when he died
”
“
We all thought so I m sure
sighed her mother
“
An d the worst is to come Maude She was the daugh
ter o f a— a n almost impossible p erson
Well to be
brief h er mother w as at o ne time my maid
You
”
have h eard m e talk of Sheelah
“
”
Your maid !
Maude Kentley who had always
p rided herself o n her mother s aristocratic connections
”
“
went rather pale
Mother dear are yo u sure ?
“
”
I m quite su re
Mrs Kentley id a very dis
tressed face in the Malmaison roses I m afraid the girl
will be most impossible Why Mr Sankerson says she
lived in an old tumble down hovel— a hovel dearest
”
and never wore boots from one year s end to the other
“
Maude looked p erturbed
But the letter— its writ
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in g
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“
Just what your dear father w as saying plaintively
“
But then I have heard it said that the illi terate in
Ireland go to someone in the village o r town wh o has
been educated and get him to write their letters for
“
”
them
She shook her head
She will no doubt have
”
a terrible bro gue
“
”
I rather like the Irish brogue said Maude thought
fully She went over to the window an d flattened her
nose against it and after a second waved her hand
“
abstractedly to someone below in the shrubberies
I
”
wonder what sh e will wear ?
She turned half laugh
“
ing half frowning
A shi llelagh and a kerchief and
a quilted p etticoat and mother dear where is she
”
going to live ?
Mrs K ent ley looked at the j udge The judge back at
his wife
“
”
Here
said she faintly
“
”
Here ?
Maude making her way to the door was
faintly astonished She paused
‘h —
S e her mother and grandmother are dead
She
”
M rs K entley
has no surviving relatives in Ireland
“
—
hesitated and then more firml y
W e are her o nl y
near rel atives it app ears We are through p oor dear
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25
THE INTERL O PER
Basil the near est of kin We will of course su ggest
ed ucation to her if o ne can su ggest education to a young
person nearly twenty th ree
It seems possible how
”
ever that she will have so many traits developed
Mrs
“
—
She
Kentley paused and then added thoughtfully
”
comes into all Basil s money now
Maude stopped dead ; her face went pale
“
”
“
Then
she said y ery slowly
she— w e are p ra cti
cally living in her house C ra gmo rto n our home really
”
belongs to Basil s daughter ?
”
“
In a certain sense it does
sa id the judge He
“
cleared his throat
It was certainly built on the share
of Basil s money that was supposedly your mother s
which means that we could go back to the residence I
I m glad by the
h a d when I married your mother
way that I never sol d the Bungalow It is a fine place
”
and I had some happy days there
he added reminis
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Mrs Kentley who had risen went round to him
She rubbed her soft and still fair and unwrinkled cheek
agains t his bald head aff ectionately
“
But there won t be any need to go from C ragmor
”
“
ton she said
Sankerso n an d Sneckitt say that their
client to use their o wn words absolutely refuses to dis
possess us of C ra gmort on She would however like to
”
make her home with us if we consent
Maude looked at them str angely then around the
“
room
I don t think that I coul d bear that C ragmor
ton shoul d ever be in other ands than ours mother
Just think if Sheelah s d aughter should be coarse illit
crate
A servant came in to mend the fire She
“
—
J ones go down an d tell Mr A ldersh a m
turned to him
that I find I cannot come to golf after all Say that
o w mg to — visitors co ming une xp ectedly that it will be
’
impossible
They were silent as th e old servant went out
“
—
Lady Alicia said faintly
You coul d have gone
”
Maude ; you need not wait
“
”
O h I may as well stay and see her
Maude s voice
‘
was a h ttle hard unce rtain She went to the fire and
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KATHLEE N MAV O URNE E N
26
sitting down on an ottoman spread her han ds to the
“
blaze
Mr Sank erson s letter says that he will b ring
her here about three to introduce us It is all so sudden
I — I feel I shall j ust hate her
I can jus t imagine what
”
she will be like
Husband and w ife looked at each other realising all
at once what the loss of C ragmo rt on woul d mean to
Maude who loved every stick and grey stone in it
The clock struck the hour of three even in that
moment Almost before it ended they heard carriage
wheels coming up the broad sweeping d rive that led
through a tall avenue o f trees to the hall door
The bell p ealed Alicia Kentley went over and stood
They all turned expectantly to the
y her daughter
oor
“
Mr
The butler drew the velvet portiere aside
Sa nkers on— Miss Kathleen L yndh am
Mr Sankerso n stood aside
With a grandiloquent
sweep o f his hand h e announ ced
“
Miss Kathleen Judge and Lady Alicia Ah ! how
”
do you do Miss Maude ?
Into the circle o f fireligh t came a girl hesitantly but
with head erect two spots o f colour burning in her
cheeks as if sensing a certain antagonism in the at
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mo sph ere
.
The two women drew a deep breath The j udge drew
polished them in amazement and put
o ff his glasses
them on again For here was no stout apple checked
damsel o f their imagination whose brogue was to rend
the very atmosphere
Slender and tall garbed with
exquisite simp licity the girl came forwar d her face a
littl e pale but very lovely in its setting of soft dark
furs her eyes wide unconsciously app ealing And it
’
was Basil s daughter who stood there with B asil s p r oud
chin and short nose but the eyes that were not the eyes
of
B asil L yndh am but of Sheelah Murtagh had a
beauty of which not a L yn dh am coul d boast
“
”
O h ! said Maude under her breath
M rs Kentley foun d herself going forward as if on
w ires an d holding o ut her hand to this w onderful young
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.
CHAPTER IV
TH
E
T H O U GH T S
.
YO U T H
0F
.
“
Love is a rose that buds and blows
And the thoughts in the heart o f
”
knows ?
,
the lover— who
”
“
It will be winter in E ngland now
said Maude
She was lying full length on the comfortable cane lounge
o n the wide verandah and gazing out over the garden
“
an d the top s o f the tall black pines
I am thinking
of London the magic o f the dusk and the lights all
twinkling out o f the haze the dome of S t Paul s rising
softly out of grey yellow f o g
In front o f th e verandah was a wide green sweep of
lawn and in the borders the flowers nodded in the sun
shine the dahlias a blaze of gold and flame B eyond
the garden the shimmer of the November heat rose up
from the grass p ad d ocks unrolling to the soft slop e o f a
distant hill
”
“
Why do you love England so ? asked Kathleen A
shadow swept into her eyes for a moment She sat on
the verandah steps her h ead bent over a tea cloth she
w a s embroidering but now sh e laid it down clasping
her hands loosely in her lap
“
”
“
Yo u will love E ngland also
said Maude
Per
”
haps next year we all shall go
”
“
“
Shure to my thinking
said Kathleen
Australia
is the wonderful country save that there is still in my
heart an ache for Ireland for the dear green ways o f
her and to see the rain mist once again over the Shan
non river If I could go back and then return here
”
again
“
”
That is something of my feeling for England
con
fess ed Maude
She stirred and turning her hea d
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28
,
,
THE TH O U G HTS O F Y O UTH
29
“
loo ked round at Kathleen
Have you ever been in love
Kathie
The girl seated on the stone steps suddenly gave a
grea t sta rt The blood dyed her face crimson and then
drained as quickly away leaving it very p ale
The
hands that took up her embroidery trembled
Maude shaking the soft silk cushions preparatory to
settling herself more comfortably di d not notice She
repeated the quest ion
“
”
“
No said th e other girl
No I am no t sure that I
”
am believing in it at all
Her voice had the faintest
an d most alluring touch of the bro gu e She w as slowly
drawin g the slend er shin ing needl e in and o ut the white
linen Her lips a li ttle pale now set firmly
”
“
Well you ve missed the best o f life
said Maude
“
decidedly She curled herself up contentedly
An d
of course you believe in it or els e you will some day
W h y I ve got match making d esigns on y ou already
I mean with Hubert A ldersh am
“
Kathleen smiled
W ith Hubert ? Shure as if yo u
don t know that he has no other eyes save for anyone
”
but you
Maude blushed laughed lightly and then grew as
suddenly solemn
“
O h ! there is nothing in that Kathie ; there really
”
isn t sh e protested W h y ever since we came to Aus
t ra lia s ince I was quite a little girl I have known
Hubert A ldersh am We have been like brother and
”—
—
sister
And besides besides
her voice dropped
“
—
grew very soft and swee t
there is someone else in
”
London
”
“
Ah ! said Kathleen softly She raised her eyes
thos e wonderful wistful blue eyes of hers that held no w
the light of understanding but behind the light there
was the shadow o f pain
”
“
Would yo u like me to tell you all about it ?
Maude
rose from the lounge and cros sing the verandah seated
herself on the lower step She leaned her head aff ec
tio nately against Kathleen s knee
They formed a great contrast these two Maude was
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,
.
KATHLEE N MAV O URNEEN
3O
fair round o f face inclined to plumpness her skin de li
c a t ely pink and white h er eyes grey clear unclouded
She might have pos ed anywhere as a typ ical E nglish
rosebud in the garden o f girlhood She was all warm
soft cu rves and her prettiness though it would fade
little with the years was no w in its bloom
If Kathleen tall an d sli m her dark hair blow ing
softly about her oval face her eyes with faintly purple
shadows beneath were likened to a flower it woul d
surely be to that o f a tall pale May lily rising out o f
the dusk The Australian sun and the wind from the
sea had brought colour to her cheeks had taken a little
of the wistfulness from her eyes whose blue in some
lights seemed violet
“
”
Yes tell me
said K athleen a little mechanically
”
“
W h y did he go to London ?
”
“
O h ! it was I who w ent to London
answere d Maude
“
Mother and I often went as I told you This time
the time that counted— I was j ust entering my
eighteenth year —the year of love and roses say the
”
poets
”
“
The year of love— and roses
rep eated Kathleen
in a lo w voice Her eyes looking down at h er cousin s
head were shining now
”
“
—
It was there that I met Arthur
Maude paused
“
for a moment a thrill in her girlish voice
No one
else seemed to have mattered before I met him There
were— j ust flirtations you know Kathleen Every girl
without meaning anything flirts more or less till the
right m an comes I
well I will confess that I had
thought a great deal o f — o f Hubert
When I met
Arthur I knew then that there never would be anyone
”
else in the world
”
“
—
An d h e told you he l oved yo u ? said Kath l een
“
”
—
and then
Do men always mean what they say ?
”
“
Arthur does He told me he loved me
Maude
“
raised her head proudly
I was too yo ung mother
thought t o be engaged At least sh e told us both so
Afterwards I found that sh e w ell she di dn t quite care
f or Ar thur and—and o f cour se there were p eople who
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31
TH O UGHT S O F Y O UTH
TH E
said unkin d things abo ut Arthur Mother w as foo lish
enough to believe some o f them and also she and father
always hoped that Hubert and I would marry The
At that time we did
A ld ersh ams are a very old family
not know that Uncle B asil had married and I w as sup
p osed to be an heiress People were unkind enough to
”
say that Art hur would marry for money not love
Her hands close d a ff ectionately on those of Kathleen
“
Now don t speak ; it wouldn t have made a scrap of
d iff erence really A s I told mother when I met Arthur
I saw the living embodiment o f all my ideals Very
”
few girls fin d that Kathleen
She felt her cousin s
hands tremble a little in hers
”
“
You were lucky
sa id Kath l een a little hoarsely
She turned her hea d and looked at the golden and fl ame
colour e d da h lias nodding in the sunshine
”
“
Yes I was indeed lucky
sighed Maude happily
It was just as if we were created for each other People
said we made a splendid couple Arthur was jus t eight
years older than I I think the A ldersh am people at
home said thin gs to mother that A rthur had been sow
ing wild oats or something ; you know how some people
will ta lk ; but as I told mother I felt all the happier
that a s a man of the world he woul d come to me w oul d
ask me to share his life would ask me as he di d too to
”
help him to be worthy o f me
She lifted her face on it a radiating glow o f happi
n ess of sp iri t ual purp ose that illuminated her face
ra ising it from the plane o f mere prettiness to a wonder
ful if evanescent beauty She was youth unafraid
challenging the world challenging fate
Later per
h aps would come the wisdom of the woman o f woman
hood no longer challenging but compromising
“
”
“
I knew
she went o n dreamily
that he would
keep every promise o f reform that he ma d e to me We
could not marry then Kathleen as we both wished for
I was under age and mother so strenuously disapproved
of it Art hur has a half brother the E arl o f Kelf arn
ham He never understood Arthur Just ecause of
so me littl e escapa d es in his youth—Arth ur sai d that
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KA THLEE N MAV O UR NE E N
32
they were mere trifl es— and also because o f some debts
that all college boys manage to ama ss this elder brother
who should surely have share d his wealth with Arthur
instead only made him a small allowance But after
” —
“
—
all
her young voice rose exultantly
Arthur will
come in eventually for everything for the earl is a
woman hater I think t o o that he must be very old
”
for Arthur always spoke o f him as old D enis
“
A woman hater
Kathleen op ened her eyes wi dely
“
”
Whatever is he like ?
”
“
O h I never saw the old thing
said Maude a little
“
crossly but I heard enough o f him from Arthur You
”
may be sure I didn t feel anxious to see him then
“
B ut how did the fact o f his being a woman hater
began Kathleen
“
The o ld curmudgeon will never marry
explaine d
Maude and they two Arthur and he are the last of
”
their line
”
“
But he might marry after all
said Kathleen
“
”
“
He never will
said Maude complacently
Why
he shuts h imself up like a hermi t a lmost He has a
study or a laboratory or something or other in which
”
he locks himself Some day he might blow himself up
“
”
Oh !
cried Kathleen aghast
Maude you surely
”
w oul dn t like to have that happ en
“
Maude laughed albeit a little sullenly
Well I
di dn t mean that I hoped he would but I coul dn t pos
Wh at good or plea
si ly help it happeni ng could I ?
”
sure does he get out of life anyway ?
“
He might get a great deal He must love his work
“
”
whatever it is
said Kathl een thoughtfully
Some
men fin d absorbing pleasure in horse racing in sport o f
all kinds Wh at about the professors wh o
”
“
O h ! nonsense
Maude interrupted a litt le im
“
patiently
He the earl is j ust a crank I m sure
”
Arthur said so
Kathleen looked at her cousin dubiously a remark o n
her tongue which sh e managed to repress
“
Maude went on
He has hous es and lan d in E ng
land and an old place somewhere in Ireland It has a
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THE TH O UGHTS O F Y O UTH
33
ruined castle o n it and abbeys and all that sort of
”
thing
”
“
O h ! my dear Ireland !
whisp ered Kathleen She
shut her eyes and she was back in Killaloe The Shan
no n water was wh isp ering o n its way swirling under
the Bridge of the Twelve Arches
A ray o f gold
streaming from a broken cloud lay across the hil ls
“
An d yet he has the imp ertinenc e—no other word is
expressive enough— to suggest to Arthur that he try to
“
”
curtail his expenses
Maude was saying
In short
he practically told him to go o ut and earn h is living
An accident o f birth had made him the earl the elder
and he evidently thought it gave him the right to sp eak
to his younger brother as if Arthur was the so n of a
”
co a l beaver The o ld curmudgeon !
Her cheeks were
blazing now
“
”
What does your mother say ?
Kathleen had an odd
feeling around her heart as if o f symp athy and strong
un d erstanding as it were for that o ld frail man across
the sea For o f course he would be old Had not
Maude called him an o ld curmudgeon ?
“
”
“
O h ! mother ? said Maude and sighed
She would
”
d o nothing e lse but rave over him if I woul d listen
“
”
—
O ver him ? You you mean Arthur ?
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ingly
“
”
No the earl my lord o f Kelf a rnh am
Maude rose
“
a nd swept Kathleen a mocking cur tsey
He actually
tol d mother that he thought of coming o ut to Australia
o ne day
and wo uld a ssuredly ca ll He is looking f or
some rare mineral and he believes it might be here ;
”
“
but
she added disconsolately
this doesn t bring
Arthur and myself any nea rer as yet although in a
way he has been prosp erin g and making a name for
”
himself after a ll
“
”
T h e d ay was beginning to
But you are engaged
fade slowly the sun to clamber as if weary behind the
distant hills
“
Yes we are engage d I hear from him regularly
and absence has welded o ur hearts all the more firmly
together Kathleen I wanted to go out to him last yea r
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KATHLEEN MAV O URNEE N
34
He wanted to come here but neither mother no r father
would hear o f it until I was twenty one That will be
”
this year anyway— in June
”
“
He will come then ?
questioned Kathleen U n
consciously sh e sighed She was leaning her chin in her
hands now her elbows on her knees perhaps think ing
o f days that were gone of a little colleen who had ex
”
p ect ed so much o f love
”
“
He will come then
said Maude The light flashed
in her eyes again the soft rose colour flooded her cheeks
“
O h ! Kathleen some d ay you too will be in love and
”
you will understand
The glowing light seemed to die sudde nl y from the
day To Kathleen s eyes the flowers were a nodding
blur for a moment
”
Tis I that will be like to the earl sh e said after a
long long p ause Her laugh did not ring as lightly as
“
usual
I like that old man will be taking the way of
”
life alone
“
”
Maude laughed
This time ne xt year sh e sco ff ed
“
you will be telling me a d ifferent story Kathleen
Yo u will be coming to me and showing me
L yndh am
the ring
O f course it will be emeralds as well as
diamonds because o f the old green isle and you will
be asking me to help ch oose the design o f your wedding
gown Yo u will be having it embroidered with sham
”
sh e began tea sin gly to imitate Kathleen s soft
rocks
“
sweet brogue
And shure Kathleen darlint why
couldn t ye be b avin the little wreath o turf instead 0
”
the orange blossom why couldn t ye now ?
Kathleen laughed a little shakily as she bent over her
work folding it her face turne d away for the moment
“
”
“
Love ? she cried in the ach ing heart o f her ; it is
”
a dream that is dead a dream long dead !
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,
KATHLEEN MAV O URNEEN
36
“
O h y es, mother , acres
them ; at least h e has told
me how many go to an acre so I suppose the term is
p ermissible I even know how much income they bring
in I had to know beca use I was on the four mile road
and there was no place to run away o ut o f hear ing In
any case in the paddocks there were sheep to the right
”
an d sheep to the left o f us
Mrs K entley dropp ed her magazine and looked
thoughtfully at her daughter s slightly flushed face
then to Kathleen s dark understanding eyes in whi ch
merriment still flickered Mrs K entley became quite
of
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fl us t ered
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My dear child
quickly r ising
Has
sh e said
Hubert really
“
”
“
He has
interrupted Maude ; but mother dear
please d on t l oo k so excited about it Yo u know you
”
hate sheep too
”
“
—
B ut I I lik e Hubert Maude
Maude shrugged her shoulders and closed her eyes
“
”
resignedly
We all do mother
“
There is nothing nearer your father s heart o r
”
“
mine began her mother again tentatively
I m sure
Kathleen will agree with me that Hubert h a s no equal
in this district as far as worth is concerned He is such
”
a good young man— quite an example
“
”
I hate such goo d young men ! said Maude sud
d e ly passionately
A
hard
note
came
into
her
young
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A re d flame wavered in the mother s faded cheeks
She sat down suddenly in her chair and there was pain
in her kind eyes as sh e looked at her daughter
“
”
—
You refused him then ? sh e queried faintly
“
”
O f course mother
Maude turned o n her pillows
and faced her mother her eyes flashing f o r one instant
to Kathleen unheeding standing in the shadow Of the
pine trees and looking dream ily away over the wide vista
o f dr ied grass and trees beyond the garden boundary
“
”
I told Hubert
Maude said slowly but very di s
“
”
tinc tly
that I was a l ready engaged
“
”
Ma u de !
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MAUDE IS PR O P O SED T O
37
”
“
It is true mother
A dogged note came into the
“
girl s voice
I even told him that at the very post
1 had j ust
o fiic e to which he d rove me this morning
”
received a letter from my fianc é
”
“
Maude you know what I have so Often said
“
pleaded Mrs Kentley
what everybody says about
Arthur Desmond Why don t you marry Hubert ? He
is such a good fellow such a
“
Mother dear spare me DO you know that every
day you recite aloud a litany o f thanksgiving whenever
”
you think o f Hubert ?
Her mother s lips set suddenly in a firmer line than
usual She held up her head
”
“
I always shall
she said col d ly evidently hurt
“
Anyone might be proud o f Hubert A ldersh am Any
”
other girl but you would be proud of him Maude
Maude only yawn ed her two dainty fingers half
shielding her mouth ; the diamonds o n a ring she wore
flashed in the light
Lady Alicia looked at the ring uncert ainly then at
Maude s young determine d face
“
”
Th e ring ?
sh e said abruptly
“
”
Is from your future so n in law mother
M aude
“
Your future
threw o ne white arm above her head
”
so n in law who will not be Hubert A ldersh a m
M rs Kent ley rose very pale
She looked around
quickly but Kathleen had gone
She saw the girl s
slim white clad figure moving slowly among the tall
eucalyptus trees where the garden droop ed to the creek
“
”
Arthur sent me the ring Maude went o n She did
not look at her mother but her young voice was deter
“
—
mine d gained a strange hardness
He hop es soon to
”
be coming out to Australia
“
Maude you would not marry him after all I have
sa id to you after your father begged you to re consider
after all that people say
“
I told you in London mother and I tell y o u now
there will be no other man in the world for me but
Art hur Desmond I shall not heed the gossip of people
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K A THLE E N MAV O URNEEN
38
who would be better employed in minding their own
”
business I will never marry anyone else
“ —
I
we will not give o ur consent Maude— never
There are things I have not told y ou that I have hesi
.
.
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,
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tat ed
“
“
”
Don t mother
sai d Maude p assionately
We
have gone over the Old ground so often O pposition
”
only strengthens my will as a matter o f fact
She
turned her face away as if desirous of changing the
subj ect By the way mother there are several letters
by the English mail for y ou I left them o n the writing
table in your room O ne is from that Old curmudgeon
the earl
I could tell his hand writing anywhere
”
after having once seen it
M rs Kentley rose her face worn its usual content
and asp ect o f p eace broken She did not look at Maude
as she turned towards the homestead and Maude was
frowning when Kathleen came back
“
”
“
Kathleen
sh e
sai d pettishly
why can t yo u
marry Hubert for me ? Mother is evidently determin ed
”
to keep him in the family
“
”
“
Thanks
said Kathleen demurely
Shure it s
very good indeed of you to hand him over but maybe
”
I don t like sheep either
They both laughed Maude a trifle uneasily
“
”
Mother was so angry with me
she confessed
“
She thought sh e was not showing it but I knew Kath
leen Why do parents interfere so when one knows
”
instinctively which way happiness lies ?
“
”
Does one always know ?
asked Kathleen and
sighed She seate d herself on the lawn playing absently
with a blade Of grass
At something in her voice Maude glanced quickly at
her cousin but Kathleen L yndh am s face had no other
expression apparently than its usual wistful sweetness
“
”
I know said Maude with the egotism Of yo u th
She was at the crude stage o f girlhood fired with the
energy o f unconscious egotism the age th a t adores
Swinburne and looks upon O mar Khayyam as its Bible
and gathers therefrom its ideas o f religion— yo uth
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39
MA U D E IS PR O P O SED T O
white innocent ta lking reverently and va guely of th e
blas e O mar and his bottoml ess casks o f wine an d its
bitter after taste with the enthusia sm and ignorance
that go hand in hand B etween girlhood and woman
hood is always sandwi ched a similar p eriod for every
woman— this chaotic gathering o f impressions that in a
few years would be tumbled in the dustbin of half
ashamed forgetfulness
Maude in one mood talked with cheap smartness e
cause smartness and epigrammatic speech were the order
of the day in the set about her and in the clubs in which
she mi xed She raved over Swinburne because he hap
pened to be the present adore d o ne in her set and e
cause it apparently savoured o f a mental attitude to
include his works o n the bookshelf of girlhood
She shuddered daintily away from M asefield or Law
son who flung o ut the truths o f life scorning the
drapery of cheap mysticism They M asefield and the
Aust ralian Lawson set the sp ade to th e earth as it were
turned up the sods Of the untill e d ground that the world
might see but youth with an eye to the binding as w ell
filled the bookshelves with only aerial dainty flights o f
“
”
imagination that were included in the latest fashion
Maude Kentley in the c h ry sa lic development o f life
was p assing slowly through this stage o f girlhood— that
narrow lightly moralising pitiless and lofty stage of
egotism
As she had said to her mother she knew
Youth is so terribly so pitilessly sure Of everything
but its own ignorance
O pposition drives it only to
romantic rebe llion
Maude Kentley loved h er fianc é sh e was quit e s u re
of that because she sometimes felt that she was like
a heroine in a book She t oo like the heroines had a
lover an d the stern parents were against the union
sh e supposed she could call them stern
sometimes at
any rate Arthur o f course was maligned and falsely
accused— as the hero always was— Maude knew as she
knew everything in life that he was a saint
How
could she think otherwise when she remembered his
face with the tender—some might sa y almost efl emina te
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KATHLEEN MAV O UR NE EN
40
chin the eyes that had look ed so clearly an d trul y
do wn into hers when he had vow ed that he had never
loved any other w oman
It woul d all come right in the end j ust as it did in
books B ooks play a great part in the mental formation
of youth someone had once told M rs Kentley Hearing
that she always bought every book sh e could procure
by Annie Swan o r Evelyn Everett Green When some
K entley apropos Of a
o ne else had suggested to Mrs
great discussion re Elizabeth Robins masterpiece of
“
simplicity and power that all girls should read Wh ere
are y ou going to
Mrs K entley had held up he r hands
She went o ut and
t o her face an d almost fainted
”
“
bought a copy o f
Briar and Palm instead Very
di ff erent w as the mental attitude o f the two girls
Kathleen after one glance at the library— the ju dge
read apparently nothing but great tomes on dif ferent
asp ects Of the law— had become a member of the small
library of the nearest country town four miles away
and urowed there in its dim and musty recesses Long
ago a donor had given to the library a complete leather
bo und edition of O uida s novels among others Kath
“
leen poure d over them cried secretly over La Pas
”
“
carale
grew very silent and sa d over Two Little
”
W ooden Shoes
Afterwards sh e went feverishly into lighter fiction
never looking again at the dusty Obscure shelf where
she had been so constant a visitor but often in dreams
she saw and wept over little B ebe following wearily the
long dusty road in the wake o f the artist lover who had
loved so lightly
“
”
All men are alike
said Kathleen an d shut herself
into her shell with its outer asp ect o f sweet reserve
She made many friends— visitors from the country
town the distant city or from a d j acent stations
In the year swiftly slipping past now that sh e had
spent at C ra gm o rt o n Station and for a few weeks at
the seaside bungalow in the distant city the girl had
“
—
come to realise the meaning of the words
And all
”
men else are as shadows on the blind
Kathleen Lynd
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MAUDE IS PR O P O SED T O
41
ham had made many friends There were t imes when
the joie de vivre o f her Celtic temp erament rose tri
ump h a nt when her laugh rang the merriest her gaiety
the most infectious but there were also other times
when out of her life looked a ghost These indeed were
times when there was no one there to see They onl y
knew that so metimes over her gaiety and happiness
dropp ed a cloak as it were Of p ensive melancholy that
vanished however at the lightest touch o f their raillery
”
“
We all thi nk we know
Kathleen was saying
“
softly to Maude now in answer
I am afraid even
the best o f us the keenest minded and most far sighted
”
Maude are apt to make mistakes sometimes
“
”
I haven t made any mistake
answered Maude
“
sto u tly
Wait until you see Arthur— yo u will under
”
stand
”
“
Wh at is he like ? Kathleen asked idly
Maude sa t up among her pillows swinging the ham
mock lightly backwards and forwards B ehind her the
scarlet cushions flamed in the sunlight
“
”
“
He is my ideal
she said ; all that a girl dreams
of
Kathl een The living epitome Of Prince Charming
who is to come into a girl s life when sh e dreams over
”
long before he arrives
“
”
Does the Pince Charming always come ? Kathleen
aske d in a low voice She played restlessly with the
“
blades of grass
I suppose the tragedy o f —O f love is
”
—
no t when it comes but
when it goes
“
A rthur will never go out of my heart o r life o r I
”
out of h is
Maude was looking dreamily past Kath
leen s pensive face with its air of wistful melancholy
“
Even if the o ld curmudgeon earl cuts him o ff without
a sh illi ng Arthur has his future When we are mar
ried if there were financial troubles and mother and
dad wouldn t help I know that Arthur would paint
”
more consist ently that he would become really famous
“
”
Paint !
said Kathleen
The blades o f gr ass
“
”
—
H e then he is an artist ?
droppe d from her hands
She turned her face away Th e cooling breeze steal
ing through the redolent pines lifte d the dark curls
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KA THLEEN MAVO URNE E N
42
from her brow It seemed to her that sh e found herse lf
moving again in a dim world of grief and pain Maude s
voice came from far away
“
Didn t I tell you that Arthur was a wonderful
“
”
artist ? said Maude proudly
W h y he has painted
some splen did pictures Even mother must admit that
for it s not so very long ago since o ne picture caused a
tremendous sensation at the time
H e had ever so
”
many o ff ers for it
”
“
—
What was it the subj ect I mean ?
Kathleen
asking the question was hardly conscious that she
spoke
The wind was rustling the pines with a low
soughing sound that w a s like to the Shannon water
sweeping maj estically along rustling in the reeds
“
O h ! j ust a little fish er girl if I remember rightly
taken down o n the sands o f som e—oh ! where was it ?
” —
Billingsgate I think You see
with a little tell tale
“
—
I had just met Arthur at the time and I am
blush
afraid I was more interested in him than his art B e
sides there w as always such a crowd around the picture
Why do you know I
y o u couldn t get a glimpse o f it
can t even remember the name of it but even the earl
raved over the picture I know H e wanted to buy it
u
for some reason o r other Arthur would never sell
t
,
it
“
”
—
—
Are there many p ainters artist s in L ondan ?
asked Kathleen She pushed back the heavy drooping
hair from her brow
“
”
Thousands Of them
declared Maude
“
”
—
I met o ne once
said Kathleen in a low voice
”
“
I suppose they go to Ireland
Maude said indif
“
But it woul d be mostly to the Lakes of
f erent ly
Killarney I should say There s no really pretty vil
lage scenery they say to be found in the whole o f
”
Ireland
“
The Irish idea o f architecture isn t alto gether
“
”
beautiful
confess ed Kathleen
I have never been
to E ngland beyond the seaport but have seen many
”
pictures o f the rural villages
“
”—
Some day
Maude chin on hand was staring into
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KA THLEEN MAV O URNEEN
44
cussed him with me as a matter o f fact He is on the
”
way to Australia now
“
”
Who ? Arthur ? gasp ed Maude
“
”
Arthur ?
rep eated Mrs Kentley
She made a
“
little scornful gesture
O f course not
I am refer
”
ring t o the earl
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CHAPT E R VI
P ARTIN G
“
-
AY S
W
.
.
And parting ways come soon or late
-
”
.
Judge Kentley too k Off his gold rimmed spectacles
polished them refl ec tiv ely and laid them down o n the
desk before him
“
H m
he said There was a pause then he turne d
“
and held out his hand to Hubert A ld ersh am
I m
so rry my o y I need no t assure yo u of that Per
so nally I think you are doing a ve ry foolish thing in
”
going so far away Still y ou know best
He tapped
“
the open book before him with restless fingers
You
”
have made up your mind quite suddenly ? he ques
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tio ned
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I ve been thinking the proposition over for some
”
“
time
said young A ldersh am rather unsteadily
and
last night after the golf ball I ma d e up my mind
”
definitely
“
”
You asked her again last night ? sa id the j u d ge
thoughtfully
He was silent f o r a moment then
“
”
Maude is very young my boy
“
”
She is nearly twenty one Judge
Everybo dy st ill called Kentley that although his re
tirement was of some years duration
“
Judge Kentley smiled
Some p eople are very young
”
at twenty my boy mentally younger than their yea rs
“
Hubert A ldersh am flushed
But Maude is very
bright and clever W h y she is reputed to say some o f
”
the smartest things he began
With a comprehensive wave of his white hand the
“
ju d ge stopped him and nodded wisely
Ah ! N ow
you come down to hard facts Hubert At her age all
girls are unconscious ly plagiarists more or less They
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45
.
KATHLEE N MAV O URNEEN
46
meet someone some other wom an generally Older than
themselves and who may have a reputation for wit o r
originality and right away they proceed to immolate
themselves at a shrine that to their eyes looks like
Carrara marble but is in reality only painted deal
It s an attack like measles and they seldom get it
twice
It s a stage in the process of development
”
Don t j udge Maude by her symptoms
He laughed geni ally and the grey eyes beneath their
bushy brows twinkled
“
If sh e says these so called smart things to you an d
they hurt believe this she does not intend them to be
hurtful In two years p erhaps less p erhaps a little
more sh e will have come back to the little girl and doll
plane o f thought that after all is in communion with
the highest o f all planes F o r it mea ns home and the
making o f a home It means maternity It means the
sense of being a helpmate in its divine as well as
earthly sense When the pa int wears o ff the present
trump ery shrine that she ca lls progression she will in
spirit go back on her kn ees to the beginning o f the road
She will realise that the present one and the numerous
crazes are but side issues that she was on a side tra ck
and that the pale illuminations sh e deemed intellectual
were only the spluttering candle rays of some literary
j erry builders
A ldersh am waite d patiently
His boyish rugged face
was not without a certain charm despite its plainness
His eyes were very grey very clear
They looked
straight at o nw th rough o ne His j aw was strong
determined
“
”
“
So I sa y to y ou th e j udge went o n that yo u are
”
no t to take Maude t oo literally
“
”
Her refusal was very definite
said A ldersh am
“
slowly
Might I ask if you consider that D esmond
”
too a cra z e ?
The j udge looked at him thought f ully He sighed
“
”
“
—
I think so
he said and again more forcibly
I
hop e so She saw so little of him after a ll Hubert my
”
boy She has not seen him now for quite three years
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47
PARTING WAYS
-
”
Absence makes the heart grow fon d er
qu oted
A ldersh a m moodily
“ And the eyes more critical ” added the j udge
He
“
p ursed hi s mouth sceptically
Maude has built up a
wonderful mental picture o f this young man Separa
tion has been over kind in supplying him with a h a lo
”—
She has heard j ust enough o f his escapades
here the
“
—
j udge shook his head and frowned
to make him a
hero o f romance You see my boy the mother shoul d
have told her at first told her everything unreservedly ;
but somehow she couldn t Mothers are generally the
last instead o f being the first persons in the world to
gain co nfidenc es from their own daughters
She has
always kept everythi ng that is— er— shady away from
Mau d e
”
“
To Maude he is a hero the ideal o f her life
said
He spoke as if he were quoting Maude s
A ldersh a m
Perhaps he was
o w n words
“
The judge s sm ile was uneasy
She is in love with
“
”
love not with Desmond he asserted
You are really
not serious in your intention Of leaving this part Of
”
Aus tralia for a couple of years Hubert ?
“
Yes sir I m going up into the Northern T errito ry
”
A ldersh am s j aw se t determinedly
after all
“
The j udge looked at him dubiously
Things are
ve r
y cru de there at present my boy ! W h y don t y o u
wa i t until the Government makes the conditions o f liv
”
ing more possible
“
A ldersh a m smi led faintly
I want to go whil e I
am young Judge
We the p ater and I have big
interest s there The pater hasn t the health now or
the strength to go I have got nothing to keep me
” —
a sha d e came over his face the boyishn ess faded
here
“
”
—
quickly
nothing now
”
“
Ah well ! ah well ! said the judge He rose as
Hube rt A ldersh am did and came with him to the door
“
Yo u wi ll write to me Hubert and I
of the library
will e only too glad to drop you a few lines now and
”—
h e pressed A ldersh a m s
again Some day my o y
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KATHLEEN MAV O URNEEN
48
hand aff ectionately—
“
some day it may
”
an
e
urgent
wire to return
”
“
A ldersh am shook his head
I m afraid no t Judge
“
—
and then slowly
She would have to send for me
”
—
herself if ever that day came but it will not !
”
“
O ne never knows
said the j udge thoughtfully
”
“
Yes one never knows
rep eated A ld ersh am but
there was no hope in his voice as he went o ut
As the hall door closed behind him Maude came down
the stairs and saw her father still standing in the door
way his white hea d outl ined against the d ark wood
”
“
Wh o was it dad ? sh e called
“
”
A ld ersh am
He roused himself
he said
“
”
“
Hubert ! sh e frowned
Whatever was he doing
”
here thi s hour o f the morning ?
She followed her
father into the library standing a pretty graceful
figure against the carved mantelpiece her hair shining
in the light
“
He came to say good bye
slowly
said the judge
fumbling among his pap ers industriously
“
“
”
Good bye ? she queried
Why is he off to the
”
city ?
“
”
He is going away f o r some years
The j u d ge
yawned with a great show of indi fference
He and
Hubert A ldersh a m s father were as brothers Hubert
himself as dear to the kind Old heart of the j udge as
”
if he were his own so n
“
”
Why father she began ever so slowly and then
“
”
He never said a word to me about it
“
I don t suppose he thought it would interest you
”
Maude
With one hand supporting his head the
j udge was evidently studying certain dates o n the
“
p aper before him
He is going to the Gulf country
”
by the way
Maude was looking at him her eyes and voice still
“
astoni shed
Father y o u are j oking Hubert would
”
—
never go away without mentioning it to to us
“
O h ! he mentioned it some time ago— to your mother
”
“
and myself
replied the j udge easily
He has been
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49
PARTING WAYS
-
thinking a o ut it for some ti m e I believe The actual
”
decision however app eared rather sudden to me
“
”
It s su ch a dreary co untry
said Maude slowly
“
turning to the d oo r
Why there s feve rs there and
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nd—
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9)
”
“
Blacks very treach ero us b lacks
supplemented the
quiet voice o f the j udge He leaned back in his chair
“
There is always the p os sibility of something happe n
O f course they are not quite
ing o ut of the common
canniba ls those blacks I believe They spear p eople
to death
never heard yet that they ate
ut —er— I
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Dad ho w can you sp eak—so—hea rt l essly ? g asp ed
Maude
”
“
T h e j udge raised his eyebro w s in
Hea rtlessly ?
“
protest
Why Hubert knows that there is consider
able d anger I am j ust voicing the possibilities I m
”
not heartl ess I am not sending him there
He l ooke d
di rectly at the Chin ese mandarin o n a shelf on the wall
before him nodding its head in the wind from the open
windows
’
“
There was an instant s pa use
W h o do yo u m ean to
”
infer is sending him there ? said Mau d e 8 voice
The j udge t ur ned and looked at her as if in astonish
“
”
ment
I m not inferri ng anything
he said testil y
“
By the Lor d Harry how you women do take up every
word ! Anyhow Hubert s depart ure won t break any
”
of our hearts wi ll it He could onl y ta lk abo u t sheep
He looked again at the Chinese mandarin this time
more thoughtfully Maude turnin g at the door quickly
looked at h im suspiciously but th e j udge s face and
mien were guil el ess
O ut o f the capacious recess of his smoking j acket
pocket he was extracting a huge ban danna handkerchief
preparato ry to his usual forty winks He unfolded it
“
”
with much care
And if he doesn t get speared
he
“
went o n p aus ing to yawn
if he d oesn t get sp eared
I suppose he will marry some nice girl up there They
generally do I notice
Why I once knew a yo ung
fellow who was breaking his hea rt o ver a gi rl and he
”
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D
KA THLEEN MAV O URNEE N
5O
went up to the Gulf country to forget The forgetting
to ok j ust six months to j udge by the date on the wed
”
ding in vitations
he added reminiscently
”
“
Hubert w ouldn t marry anyone there said Maude
scornf ully She tilted her chin and surveyed herself
in the long mirror that hung opposite the door
”
“
I wouldn t be t oo sure
sai d the j udge slowly as
if he were turning th e p ossibility over in his mind
“
Now I come to think o f it, I remember h im mentioning
this morning how lonely it would be up there Hubert
is bo und to know a great many girls and there is sure
to be one o r two always writing to him Sooner o r later
a letter comes to mean a great deal to a man in the
lonely north A man doesn t always marry the girl he
”
loves
H e felt rather than saw his daughter s eyes
on him and seized the occasion to blow his nose vigor
“
”
o usly
There might be some girl
he added refl ec
“
”
tiv ely to the mandarin
who liked sheep
The door banged suddenly The j udge leaning back
comfortably in his chair and covering his bald head
with the bandanna handkerchief smiled blandly He
winked drow sily at the nodding mandarin
D own in the garden by the gateway Ma u de saw
Kathleen talking to Hubert A ldersh am
In a fit of
p erversity she retraced her step s and flinging herself
into a hammock took up a book She knew that both
had seen her Most certainly in another moment o r two
they would come over and Hubert pay his silent homage
as usual
B ut to day Hubert did not come Glancing in the
direction of the gateway and somewhat pettishly Maude
saw that Hubert and her co u sin were still deep in con
versation
E ven as sh e looked she saw Hubert A ldersh am hold
ing Kathleen s h and in h is as if he were saying good
bye and then su d denly bend down and kiss the little
hand he held
For a moment the two stood Maude through the
l eafy screen o f the intervening shrubs saw hi s face ,
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KATHLEEN MAV O URNEEN
52
Your father told him that he thought you were lying
”
down in your room
“
But Hubert would never go without saying g ood bye
“
”
to me Kathl een
her co usin said p ettishly
I am
sure he will come again to morrow before the train
”
leaves
“
”
Perhaps
said Kathleen listlessly Her thoughts
were evidently far away
“
Maude loo ked at her strangely
He will surely
”
come to ni ght or in the morning
she insisted
But Hubert A ldersh am did not come For the first
time in her life Mau d e Kentley missed him ; for the
first time in her li fe sh e foun d herself lying awake
thinking of Hubert Aldersh am picturing the grim
scarce peopled North
It was Maude after all who went to A ld ersh am Sta
“
Yo u are like
tion j ust in time to bid Hubert good bye
”
a brother to me Hubert sh e said The tears gathered
in her eyes as her white hand trembled in his big brown
“
Yo u will always be my dear my very dear
o ne
”
brother to me
Perhap s that is why the words that
tremb l ed o n Hubert Al dersh am s lip s were left un said
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CHAPTE R VI I
OU T
“
T HE DU S K
OF
.
D REA M S
OF
.
O nly in drea ms , born of the dusk of the dawn
Do I see you— o nly in dreams p erchance sha ll I know
you
,
,
.
”
“
The E ar l will arrive about three this afternoon
anno unced Mrs K entley at luncheon a few weeks after
“
wards
She handed the tel egram to the j udge
I
”
think it woul d be nice if we all went to meet him
Maude laid down her soup spoon with the air of o ne
“
who a lso laid down the gage o f battle
The dear Earl
”
wi ll not see me to day I am afrai d mother
“
”
Maude
remo nstrated her mother
The judge
smiled w isely
“
T O day o f a ll days happ ens to be a golf match in
”
the extremely large town Of Ashcroft
e xp lained
“
Maude smoothly crumbling her bread
Kathl een and
”
I were picked f o r a mix ed four o n Tuesday only
“
”
“
O n Tu esday only
rep eated the judge and this is
”
Th ursday Ahem
He looked at Kathleen s crimson face over his gla sses
and then at hi s daughter who more ca lm w as re ar
“
ranging a rose in the silver vas e before her
How
”
—
—
very convenient er I mean inconvenient Maude
sa id the judge
“
”
“
Yes
said Ma u de concernedly and the dear Earl
”
will miss us so
“
”
DO you think
Ka thleen choked
sa id Maude
“
ea rnestly
that he will be likely to retire before ni ne
Th ere was that d inner appointment also Kathleen you
”
remember
“
Th e judge s eyes sw ept the two girls fac es
W hy
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53
KATHLEEN MAV O URNEEN
54
”
is th is th us ? he d emanded with a great show of anger
his eyes twinkl ing
”
“
—
He is sO Old
explained Kathleen dimpling in
spite o f herself
“
”
“
W hy
O ld ! echoed Mrs Kentley in amazement
”
you saw him in London Maude did you not ?
”
“
No mother dear I did no t
said her d aughter
“
dutiful ly adding sotto voce
I took care to see that I
”
did not
said the j udge He flashed a quick glance
“
at his wife
Then Maude and yo u also Kathleen do
I un d erstand you utterly refuse t o wheel th e o ld gentle
”
man about in his bath chair
“
”
Robert ! said Mrs Kentley in amazement
“
”
“
Heavens
said Maude
The dea r E arl
“
”
Plus the bath chair
supplemented Kathleen with
a la ugh
“
“
’
A bath chair crie d Maude
Can t he walk with
”
out the aid o f a bath chair father ?
“
”
O nly leaning on anyone s shoulder
said the j udge
“
sauv ely
Now Maude if you could
“
”
No I co ul dn t said Mau d e decisively not waiting
“
for the sentence to be finished
Ugh ! Just imagine
it The Old very Old curmudgeon E arl doddering and
leaning heavily on my shoulder whisp ering things about
”
Arthur in my ear Kathleen can have him
“
”
“
N o I will no t
cried Kathleen merrily
and to
think you wanted to marry me to him a few months
”
ago Ho w could you !
“
”
But I didn t know of the bath chair
sai d Maud e
“
I really didn t Father is there anything e l se you
”
can tell us about this charming Old gentleman ?
Th e judge had been making frantic eye signa ls to h is
“
”
scandalised wife
O nly an ear trump et
he said
thoughtfully
“
”
Oh !
said K athleen and Maude in one breath
They looked at each other then both b urst su ddenly
into a p eal of laughter
“
”
R obert how can you ?
proteste d Mrs K entley
“
”
w eakly
It is too ba d Of you It r eally i s
Th e
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55
O UT O F THE DUSK O F DREA M S
girls were both wiping tears of laughter from their eyes
The judge an hour later hearing a smothered burst
merriment below the library window glanced out
of
and saw Kathleen leaning heavily against Maude and
m aking a sp eaking trump et Of her hand
They were making a slow and grotes que progr ess
across th e lawn The j udge began to smile as he realised
the dram a in progress was for his edification
“
”
“
He is a scoundrel
croaked Kathleen
He is a
’
young scoundrel He won t get any o f my money the
”
wretch
“
”
“
E arl dear
M au d e was saying
te ll me more
Do
The hearty p ea l of laughter from the l ibrary window
broke up the rehea rsal abruptly an d sent them both
sp eed ing o ut Of the gate waving their golf sticks threa
“
There s one
t eningly as the j udge s head app eared
’
”
thing the curmudgeon won t stay long
sa id Maude
resignedly as they rode o n horseback d own the road
towards the town
Kathleen laughed The wind was blowing freshly in
their faces as they cantere d along
Her dark c u rls
“
loosened framed her flush ed face softly
Poor old
”
“
sh e said
man
after a p a u se
Maude we may as
well be nice to hi m How does h e come to be so old if
”
A rthur is only thirty five
“
”
“
I really don t know said Maude
Arthur always
‘
‘
’
referred to him as the old ch ap or the old fossil
Arthur s mother w as an actress She was a very sweet
woman they say just a girl
O ne could not e xp ect
Arthur to have the same temperament therefore as his
half brother I should think that the fath er must have
b een a very O l d man how ever when he ma rrie d the
”
second t ime
“
”
Is the moth er a live ?
“
O h no
She died about a year after Arth ur w as
”
born Shortly after that h er husband died I suppose
“
”
she added romantically
It w as with a broken heart
“
”
Perhaps senile decay if this elder son is so Old
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KA THLE EN MAV O UR NEE N
56
“
remarked Kathleen mo r e practically
What age do
”
you thi nk h e— the curmudgeon woul d be ?
”
“
About seventy I suppose
sai d Maude thought
“
fully
F a ncy him taking this long trip Dad said he
wrote reams about the minerals in whi ch he was in
.
,
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.
t erest ed
”
.
”
“
His intellect must be still bright
sai d K athleen
thought f ully
“
Maude shrugged her shoulders
S econd childhood
”
p o ssibly
”
“
Poor Old man said Kathleen again after a p ause
”
“
Poor o ld Arthur I say
said Maude colouring
“
Well don t let us think about him He may be in bed
before we come back Any Old man would be surely
”
knocked up after coming such a long j ourney
“
Fancy no womenfolk sa ve p aid help to look after
”
“
him
said Kathleen musingly
Maude it must be a
terribly u nhappy thing to be a woman hater when a man
”
grows as Old as that
“
Maude pouted
Some woman j ilted him once I
supp ose for Arthur said to me that h e—his brother
D eni s— remained single because he had never met a
”
woman that he coul d beli eve in
They rode o n for a while in silence As they turned
the corner rounding a low hill the Old —
fashioned town
little more than a village rose up before them
“
He took a great fancy to Arthur s picture that
”
“
picture o f the little fish er girl
sai d Maude
He got
Arthur to paint him an exact copy and gave him a
”
S plendid sum for it
”
“
Then he must love p ainting ? said Kath l een A
vei l Of sadnes s seemed to fall over her face to rob it
of its brightness
“
O h I don t know He used t o say that Arthur was
”
only wasting his time ; that he would never make good
They came back in the p earl dusk the aftermath of a
“ ’
”
glorious sunset
I m awfully tired
Kathl een sa id
as they turned up the road that led to C ragmort on”
“
”
So am I
sighed Mau d e
“
”
D o you kno w what I w oul d l ove
said Kath l een
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O UT O F THE DUSK O F DREAMS
57
with a w ist ful glance at the shimmering blue water to
”
“
the left
a plunge in th e lake before dinner
”
“
I d rather a bath any day ; it s safer
laughed
”
“
Maude
The lake may be ever so deep
“
”
“
o n two
I ve tried it before
confessed Kath l een
It is no t very far from my room
o r three hot nights
”
and there s never a soul about
Maude cast a longing glan ce towards the water as the
road curved away from it to the gates of the home
”
“
sh e said
stead
I wish I coul d swim
regretfully
“
Mother would have hysterics if she kn ew that you
”
risked your life there
“
“
”
There is no risk
assert ed Kathleen
Now if
you were to se e the Sha nnon River whirling over the
stones the great sweep of waters swirling down by the
”
C astlec o nn el Falls you might feel nervous
“
”
“
You will go to night ? questioned Maude
How
tired I am Kathleen We should never have done that
“
second round
Well here we are and with j ust about
an hour s grace in which to pay our resp ects into the
ear t umpet that is if the curmudgeo n isn t in bed by
r
now
They came cantering up the d rive and past the home
“
st ead to the stables
Her ladyship asked me to tell
“
”
the groom said
and
yo u dinn er would b e at eight
”
would you please to be punctual to night
“
”
“
Eight ? said Maude
Well we have nearly an
”
hour
Th ey stole quietly around the side of the house and
crept up the stairs unobserved Th e windows in Kath
leen s room were flun g wi d e to the bree z e the curtains
fluttering gently but the room was still close and sul try
after th e heat o f the d ay
She heard Maude go along the p assage to th e bath
room th e pleasant gurgle Of splashing water O utside
Kathleen s window in its green fringe of willo w s the
lake shimmered silvering as the dusk grew
Kathleen hesitated B elow on that side of the house
the gardens were surrounded thickly with shrubberies
Kathleen glanced at the tiny silver cuckoo clock on the
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KATHL EE N MAV O URNEEN
58
mantelpiece
Maude was in the bath r o om singing
lightly and loudl y enough for even a deaf p erson to
hear
“
Light o f my life
I shall always love you darling
Yours is the love that is steadfast an d true
Kathleen laughed threw Open o ne of her boxes and
diving down in its deep rece sses unearthed a faded
handkerchief o ne that sh e used to wear far away on
the hills ide when the li ghts were gleaming out over
Shannon water by Ki llaloe and fli ckering here and there
in B allyv alley
A longing for the old ways broke over her as she
turned over the contents o f the box For a moment sh e
stood uncertainly the kerchief in her hand then from
o ut the
o x sh e took also a short skirt
The long muslin
gown slipp ed from her as sh e donned it She removed
her shoes and stockings and p eering for a moment
d own the seldom used side stairway slipped out of the
house running fl eetly through the sheltered path wind
ing between the shrubberies
The lake glimm ered dully even in the dusky li ght its
green willows dark o n the shadowy banks Kathleen
tied the han dk erchief about her head and divested her
self o f her short skirt and j acket A moment later she
was swi mming across the wide lake with s wift sure
strokes the cool wate rs laving her
She heard the gong boom out from the clock in the
tall tower o f the stables A man strolling along the
further side o f the willows aroun d the furth er ben d o f
the lake heard it also and turned
Slowly regretfull y Kathleen began to make her way
out o f the water The green kirtle lay on the bank the
scarlet kerchief bound her head an d her feet were bare
The dusk darkened as Kathleen took the path that
wound round the lake and meandered through the
shrubberies to the Homestead At this ben d the trees
grew thickly dark a ga inst a world that w as donning
a faint misty purple now star powdered and fra grant
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KATHLEEN MAV O URNEEN
60
a moment it seeme d to him that she stood there
and then had swiftly vanished
The slim ever murmuring saplings swayed to and
fro as before the branches rustled w ave d ever so
slightly an d there in the shadows he stood alone brush
ing the mist from his eyes It seemed to him that he
heard the rustli ng o f dead leaves un der foot as o f slim
startled feet flying flying
”
“
It was only a dream
he sai d stupidly still
“
hoarsely
The light went o ut o f his eyes
Yet I
thought I saw her standing there j ust as in the picture
the little bare feet of her the wistful eyes o f her Kath
leen— Kathleen is it only in a dream indeed that I shall
Little
see y o u that I shall fin d yo u onl y to lose you ?
Kathleen Mavourneen born but of a sneering painter s
fancy a touch of a brush that for the moment o f crea
tion w as steep ed in magic You are the o ne woman
my woman whom onl y in dreams I shall meet Kath
leen —little Kathleen
There was only the sound o f the wh i sp er ing trees the
rustling as afar off of dead leaves stirring in the wind
and dusk
F or
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CHAPTE R VII I
T H E OL D
.
C U R M U DG E O N
.
“
Always I shall think of yo u
In the wind or the rain
And pa in shall be borne o f the moon light
”
O n the beat of a well known strain
,
-
,
.
The dinn er gong had gone quite seven minutes when
Kathleen L yndh am raced downstairs
She ha d ex
p ec ted to find her aunt and un cle in the dining room
gathered attentively around a bath chair o r an Old
gentleman bent with age who coul d jus t walk
Her heart was beating fast as sh e cross ed the polished
hall Who was that stranger o ut in the dusk who had
called her name ? The Celtic blood that flowed redly in
her veins had thrilled with all the sup erstitions o f her
race She saw again an eager face hair that was almost
white brushed in a wave back from a broad forehead
an d eyes in whi ch flame d the ligh t of sudden reco gni
tion
“
”
It is no one I have known
she had said over and
over again but once in the shelter of her room the thrill
that was half fear seemed to vanish She had dresse d
hurriedly f o r the gong was p ealing as she darted out
Of the shrubbery and up the stairs to her room
Maude
in pass ing had evidently knocked as usual peep ed in
at the d oor and not seeing her had concluded that
Kathleen was alr eady downstairs
“
Perhaps sh e wi ll be think ing I might be wheeling
”
the bath chair along the verandah
Kathleen had said
to herself half laughing and then a little quiver o f
superst itious fear crept over her as she looked at the
night darkening and looming agains t the pane She
thought of the stranger among the tree shadows and
pulled the blin ds down q uickly
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61
62
KATHLEEN MAV O URNEE N
She came no w more slowly across the hall p ausing a
moment at the door h eard Lady Alicia s voice an d that
of her husband then Maude s voice a little tremulous
as if with nervousness
”
“
Wherever is Kathleen mother ? sh e was beginning
when the door op ened and Kathleen in her white gown
and a clus ter o f pale mauve hydrangeas at her breast
came in
The earl w as not in the room and the gi rl gave a S i gh
of relief frankly smiling as sh e saw the twinklin g eyes
o f her uncle who in his dinner suit looked stately and
dignified despite his lack of height an d the bald Spot
o n top o f his head that Maude kissed every night ere she
depart ed to her room
”
“
Where have you been Kathleen ?
said Maude
She was very flushed her eyes sh ining with excitement
”
“
Didn t you hear wheels in the garden ?
asked
“
Kathleen mischievously
and h ear me singing a lul
”
l aby ?
”
“ —
whi sp ered Mrs Kentley nervously
S sh girls !
as Maude was excite d ly about to sp eak
There was a sound of footsteps o n the stairs a firm
tread across the polished square o f the hall Mrs Kent
ley rose as the door op ened while Kathleen waited in
the secluded corner near the grand piano expecting to
hear behind that firm tread the weak shuffling footsteps
of an aged and feeble man None came
The door op ened widely an d a man came in— a man
ta ll an d straight broad of limb and athletic looking
Mrs Kentley swept forward e ff usively the j udge e
nignly following
“
”
They were presenting My daughter Maude
and
no o ne noticed the smothered cry that Kathleen gave as
she shrank back
The man bent his head in courtly fashion The light
from the rose silk shaded lamp with its heavy silver
fringe fell upon his face a face stern and firm o f lip
almost too stern in repose the eyes grey stea dy and
compelling
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THE O LD CUR M UD G E O N
63
“
Kentley turn ed
My ni ec e , Miss L yndh am
”
Lord Kilf arnh am
O ut of the swaying shadow that the rose globe threw
M rs
.
.
.
waveringly Kathleen came face to face with that
stranger o f the dusk and for a second that seeme d an
eternity Lord Kilf a rnh a m and she stared at each other
He made a sudden step forward and then stopp ed
abruptly an d put his ha nd across his eyes as if to clear
away a mi st He saw the faces all aro und him as a
wh ite blur for a moment
”
“
You know my niece Kath l een ? Mrs Kentley was
saying wonderingly
”
“
He saw the girl shrink back
I beg your pardon
“
he said to her to them all
It was a— a resemblance
”
—
—
a most startlin g resemblance to to someone I knew
H e turned to the girl again his eyes sweeping her
face questioningly She felt the blood pulse swiftly in
her veins the fiery colour sweep in a flood to her cheeks
and brow
”
“
I don t know how to ask your forgiveness
he said
apologetically You— the resemblance is most st riking
”
Please forgive me for my apparent ru deness
”
“
There is nothing to forgive
she found herself
murmurin g
”
“
Her name is Kathleen to o
Quite a coincidence
sh e heard Mrs Kentley say brightly
B ehind the earl s broad back Maude ma d e a little
”
“
moue
What ab out the b ath chair now ? sh e foun d
time to whisp er with a suppress ed giggle b efore they
m ad e a general and informal move to the dining room
“
Kathleen I m on the verge o f something I think it is
”
—
hysteria o r sh eep itis if there s such a complaint
“
”
Don t look at me whatever you do
begged K ath
“
”
leen
Faith I ll disgrace myself
The dinner was very bright Mrs Kentley at her
happiest conversationally
She was an adroit and
charming hostess setting the ball of conversation swiftly
rolling and the j udge was in the best of humours They
lingered long over the fl o wer d ecked brightly illumi
us ted table with its quaint old world sil ver and cut
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KATHLEEN MAV O URNEEN
64
glass appointments In her pale blue gown with down
cast eyes and sweetly demure face Maude sat opposite
to Kathleen If they looked at each other they looked
quickly away again
Lord Kilf arnh a m glancing gr avely down the table
once or twice noticed the fair prettiness o f Maude Kent
ley s face and a fl ash o f pity as it were came into h is
eyes as if he thought of somethi ng O ver a great cop
p er bowl o f late roses h e saw Kathleen almost opposite
h im while di rectly across the oval table from her an d
next to hi m sat Maude Kentley
It was in the mi dst Of an interes ting discussion on
minerals when Judge K entley was explaining that he
thought that they might be found in the unexplored
hills in the neighbourhoo d that Kilf arnh am all at once
looking up apparently at the bowl o f roses saw the
eyes of the two girls meet turn quickly away and the
corners o f Kathleen s mouth t w itch mischievously
“
”
Those curm u dgeon roses are sim ply beautiful
he
h eard Maude murmur a moment later to the girl op
p osit s and apparently apropos o f nothing f o r Miss
L yndh am sim ply inclined her head
It may have een half a second later t h at a little
satin slippered foot under the cover o f the table kicked
him viciousl y
There was no doubt about it for a
second kick followed His eyes astonished Kilf arnh a m
strove to retain interest in Judge Kentley s elucidation
and description of the mineral districts
Kilf arnh am had looked straight across to Kathleen
to find her face wearing a most saintly Madonna ex
pression her long dark lashes downcast her mouth
curved like a C upid s bow very scarlet as if her little
teeth pressed them It is to be feared that my lord
the E arl of Kilf arnh am betwixt astonish ment and a
very queer thrill about his heart every time he looked
at that wonderful copp er bowl o r rather in its vici nity,
became a rather inattentive listener
“
Are you interested in—er—e xcavations Miss Lynd
”
ham ? said my Lord o f Kilf arnh am at last w ith a vain
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T H E O LD
CURMUD G E O N
65
endeavour to see aga in those discreetly veiled eyes
opp osite
The long black lashes lifte d
Very dem ure dark
blue eyes in which flickering laughi ng lights glim
mered met his looked at him then past at her cousin
Her glance returned very swiftly and rest ed so mewhere
in a region abo ve h is head He thought that the glim
mering lights danced but could no t be sure while she
looked so steadfastly at the wall behi nd him
“
”
—
Do yo u mean f o r minerals o r for fossi ls ?
she
asked Her voice was low and very sweet its brogue
alluring There w as a quivering th rill in it like the
dancing of her eyes
”
“
“
Fossils he smiled
Do yo u know anything about
”
fo ssils Mi ss L yndh am ?
Mau d e choked silently Kilf arnh am felt a swift
movement be nea th the table beside him not in his d irec
tion but in the vicini ty of the bronz e bowl Kathleen s
gaze came suddenly to earth o r to be exact to the
contents o f her p late Sh e made a sudden movement a
grima ce as if of pain
Lord Kilf arnh am began suddenly to see light His
lips quivered He looked long and thoughtfully at the
bo wl of roses
“
”
Did I unders tand you to say
he said p o litely
“
turning to Maude Kentley
that those were— er—c ur
”
mudgeo n roses ?
”
“
Ma lmaison Madame Duprey and L I sa el
cor
“
I have never heard
rec ted Mrs Kentley in surprise
‘
of the Curm u dgeon
”
“
I think Mis s Maude has
said Lord Kilf arnh am
blandly He turned again to Mrs Kentley who was
delving in to the histo ry of all roses since t ime began
apparently
Lord Kilf arnh am lis tened politely quite aware
though h is face was turned to his host and hostess that
two very red faces an d two pairs o f very dismayed
eyes were meeting ea ch other guiltily There was a
twinkl e in the eyes of the j udge Kilf arnh a m perceived
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KATHLEEN MAV O UR NE E N
66
and he noticed that the j udge strove several times to
steer the ball of conversation out o f the rose channel
“
A hem ! Talking of minerals
began the j udge
“
once or twice
talki ng o f mi nerals Lord Kilf arnh am
But my Lord Of Kilf arnh am was ta lking in
t erestedly o f roses
The maids were clearing the table for dessert the
earl leaned back comf ortably in his chair at last and
looked at Judge Kentley
“
I th ink we were—er— launching out o n the subj ect
”
—
er
f o ssils
he reminde d him in a slo w rather
of
drawling voice A light flickered in his grey eyes in
response to the twinkle that was striving to hide in the
corner o f Judge Kentley s eyes
Neither looked at the two girls and M rs Kentley
blundered gracefully into the conversation
“
”
Don t let us talk about fossils
sh e shuddered
“
daintily
I don t think that save in the museums we
”
have any o ut here
“
They com e o ut from E ngland occasionally I e
”
lieve said th e earl languidly The j u d ge decided that
he was enj oying himself immensely and to use an Aus
“
”
t ralianism qui etly
getting his own back
The twinkle in Judge Kentley s eyes gr ew p ro
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”
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I suppose so
said Mrs Kentley vaguely then
turned concernedly at a queer gurgling sound
“
”
Maude dear aren t yo u well ?
”
“
— quite well mother said Maude in a choked
I am
”
“
—
little voice
It s the heat
”
“
O f course it is the heat
repeated the earl He
looked kindly over at poor Mau d e crimson as the red
roses in the bowl and then his calm imp ersonal gaze
drifted to the face opposite at the cheeks glowing redly
two little white teeth pressed firmly into the lip as if to
st eady its quivering
Mrs K entley looked at her daughter sti ll con
“
”
cernedly
I thought it was much cooler to night she
“
sai d
Suppose we have cofi ee out on the la wn inst ead
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KA THLEEN MAV O URNEE N
68
them swayed the great dark p ines and a fragrant
pine needled breeze swept by them
”
“
What would you care to hear ? Mrs Kentley lean
ing out o f window was saying
”
“
Anything Miss Mau d e would care to sing
said
“
Lord Kilf arnh am
B eing so o ld I think I a m—er
”
old fashi oned enough to prefer Old fashi oned songs
”
“
Irish o r S cotch ? called M rs Kentley again and
as she seated herself at the grand p iano near the win
dow sh e struck a deep rich chord
”
“
—
Something Irish
answ ered the earl He threw
his cigar away and drew h is chair nearer Kathleen
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L yndh am
.
She seeme d to him for the moment like a little fright
ened bird p alpita nt quivering but for the moment he
could no t resist teasing her
“
”
Miss L yndh am he said gravely in that soft deep
“
voice o f his
woul d you be goo d enough to enlighten
r— difl erent customs that exist between
me as to th H
”
E ngland and Australi a ?
”
“
“ —
—
If
I can
she said nervously
I
I know so
”
little I am very ignorant
She w as looking at Maude
standing by the piano outlined clearly against the light
Mrs Kentley began to p lay softly a p relude
”
“
I don t think y o u are that he said decisively He
“
bent forward a little
B ut —you could tell me o ne
”
thing so that I wi ll know and be prepared next time
He saw her face turn towards him The glow o f the
lantern fell softly o n it a d ding to its beauty
”
“
And that my lord ? sh e a sked quaintly
”
“
Is it cus tomary
he said softly for he thought he
discerned a glowing cigar end coming slowly towards
“
them
is it customa ry f or instance at an Au stralian
di nner Miss Kathl een to — er— kick the person who sits
”
opposite to you ?
“
”
Oh !
she gasp ed and sat bolt upright relapsing
“
into brogue suddenl y and d istressfully
O h ! shure
my lord ye were never knowing that I kicked my cousin
Shure twas but a j oke but it s th e shame I have in the
”
hea rt o f me
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THE O LD CUR M UD GE O N
69
Contrition was in her voice in every word She was
a little Irish colleen now half tearf ul half afraid
He closed his eyes so th at he might not see he r face
that he mi ght not think of that pictur e his ne er do well
half brother had painted the pictur e whi ch A rthur Des
mond had said grew out of hi s im agination only He
ha d no model Arthur had declar ed ha lf smil ing ; it had
bee n only a drea mf ace a crea tion bo rn of the brus h and
”
talent
“
”
But you di dn t kick yo ur co usin Kilf arnh am said
pleasantly
“ —
”
—
—
I
didn t kick my—c ousin ! sh e sa id after him
“
—
slowly as if repeating a lesson ; then su ddenly
Oh !
”
shure my lord don t say it was yo ur self
”
“
It was my se lf
He took her litt le fl uttering han d
in his held it r eassu ringly and felt his own heart— that
ha d never bea ten for any other woman— beat foolishly
no w
“
“
”
O ch my lord ! she sa id dist r essful ly
you will be
thinking the terrible things of me Shure I never did
such a thing before I di d not
You will sur ely be
”
believing me ?
“
”
I woul d sur ely be believing you he said g ravel y
Maude in the r oom beyond began to sing but for a
moment the song p uls ed by them both with no mean ing
The glowin g cigar end came nearer the dark form
behi nd it resolve d itself into the j udge He sat down
near them and nodded over to Kathl een who was sitting
very quietly still upright in her deck chair The E arl
of Kilf arnh a m was leaning back apparently considering
the stars attentively The song drifte d by them orne
on a floo d Of mel od y
Maude had a fine voice
She
coul d sing well when she liked She sang well to night
Her voice a rich soprano floate d out into the night
“
”
O ut Of compliment to you Kathleen Mavourn ee n ?
asked the j udge lazily
Th e earl stirred suddenly
A ll at once h e beca me
aware Of the song that Maude was singing very so ftly
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KATHLEEN MAV O U RNEEN
70
“
O h , K athleen M avo u rneen ,
the grey da wn is break
mg.
T he horn
the h un ter is heard on the hill
O hast thou forgotten how soon we must sever
O hast thou forgotten how soon we must p art ?
It may be for years and it may be for ever
”
0 why art thou silent voice o f my heart ?
of
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,
Kathleen had not answ ered her uncle Perhaps she
had not even heard him for now she was back in the
green ways of Old Ireland seeing again the mist d rifting
over the peat bogs the grey sheet of rain blotting out
her loved Shann on water and the great frowning moun
tains huddling together as ni ght drew in
She saw a lso a girl climbing slowly up the hill road
ca rrying a kish of turf the red light o f cabin doors aj ar
flashing o ut welcomes that never failed f o r in even the
poorest cabins the women were putting extra in the iron
“
p ot on the fire for the man coming over the
From far o ff Ireland came surely fragrance of wild
heather and fragrant thym e borne on the kind breast
of the win d that went softly lilting through a garden
here
There were many things in Ire land that ate at the
heart o f her that had saddened her to her heart s core
but she forgot them now She only saw the p ale sun
sh ine streaming Out over the hills and the vall ey or the
weeping ski es and the drifting cloud mist
Perchance too sh e saw a day of days when the wan
dering artist who se name she had never known had
come and gone o ut o f her life so swiftly ; ha d painted
her She remembered that first day well when carry
ing so ds o f turf homeward she had paused by the Bridge
o f th e Twelve Arches and had looked into the adoring
eyes of the young artist who with su ch a way with him
had begged her to let him paint her For no money
would Kathleen— f o r the very pride of her heart—have
’
bee n any p ainter s mo d el
Perhaps the artist kne w that for though he stayed in
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An
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stra nger o r visito r.
,
71
THE O LD CUR M UD G E O N
big tourists hotel on the other side of the Shannon
“
he had said bitterly once or twice that he was as poo r
”
as a proverbial church mouse
He had a h abit that
artist of talking aloud as he worked He had gone out
o f her life and the world had come to an end
She had never known even his name ; and pride an d
Celtic fatalis m forbade her aft erwards ever inquiring
Through all the intervening yea rs the ache had never
It grew and resolved into p asionat e throbbing
di ed
whenever she thought of Maude and her artist lover the
lover who unlike that unknown artist brought the gift
of happiness to the woman he loved
How diff erent
he must e to that lover who came to Killaloe the lover
wh o had love d so lightly and as lightly ridden away
Some day she wondered drearily they might m eet
Her heart throbbed at the thought that grew now into
passionate longing She did not hear the Earl o f Kil
farnham sp eaking She was listening only to Ma u de
who was singing ever so softly
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hast thou forgotten how soon we m ust sever ?
O hast thou forgotten how soon me m ust part ?
It may be for years and it may be for ever
O
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CHAPTE R IX
TH
“
C ALL
E
OF
.
L IF E
.
O h Love !
At the loom of life ye w eave
Tell me then shall I always grieve
”
O r are y ou spinning me j oy to day ?
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The glory Of the days in Australia called Kathleen
The wind that lifte d the
L yndh am always forth early
snowy muslin curtains blowing them gently inwar ds
was fragrant with the incense from the awakening earth
and dew wet eucalyptus golden wattle blossom and the
thousand subtle odours gathered from the aisle upon
aisle o f trees and the wide p addocks streaming into far
distances Something new an d subtle seemed to sweep
in o n the breast of the fresh and fragrant wind o f the
dawnin g day
Kathleen lying in her white bed saw the first finger
where
o f the sun light beat upon her latticed window
early roses still in bud nodded gaily O n the potpourri
win d of the dawn came to day a strange indefin a le
sense o f hop e o f new interest in life of pleasure in all
the dear earth things flower and bird and beast The
merry chatter of the brown minahs the noisy starling
in the eaves the lowing o f the cattle turning out of the
night s pasture towards the milking sheds the homely
barking of the dogs all bec ame at once something inti
mate part of her of her life
Lying there in the wide spacious room Kathleen c o m
mun ed over the p ast year B eyond that she would not
look only a line Of pain crept about her sensitive mouth
and sh e drew a long breath
“
”
—
I will never forget him never never ! sh e cried
passionately as sh e had crie d to every dawn that broke
since that night o n the ro ad by Shannon water ! B ut
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72
THE C ALL O F LIF E
73
to day a new note was in her voice to day a new and
”
“
despai ring desi r e
O h ! but if I only coul d !
There had been it seemed to her no savour in the
years since that day when a travelling artist strolling
o ne day nonchalantly into Killaloe had strolled as non
Looking back at the
c h alantly in and o ut o f her life
years Kathleen L yndh am saw herself as but a creature
in a dream mechanically taking her appointed road
j oi ning in the life about her and yet in her inner self
Was it the awakening o f spring that
no t part of it
stirred new strange feelings in her heart so that sh e
awoke thi s morning as never before wi th a strange
hal f j oyous sense o f exp ectancy
Kathleen had suffered silently but then the more
deeply that suff ering had ca rved no deep and craven
lines up o n h er fair young face b u t it had left its traces
on h eart and brain She felt as if she were some crea
ture who had been long u nconscious ins e nsate waking
slowly to a rea li sation o f the worl d about her In her
white night gown she went to the window looking down
o n the dew wet garden at the broad shafts o f sun light
flo oding th e little world abo u t her with light
She th rew out her arms as if she would gather it all
to her breast the tender beauty o f the budding flo wers
o f the garden steeped in sunshine the long green pad
docks streaming beyon d the sombre whispering o f the
pines the tall silver eucalyptus gums whose slender
poles were whitely naked against the darker backgroun d
o f fir and elm
“
”
O h world ! dear world ! sh e cried softly to it all
“
It is you wh o are helping me you are giving me your
healing but is there ever a flo w er in your garden th at
”
will bring me forgetfulness ?
Half an ho ur la te whil e the household w as wrapp ed
in slumber the girl w ent softly o ut of the house peep
ing in quietly as she passed Maude s d oor b ut Maude
was sleeping soundl y her fair hair streaming over the
“
white pillows She smiled in her sleep
She is think
”
ing Of him said Ka thleen with a sob in her throat
She made h er way slowly through the garden pausing
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KATHLEEN MAV O URNE E N
74
a moment here and there bending over a fl ower inhaling
the p erfume gathering a cl uster Of p ink rosebuds and
tucking them in the waist o f the pale blue gown she
wore
”
“
I wonder what he Arthur is like ? she mu se d as
“
she went along
He is an artist but then all artists
are not alike T hi s man loves Maude ; he is a gentleman
”
— O ! shure why do I think abo ut it at all !
She turned away from the garden then following a
path that led by the little c reek o ut into the p addocks
where sheep were browsing and bleating contentedly
and now— and half unconsciously— she was thinking o f
the earl who in the last few days seemed to have become
someone whom she had known for years H e and the
judge were out nearly all day d riving about the district
for the E arl of Kilf arnh am had
a nd insp ecting land
e xp ressed his intention o f buying land in Australia and
aft erwards came the ni ghts when all sat and chatt ed
together or Maude with the rose —
light o n her fair face
sang the sweet old fashioned songs that drew them all
strangely together
Kathleen ha d often noted how thoughtfully the earl
looked at Maude when he apparently considered himself
unobserved After that night on the lawn the E arl of
Kilf arnh am had drawn into an armour Of reserve that
was not reserve His face in repose was cold a little
sad the lips pressed as if life not nature had re moulded
them His hair almost white sweeping back from a
wide brow gave him di gni ty
Kathleen was a little
afrai d o f him she knew not why and found he rself this
morning asking why he hated all women as Maude s
fian c é had asserted he did — p erhaps not h ated but all
the same had decided to live out his life alone
She flung herself down on a green bank by the creek
watching the stream o f water as it trickled over the
stones For a long while sh e sat there very st ill think
ing of the past and Of the present wonde ring wha t the
future hel d She turn ed at the so und Of footst eps and
looked u p into the E arl Of Kilf arnh am s face
“
Go od morning I have been watching you fo r quite
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KATHLEEN MAV O URNEE N
76
figure—Kathleen ,
in her white dre ss and the white
shady hat wreathed w ith roses
”
“
O h ! no no !
Lady Alicia had answered somewhat
“
hastily
B asil had invested in prop erty o ut here It
is o f cou rse all Kathleen s now I — we all hope that
she will marry out here
There are so many eligible
”
young men also paying her attentions
He ha d been made aware before that very afternoon
of the truth o f the latter statement The j udge and
M rs Kentley had given a garden part y and every time
that Lord Kilf arnh am saw Kathleen L y ndh am she was
certainly receiving plenty o f attention from the male
sex The E arl o f Kilf arnh am had been reserved and dis;
trait that afternoon and was in the same mood after
dinner Something o f that same look was o n his face
new as he stood looking d own o n Kathleen on whom
th e flood o f sunshine was pouring
She wore no hat
and her hair was knotted softly o n the nap e of her neck
Little curls loosened from the silken snood of blue
waved softly about her face She was very young and
sweet and virginal looking as sh e sat there in the morn
ing sunshine the Celtic melancholy in her eyes that he
noticed always came there when she thought herself
alone or unobserved
“
”
The morning is glorious
he agreed He lifted his
“
face to the fragrant breeze
That blossom in the tree
above with its pale golden cup and d elicate silver
”
fringe what is it called ?
“
”
E ucalyptus blossom
She rose and stood beside
him O n a low branch near a few blossoms hung She
"
broke them o fl and o ff ered them to him
“
”
Thank you
He took them looking down at them
“
She could only see his stern profile
Are you fond o f
flowers
”
“
“
I like the wild fl owers best she said simply
They
always appeal to me most Violets f or instance ; garden
violets are beauti f ul at all times but for fragrance for
sheer purple loveliness th ere is nothing like to the wild
violets that grow here Shure just to see them in the
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T HE CALL O F LIFE
77
early morning the dew yet on them an d the green grass
”
about them is all o ne might wish for
He turned an d walked slowly by her side still idly
“
carrying the eucalyptus blossom
There are no sham
”
rocks o ut here ? he questioned
”
“
O h ! the dear sha mrock ! she said with a quick in
ta ke of breath She looked with misty eyes at the land
“
scape before her
The dear shamrock is Of my own
land my Ireland
He opened his lips to sp eak then sud d enly thought of
Mrs Kentley s words Afte rw ards he remembered how
nervously his h o stess had played with a silken tass el o n
h er go wn as sh e had told the little story of Kathleen s
life
The day was very still broken only now and again by
th e reedy note o f a magpie warbling in the brushwoo d
They wa lked o n in silence watching the sun rise slowly
over the low hills
That afternoon Kathleen rode with D enis Kilf arnh am
Maude an d her mother had gone to the little country
to wn that was holdin g its usual yearly sports festival
and a bazaar in which M rs Kentley was interested
Kathleen who had a slight headache elected to stay
behi nd for the afternoon go ing over with them afte r the
evening dinner
The j udge an d the earl had gone o ut early on their
usual land hunting or mineral seeking ventures Thus
it was that Kilf arnh am coming back unexp ectedl y in
the early afternoon found Kathleen L yndh am perche d
on the library ladder seeking for something to read He
came through the op en windows sta rtling her with the
sud enness o f his entry
The pile of books fe ll with a
cras
“
”
Shure you startled me ! she said and then laughed
“
”
brightly
Where s uncle ?
“
”
“
He has gone to the baz aar he said
He thought
—
u
o
were
all
there
I
c
a
me
here
because
well I have
y
seen so many baz aars but I promised to go this evening
”
for an hour
H e stooped and picke d up th e fallen
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KA THLEEN MAV O UR N EE N
78
“
”
boo ks
I am trying to find something to read
she
co nfessed
“
He w as turning the books over smi ling wry ly There
”
are no modern authors here I see
“
No ; neither my aunt nor Maude read very much
Uncle does no t care for novels as a rule
I seem to
have travelled past the stage Of life when I would find
”
these interesting
with a comprehensive sweep o f her
“
hand
They are pretty and simp ering but they are
”
not life as it is as it is lived
“
Will yo u come for a ride as the bo oks have faile d
”
“
”
yo u ? he asked suddenly
O f course you can ride
He did not know that Kathl een had never been on a
horse until she cam e to Kentley station She rode well
however and as they w ent soberly along at first Kilf arn
ham p erhaps pictured her racing down the Irish roads
and over the wild h ill country with the morning breeze
stinging the face and the green worl d dipping under
the feet o r a pack o f hounds slipping the lea sh to the
sound of a wi ld hallooing
At a word from Kathleen and a touch of the whip the
horses raced bris kly down a hill and then galloped gaily
along a road bordered with odorous pine and leading at
last far o ut into the op en country
A mile o r two fur ther onward rose the broken outline
of lime cli ff s and there a road ran past steep and
dangerous with its sudden curving and dipping
Cantering along gaily the fresh wind in their faces
Kathleen felt as if she were once more the girl she us ed
to e— that little Irish colleen of the hills ide whose wild
Celtic heart had not yet greeted sorrow To the left far
away rose a line of hills and the great black sho ul der
o f one was like to that of a mounta in in Killaloe when
the sun is low or a rain shadow broo ding near
They paused at a farmh ouse on their way an o ld
grey white house near the roadway leaning towards the
broken paling fence but within spotlessly clean A sign
flapping shakil y in the wind announced refreshments so
they went in The c ool shadowed best parlour with its
qua int antimacassars over faded brocade d furniture its
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T HE CALL O F LIF E
79
go rgeo usly coloured wool flowers under a glass bowl , and
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wedding cake zealously preserved under its glass shade
cast an old world atmosphere about th em both and d rew
them in tangibly nearer together O utside on the ver
andah two parrots were chattering A grey cat came
in viewed the visitors superciliously then unbending
c ame over and rubbed itse lf aga inst the girl s knee
Kathleen and the earl had a glass o f mi lk and some
home made scones just fresh from the oven while the
cheery faced farmer s wife had bustled in an d o ut The
doo r opened again more slowly and a little face p eered
in It looked at them both with half medi tative half
inquisitive eyes
”
“
—
I am little D enis
a sma ll voice announced
proudly
”
“
O h ! come here then little D eni s
Kathleen gave
“
”
DO Mavourneen now
a little cry o f delight
She
held o ut her arms coaxingly and slowly the child came
in r osy checked blue eye d his tangle o f misty golden
curls blowing about his face He carrie d a little grey
“
”
kitten in his a rms
The Old p uss brought it f or me
he informed th em gravely
”
“
O h little boy
said Kathleen in a half whisp e r
She gath ered him u p in her arms little kitten and all
and held him tightly F or the moment she forgot the
earl sitting gravely back in the shadow but now when
she lifted her face suddenly remembering she saw him
looking at her with a curious half light ha lf shadow in
his eyes The child prattled On happily hol d ing up the
kitten for Kathleen to caress and snuggled against her
breast
Deni s Kilf arnh am saw the colour quicken in her
cheeks a little trembling take p ossession o f her as her
eyes met his
“
”
O h ! the dear dear soul ! she said softly and now
a deep trembling note came into her voice She turned
“
to him
S hure my lord yo u will be aft er loving the
”
little children too
“
His answer had been but a monosyllable as he turned
h is face to the open doo rw ay where the green grass
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KA T R L E E N MAV O URNEEN
80
wavered in the sunl ight far beyon d and beyond again
the lo w blue hills huddled There was in his face a sad
ness in his eyes a longing that sh e did not see f or her
face was pressed to the golden head o f the little child at
her breast and the mother longing that is in every
woman w as in the young heart Of he r
At the sound of his voice cold and strained she ha d
wondered and thinking that h e wished to be gone she
rose putting the little child regretfully from her look
ing after him as he ran still prattling happily to the
door that led into the roo m beyond The little D enis
stood on the threshold a moment p eeping round the
corner of the d oor his blue eyes sparkling the kitten
purring against him
“
”
Goo d bye p itty lady he said His smile enveloped
them both as he vanished
They went slowly o ut to where the horses were
tethered and rode again into the sunlight the drowsy
day enfolding them and now Kilf arnh am noticed that
the lips of Kathl een L yndh am were pressed tightly
together set as if in pain
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CHAPTE R X
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K AT HLEEN A C C EP T S A F R IE NDS H I P
.
“
Love came at first in such fair guise
The veil un lifted from his eyes
I could not know the treachery
That lurked behind the witchery
I only know when true love came
Into my heart swept leaping flame
Showed me a shining path that led
Where ne er alas ! my feet might tread
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Unconsciously each bus y with their o wn thoughts
they turned to the right leaving the winding river and
the roofs o f C ragh urst behind the m A little while and
Kathleen w as back again in Killaloe hearing the so und
of many things in the flowing Shann on Water and in
her heart now was a longing the p rimal longing o f all
women for a home f o r a little chil d such as the o ne who
had prattled at her knees The road grew rough the
landscape more bare strewn with stones and in the
nearing dis tance the rugged l ime cl iffs beyond showed
white in the sun O ver all the warm glow of the sun
fell shi mmered waveringly o n the tin huts of the dis
tant quarries o n the men bending at their work the
dray horses plodding heavy footed o n their way
Si d e by side they rode o n in silence Now and again
Kilf arnh a m gazed about him noting the dark planta
tions o f ta ll pines whi ch ro se abru ptly here and there
o ut of the barer la nds cap e
an old white bridge that
rumbled ominously as they passed over it and then an
unexp ected curving dip o f the river singing over the
sha llows between treeless trunks Kathleen looked up
suddenly She checked her ho rse and pa use d looked
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81
KATHLEEN MAV O UR N EEN
82
back over the way they had come o ne hand shielding her
eyes from the sun
”
“
We are two or three miles o ut o f o ur way sh e said
in a note o f surp rise She smiled and her eyes met his
“
as always wi th engaging frankness
Wherever h ave
”
We are o ut on the lime cli ffs road
o ur thoughts been ?
He too had paused sitting his horse well ; and now
he also looked back over the win di ng roa d at the dark
and distant lines o f trees and then ahead at the bare
country about them with its isolated houses the crude
tin sheds o n which the sun glared B eyond over the
lime cliff s a heat haze quivered spirally upwards
”
“
We can go around the kilns
She pointed with her
“
whip to the curve in the road
It s a bit rough here
an d there but it is much shorter and after we pass the
southern cliff s the road winds almost in a circle back to
”
C ra gh urst Which road shall we take ?
”
“
Whichever you prefer he answered Then with a
“
—
smile
Are the c lif fs at all dangerous ? They app ear
so fr om here and you know I promised to bring yo u
”
safely back
“
”
There is a nasty gully on o ne side
she admitted
“
but it is over a mile from here I don t think how
”
ever there is any danger unless o ne has a restive horse
She patted the head o f her mount a ff ectionately
“
Prince has never been known to be guilty o f such a
”
thing
“
”
We will go that way then Miss L yndh am he said
“
lightly
Is there not a song about the longest way
”
round is the shortest way home ?
“
”
Shure that is but a song for lovers she remarked
and then blushed vividly
“
He looked at her strangely
Do you know anything
”
o f love Kathleen
he said suddenly Neither noticed
at the moment the use o f her name
“
H
“
”
NO
she exclaimed sharply ; no
There was a
note in her voice as if S he cried out a challenge to fate
to memory and then more quietly she said— I say no
because I do no t believe in love or maybe I should say
”
my own capacity for loving
She was silent a moment
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KATHLEEN MAV O URNEE N
84
“
”
“
But you are not o ld she broke in swiftly
Oh !
shure y ou were ever so much younger than we thought
You see we did not know you
La dy Alicia never
thought to explain so— s o o h ! I kn ow you forgave us
”
long ago
Unconsci ously she had reine d nearer to him
and both instinctive ly paused
”
“
There was nothing to forgive
The rare smile that
came so seldom flickered across his stern face
“
”
—
Yo u are not angry ?
“
I was never angry I remember the feeling I had
was o f distinct amus ement little Kathleen Well are
‘
you going to give me you l hand here and now as pledge
o f your friendshi p
When I go away very soon
“
”
You are going—soon ! sh e said regretfully H e
was holding her hand in his strong clasp her little
fingers were white against his tanned brown hands so
strong an d sure
“
”
“
Very soon he answered gravely
I would like to
”
think that when I have gone you will remember me
“
”
—
O h ! I will I will ! she said quickly Tears c ame
“
into her eyes
I have not so many frien ds that I do
not need another I had not one real friend until I
came here I used j ust to ache for one friend above all
”
others who would understand
”
“
Let me be that friend Kathleen
he said gravely
The light that she could not un d erstand was flickering
again in his grey ey es
”
‘
“
But y ou are going away sh e said
Parting means
”
the ending o f friendship
“
”
“
—
Not always he said and then very slowly
Some
day if I may Kathleen I shall come back but I am not
sure if I may be welcomed as I woul d wish It is so
soon
B oth turned quickly at the sound o f a crash that rang
startlingly loud out o n the quiet air A horse broke
suddenly o ut of the p aths by the lime cli ff s broken
harness trailing behind and the figure o f a man follow
ing outline d sharp ly against the white line of clifi s The
runaway swept out o n to the track ahead o f them circled
sharply and dashed a w ay h eading f or the sheer line of
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KATHLEEN ACCEPTS A FRIE ND SHI P
85
cliff s rising white and menacingly out o f th e r ock strewn
lands cap e
It was all the work Of a sec ond when the pony leaped
from under Kathleen L yndh am The girl caught the
reins held them tightly clung desp erately to the sa d dle
for Prince was Off like the w in d o n the trail o f the first
runaway
“
”
God ! said Denis Kilf arnh am between clenched
teeth and he brought the whip down savagely o n h is own
horse that had reared a ff righted The wild clatter of
horse s hoofs were ringing o ut a whi rl o f dust ahead of
him and he saw Kathleen deathly white still clinging
the pony fleeing in wild unreasoning fear
”
“
Kathleen ! Kathleen !
di d sh e hear him calli ng
aloud as he swept on while in h is heart he was saying
“
dumbly over and over again
The gu lly by the clif f s
”
—
God
the gully by the cli ff s !
He who had fought for his country in the hour o f
need who had never known the meaning of the word
fear knew it now kn ew the reason for the w oman he
loved was in imminent danger E ach second as the
pony tore o n its way intensifie d the danger each
brought nearer that dangerous gully the high broken
jagged wall Of cliff s Prince swung around the turn
sharply but safely Kilf arnh am tu rni ng white and sick
a s he saw Kathleen ha lf reel in her saddle then sw ing
back again
He was closer behind now racing steadily but it
seemed so slowly and hopelessly
Suddenly the grim
line o f the cli ff s rose tall and sheer and the narrow path
edging the gully came swiftly in sight with its ominous
boarding and scarlet lettering
Kilf arnh am gave a great so bbing cry when he saw
that the fence edging the great gully w as d own That
first horse stood blackly silhouetted for a moment against
the white wa ll of the cli ff s the trailing harness hanging
brokenl y then there came suddenly a shrill neigh of
terror that the cliffs seemed to echo and re echo a thou
sa nd fold
There was a crash ing sound of boulders
rolling loosened ; another shrill half human cry then
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KATHLEEN MAV O UR NEEN
86
no other sound in all the world it seemed but the
thun d erous o n rushing beat Of the hoofs o f the fear
maddened anim al Kathleen L yn dh am rode
Kilf a rnh am s brain swam for a moment He saw th e
blue sky the fading gold on the world about him the
white mocking glimmer of the broken cli ff s the great
dark gash of the gully that cut canyon like and blackly
across his vision
Sub consciously he heard men s voices somewhere in
the rear th e galloping o f other hoofs ho ars e cries an d
w arnings that were all too late Against that white wall
of death th ere fl ashed the dark figures of a horse and its
rider F or one grim terrible second all sight and sound
went from Kilf arnh am and he was clinging inertly to
the saddle as his horse leap ed forward almost unseating
him Then all at once he raised himself from the saddle
an d dis entangled one foot from the stirrup
The black mouth of the gully yawned just in front of
him as with a bound he threw himself forward at the
horse and its rider that rocked beside him balancing
almost on the edge Of the gu lly it seemed There was a
sickening j ar reins that cut through the hands like live
wires sc o rching into the very bone it seemed then
h orse rider and he came down together
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of an elusive gr ey mist sp lashed here an d there
with red and from a confused wandering through count
less p assages in what app eared to be his old home in
E ngland Kilf arnh am came slowly back to consciousn ess
He thought he heard his mother c alling him very softly
very brokenly then the voice changed and there came
the sound o f a girl s sobbing in his ears and the touch
Of soft hands as Kathleen L yndh am slipp e d on her knees
beside him
“
”
It is you ? he said drowsily and smiled ; but a
twinge o f pain sent his lips white His voice sounded
loud in his own ears
He op ened his eyes distressed that for some reason or
other Kath l een w as c rying wildly She bent over him
O ut
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KATHLEEN ACCE P TS A FRIEND SHIP
87
again He felt something wet and cool against his brow
the warm splashing as Of tears upon his face His lips
move d and sh e bent her head to hear
“
Kathleen Mavourneen Dear
H e o pened his
eyes widely
He was lying on a rough improvised stretcher in o ne
o f the tin huts
There were men roughly garbed b ut
kindl y o f face in the room and one o f them wa s shaking
his head lugu brious ly
Kilf a rnh a m turned then winced with a spasm of
“
”
agony
What is it ? he said He made another e ffort
to rise and this time succeeded although his face went
whi te and the p erspiration came in tiny bea d s on his
forehead
“
”
It s only my shoulder
he said He smile d st iffly
“
as he looked at Kathleen
Would you go out of the
”
ut for a while ?
he asked gently
She went very white
“
”
It s all right he said reassuringly though his lip s
“
were tw isted with pain
Any o f the men can fix my
”
shoulder in again f o r me It is very simple
“
”
As the men said afterwar ds to him he was game
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CHAPT ER XI
TH
“
E
.
E ARL D E C LARE S H I S L OV E
.
have closed the garden an d locked the gate
And flung the key of an empty heart
Into the ruin o f faded fl owers ;
Nothing now matters—nor love nor hate ;
”
I have closed the garden and locked the gate
1
,
.
,
Kilf a rnh a m still a little pale lolled back
the pile
of cushions on the long verandah chair and listened con
tentedly to Kathleen who comfort ably ensconced in a
huge silk ottoman of crimson
was reading poetry
aloud O ver by the window Maude s p retty/ f air head
wa s bent over a truly marvellous piece of embroidery
like indeed with its many colours to Joseph s coat
It was half past five in the afternoon and the sunlight
danced in pale radiance among long and ever shifting
shadows o n the wide lawns Summer was passing very
slowly but unmi stakably Kilf arnh am sighed unc o n
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“
Are you tired ? asked Kathleen Her clear gaze
”
“
met his
O r are you only tired of Browning and me ?
“
O ne could never gr ow tired o f Browning
he smiled
“
down at her rather gravely o r you Have not I neatly
”
said the right thing required of me mademoiselle ?
”
“
—
Then it is the pain again ?
She laid down the
book concernedly
“
”
Yes but it is in my heart to day
he said in a low
voice and he nodded swiftly towards Maude embroider
ing by the window and humming softly and happily
”
“
—
About him ? sh e whisp ered
“
“
—
He nodded
Partly
Then aloud
I think I
would like a stroll in the garden Will you come Miss
”
Kathleen ?
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88
,
THE EARL DECLARE S H I S L OVE
89
Her heart beat a little fast she knew not why Kil
farnham and sh e had walked many times in the pleasant
ways o f the garden since the never forgotten day o f the
acci d ent There had been many nights and days o f
physica l suff erin g for Kilf arnh a m and sympathy
brought him very closely into the home life o f the Kent
leys The j udge had ge nially sa id that if it were not
f o r the physical sufl ering endured he would bless the
accident because it prolonged the stay of their guest
That stay had nearly ended for that very morning
had the earl at breakfast announced that owing to a
cable he had just received an d urgent busines s needing
him at home he would be returning by an early boat
Perhaps it was then that a longing for her home land
came to Kathleen L yndh am for her eyes grew very
d ark and wistful
and all day long sh e had been
strangely preoccupied
As Kathleen and Kilf arnh am walked slowly through
the garden a few drops o f rain fell spattering and
uncertain They looked up at the sky over which a
ragged cloud was trailing blotting o ut momentarily
the sunlight
“
”
It is only a shower said Kathleen
“
”
Let us wait in here
said Kilf arnh am They were
passing a summer house overgrown with greenery and
“
autumn leaves and he stepped aside f o r her to enter
I
want to talk to yo u to have yo u quite alone to myself
for a few moments Do you ever notice what a very few
”
minutes o f your society I get per diem ?
“
”
W h y I am always dancing attendance upon y o u
she smiled
“
But I never have you quite to myself You all c ling
so closely and happily together here Will yo u sit d own
”
here beside me Kathleen ?
Wondering a little her heart beating rather quickly
she did so He bent forward and his right hand covered
her clasped hands
“
Can yo u guess what I am about to say to you Kath
”
leen ? he asked gently and he moved closer to her and
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KA TR L E E N MAVO UR N EEN
90
the
han
d
s
that
l
ay
with
apparent
i
ndi fi erence in
f ted
li
,
,
i s.
“
”
“
I love you little Kathleen
he said simply
I
love you Kathleen do you think you ever can care
for me a little in return ? Woul d yo u marry a man who
is quite twenty years your senior who loves yo u de
”
v o t edly who would do his best to make you happy ?
As Kathleen sat beside him in the half light her head
bent with the sunshine filtering again through the leafy
canopy over head sh e felt as if every word knocked
with imp etuous hands at the long barred gate o f her
“
”
heart
A gate that will never op en again to any man
she had sai d to herself bitterly and something that had
risen within her quivering ex ultant died away as
swiftly
“
”
I love you Kathleen
said Kilf arnh am slowly and
“
distinctly
No other woman will ever take your place
”
in my heart even if you bid me go from you for ever
She felt strange slow tears gather and tremble on her
lashes and when at last she turned and looked at him
he saw that her eyes were violet sombre with the shadow
of o ld remembered pain She shook her head in silent
an swer unable to speak
”
“
—
—
Then yo u coul d not care for me dear ?
She could no t answer
B ending his fine head he
looked into her eyes looked and saw no t only the tears
upon the long dark lashes but the shadow behind them
that haunting shadow which hitherto had been vagu e
and elusive
“
Some of the light went o ut of his face
Tell me
”
Kathleen
he insisted unsteadily He lifted one little
hand o f hers to his lips and kissed it reverently She
”
“
remained silent
Is there after all someone else ?
H e looked at her and now h is heart was in his grey
eyes It seemed to him that that heart ceased beat ing
f o r a moment
She nodded The heavy tears began to creep down
her cheeks now He wip ed them away with the little
lace handkerchief that ha d lain o n her lap unheeded
With set pale face he looked down at her bent head
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KATHLEEN MAV O URNE E N
92
“
“
”
A dream picture he went o n
Do you remember
the fir st night we met there in the shade of the trees by
”
the lake ?
Yes She remembered The hands so cold in his
trembled slightly
“
I had been thinking then o f a picture I saw in Lon
don a picture over which men an d women raved
It
was a little Irish colleen barefooted short skirted in
faded green a kerchief o f flame o n her head her dark
curls blowing damp from wind and sea about her face
”
—
The face was yours yours Kathleen
She shank back from him with a sudden low cry
She pulled her hands apprehensively from h is and now
sh e turned her head abruptly so that he could see only
the dark waving hair and the white o f her slender
neck
“
”
Wh at is it child ?
He drew her gently down on
“
the rustic seat again
Have I startled yo u ? Does it
seem so strange with your Celtic beliefs and feelings
that the face of a dream girl shoul d be so like you that
I should feel that it called to something in me long
dorm ant that it struck long silent cor ds in my heart
and— that afterwards I coming across th e seas should
”
find you here
She had only one thought that sh e must utter no cry
must not swoon
The feathery spray o f creeper sh e
mechanically plucked from the leafy wall was crushed
”
“
and broken in her hands
A dream girl
sh e was
half whisp ering
”
“
Yes
His hand went gently to her hea d smoothed
its waving darkness She thrilled under his touch but
“
did not move or look at him
It was a wonderful
creation most life like and inspiriting The spirit o f
Ireland w as in it ; Celtic fatalism and melancholy in
every line o f the face yet the man who painted that
wonderful picture w a s strange to say a ne er do well
a scapegrace one whom I had grown to think w as blind
to all real beauty unutterably selfish hankering only
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THE EARL DECLARES HIS LO VE
93
for the pleasures o f the world He was not a goo d man
Yet he pain ted that most exquisite thi ng I wish you
”
might see it Kat h leen Perhaps some day you will
“
”
”
“
What is it like ? she whisp ered
Tell me
She
had grown very calm She moved a little from him and
leaned back against the wall her face pale in the half
light The sunset was hovering over the world without
and with it came the long shadows
“
It is a full length study o r rather as I said before
a dream reproduction It is only a little Irish colleen
who se eyes haunting and haun te d follow one wherever
one goes There are tears in them Kathleen and when
you looked at me a moment ago dear heart it was as
the little face that l ooked out of the picture frame and
gripp ed the hearts o f all the sightseers at the grand
”
salon
Kathleen was quite silent for a while then she asked
“
”
—
quite qui etly
Who was th e artist ?
After a moment he said with bowed head as if re
mem ering and p erhaps regretting what he had said o f
“
that unknown artist
My half brother Art hur Des
”
mond
She did no t move The hands folded so loosely in
her lap never trembled She seemed to have ceased to
breathe Very plainly she heard the faint slow lapping
of the river against the banks a hundred yards below
It brought h er back the memory o f one other river
singing and babbling still in her ears across the years
a nd it seemed to her that years ago as well as now sh e
had sa t o r dreamed she sat through j ust such another
scene as this
“
Inadvertently I mentioned to you that h e the artist
”
Kilf arnh a m was
and my brother ha d many faults
“
saying and th ere was trouble in his voice
Forget the
”
wor d s Kathleen for he is going to marry Maude
”
“
“
He is going to marry Maude
she rep eated
Yes
she is embro idering a table centre no w that o ne you
”
saw to day
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KA T R L E E N MAV O UR NE EN
94
It seemed to her a foo lish inadequate thing to say
with no rhym e or reason but he did not app ear to notice
Her brain had a cur ious numbed fee ling as if a great
weight were on it She remembered o nl y feeling lik e
that twice before once back in the d ear days o f Ireland
when love went out of her lif e and in that hour when
D enis Kilf arnh a m lay unconscious by the frown ing lime
cliff s with a dark gully dropping steeply hideo usly
near and a broken horse on the yellow ground
“
”
I might have known
something in her brain kept
”
“
saying dully over and over
I mi ght have known
“
“
”
Maude loves him
Denis was saying gravely
I
am afraid he will wrec k her life f or Arthur a las will
never love anyone half as much as himself Still I am
hop ing they will fin d happiness I will make the road
”
He turned
o f life as easy as I possibly can for them
“
to her wistful ly
I Kathl een since you will it so
must tread the path of li fe alone
”
“
O h why do you love me
she cried ina d equately
”
“
I am not worthy
“
Hush dear It is be cause you are worthy You are
my ideal o f all that is good and sweet and pure Kath
leen It is written in your fa c e
”
“
It can never be
she said in a strange flat voice
and all at once there came indeed a longing that it might
be possible that sh e might find shelter and comfort in
those strong kind arms
”
“
Are yo u sure little Kathleen ? he was saying
hoarsely
She saw again the wide reach of the S hannon water
flowing un d er the bridge of the Twelve Arches and out
a flash o f dark
o f B allyv alley saw a cabin door aj ar
against the dark threatening bulk o f the mountains
Suddenly the
saw many many things at that moment
light o f the hills ide vanished as if a giant hand blotted
out its e x istence and with its vanish ing the light also
had gone out of her li fe They were only the dark mo un
tains Of Killaloe huddl ed b lackly against the night one
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TH E
95
EARL DECLARES HI S L O VE
shoul d er flung out indomitable as Fate irrevocable as
Fate s decrees
The little river still babbled its way
through the garden but now she hear d instead a song
that the Shannon water was singing a melancholy
lament like to an Old crone crouching by a dead fire
and crooning o f the past
“
”
O h ! I am sure
she whisp ered hea r t brokenly
“
quite quite s ur e
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CHAPTE R XII
MINI A T URE
TH E
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.
“
There is somethi ng more than earthly eyes can see
”
More than earth knowledge can explain
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“
D o you believe in premonitions asked Maude She
came to the open doorway that separated her cousin s
room from hers
Kathleen lying o n the broad frille d divan near the
circular window turned her head from a contemplation
the fast darkening world without and looked at
of
“
Maude
Premonitions ! What a question to ask a
”
Celt but sh e spoke absently
“
”
“
Well
said Maude gaily
I have a premonition
that something most wonderful is going to happen very
”
shortly
”
“
Something most wonderful
rep eated Kathleen
“
”
and smiled faintly
Whatever can it be
“
It d oes not concern h is E arlship but someone who
”
shall be namele ss
Maude laugh ed and moved back
into her room as the dressing gong rang She began to
take down her hair and brush the long fair mass shin
“
ing golden in the light above the pier glass
I may say
I have a premonition about his E arlship that I m not
prepared to voice at present The other— o h the other
”
is something most wonderful and into which I enter
Kathleen closed her eyes Her brow wrinkled and
sh e put o ne hand over her eyes
“
”
Head still aching ? querie d Maude concernedly
“
”
—
N O that is yes
Kathleen sa t up among her
cushions
“
”
—
A n d your premonition Maude ?
‘
”
“
O h it s to be a secret
cried Maude gaily
Even
from you Mavourneen because—o h ! I m not quite sure
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96
.
97
T HE MI N I A TURE
Of when the something w on d erful and une xp ected will
”
happen
”
“
Whatever are you talking of now ? sa i d M rs Kent
ley s quiet voice and its owner peep ed into the room
“
for a passing moment
Is it a spiritualistic di scus
”
sion ?
”
“
No premonitions mother d ear said Maude lightly
She began to hum softly and happily as she searche d
among the pins on the silver toilet tray
”
“
said M rs Kentley over
1 have a premonition too
“
her shoulder
and it is that you young p eople will be
late f o r dinner if yo u do not hurry The gong wi ll
”
so und in another moment
”
“
What are you going to wear Mavourneen ? asked
Maude busily engaged in ins p ecting her own war d robe
O h not that black Kathleen ; it makes you look so— so
”
triste
”
“
I feel very triste sometimes
said Kathleen She
b rushed her hair simply back from her face and coiled
it in a loose knot low on her neck
“
Wear white ; your new white gown Kathleen Just
think you have never worn it— and it s not to o elabo
“
”
rate
Mau d e paused and added
considering every
”
thing
Kathleen made no an swer
“
Considering that the dear curmudgeon has o nly a
”
Maude came
fi w more nights with u s Mavourneen
slowly into the room followed by the maid whom the
She sat down on the divan
girls shared between them
and watched the robing process with interest
“
You look awfu lly sweet in spite o f your headache
“
”
to night
she informed her cousin
and accordingly
”
—
—
the heart Of er father will beat accordingly
begged Kathleen in a low voice A li ttle
line o f pain came about her lips that Maude could not
see
Maude K entley shrugged her shoulders and laughed
“
”
lightly
We shall see what we shall see
she said
“
enigmatica lly
Marie take a few of the pink roses to
”
give mademoiselle colour
Maude preened he rse lf be fore the tall pier g l ass an d
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KA THLEEN M AV O URNEEN
98
now and again as she moved about her room there came
through the open door little snatches o f happy song
”
“
Mi ss Maude is happy
said the maid She smiled
mysteriously as of one who has knowledge and nodded
her head once o r twice as she pinned the pale clus ter o f
roses among the laces o f Kathleen L yndh am s whi te
gown
Maude turning out the contents o f her j ewel casket
and searching for some especial tri nk et began to sing
again very softly very sweetly
“
I love my love
And my love l o ves me
W h at matters then dear heart
”
Sev ring land o r sea
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Suddenly Maude stopp ed singing and gave a little
cry o f surprise and delight She came into Kathleen s
room holding aloft a slender chain and a tiny locket
that sparkled dully in the light sending o ut gleams o f
blue and quivering flame
“
“
”
My opal locket sh e cried
Kathleen I thought I
had lost it years ago and all the time it was in an o ld
”
forgotten casket
The locket swung o n its slender shining chain as
Maude kissed it rapturously
My little locket M av our
“
”
neen
My first present from Arthur
sh e explained
and it holds the only portrait I ever had of him Arthur
”
always hated posing for a photograph
“
”
—
His portrait ? said Kathleen She went over t o
the window and drew up the blinds The darkness had
gone from the garden and moonlight lay faintly on the
world without O verhead the slim crescent moon w as a
tiny boat sailing slowly o n a quiet sea d ark blue with
the fish ing fl eets o f the stars clustering here and there
together
“
Yes Mavourneen ; yo u remember what I once told
you about the little miniature that Arthur had esp ecially
”
p ainted for me ?
“
”
I remember
Kathleen answered
Through the open window the moonlight fe ll in a
broad panel o f light dancing hazily by her and pa rt o f
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KATHLEEN M AV O URNEE N
1 00
shot herself because o f —o f his d esertion Someone was
cruel enough to tell mother that version and mother
was cruel enough to beli eve it I woul d never never
”
doubt Arthur
She too k the l ocket from Kathleen and
kissed the pictured face passionately
Kathleen L yndh am hardl y knew that Maude was
speaking ; to her for the moment even the mere sound
She
o f a voice became an almost unendurable thing
felt like a wild hurt creature ready to flee into the
sheltering arms of the ni ght outside
Maude 8 voice
went o n and o n to Kathleen like a dim ree dy monotone
far away ever growing fainter
She closed her eyes for a moment and now it seemed
that the pictured face o f the miniature had as in a
dream turned suddenly into a real presence that the
face o f Arthur D esmond pressed again st the window
where the bar of moonli ght fell so steadily She op ened
her eyes quickly
“
”
“
An d to night
Maude was saying gaily
to night
o r at latest to morrow morning
Kathleen Mavourneen
”
I will tell you why I asked you about premonitions
The dinner gong p eeled its deep mellow note There
was a sound on the stairs above as o f footsteps d escend
ing the j udge s genial voice and then the sound of
Kilf a rnh a m laughing heartily over something the judge
was saying then Mrs Kentley s voice amused but
faintly protesting
Maude in her room made a silent curtsey as they
“
”
passed o n the landing outsi d e
And you my lord
“
she said softly laughter dancing in her eyes
yo u
”
also shall kn o w
Kathleen Opened her lips as if about to speak her
eyes o n Maude s flushed and smiling face Maude was
fastening the slender chain about her neck The locket
hung down glimmering in the light and red flame
wavered from the Opals as she moved
”
“
Let us go
said Kathleen su d denly and with
Maude s arm about her cousin s shoulders they passed
out of the room t ogether
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CHAPTER XII I
.
ART HU R D E S M O ND ARRI VES
.
“
Life is a little circle where we tw o sh all meet
Whether we progr ess o r stan d st ill
”
S ince fate hath so decreed
,
.
Maude Kentley brought to the di nner table to night
a buoyancy o f spirit and simmering under current o f
happiness that surprised them all Seldom had her eyes
shone so brightly or her laughter rung so sincerely and
the colour ebbed an d flowed gaily in her cheeks
”
Heard from Hubert Al dersh am lately ? queried the
j udge ca sually once
”
“
Hubert ? she smiled without her usual petulance
“
No father ; why should
She turned her head once or twice o n her face a look
as o f one listening
Kathleen L yndh am on the contrary was very quiet
a lmost distrait Kilf arnh am looking across the table
once o r tw ice at her unconscious face thought she was
most wonderful in the sh inin g white gown and the pink
roses clus tering at her breast the soft warm skin faintly
pink above the soft laces of her gown
She j oin ed little in the conversation and th at a h
Afterw a rds they all went out on to the lawn
sently
The night was a little col d a sense of chill in the air
Maude excu sed herself immediately after dinner and
went to her roo m on the plea of letters to write
“
”
The English mail closes to morrow Alicia
the
judge suggested to his wife as she prepared to seat
“
”
herself o ut o n the lawn
I have already posted mine
Alicia Kentley wonderin g a little was about to rep ly
when she caught the judge s eye She looked over her
shoulder then at two figures outlined in the m oonlight
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1 01
KATHLEEN MAV O UR NEEN
1 02
Kathl een leaning forward in her chair an d Kilf arnh am
holding a wrap he had brought from the house
“
”
There is a chill in the air to night
Kilf arnh a m
was saying in his deep voice Neither he nor Kathleen
L yndh am seemed to see the judge and h is wife standing
a few yards away o n the shining gravelled p athway
“
They will thi nk it strange if we do not j oin them as
”
usual said Mrs K entley hesitating
The j udge laughed softly and tucke d her arm in h is
”
“
We too were once young
he said softly and he
tweaked playfully th e grey lock o f hair that blew about
“
”
h is wife s face
They will never even miss us Alicia
“
—
Aloud he said
The wife and I are OE for a walk I
trust you two young p eople can entertain yourselves for
”
a few moments
Kilf arnh am made some laughing reply They moved
o ff
and a little later the couple o n the lawn heard the
j udge singing in his deep baritone and apparently
apropos of the night
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“
Night o f stars
And night of love
“
”
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”
Will y o u play on the harp to night ? a sked Kilf arn
“
ham
I have never heard yo u play remember and yet
the j udge tells me that Often in the shelter of your
room o r when we are away that you will sing and play
f or hours
Don t yo u think that selfish ? In a few
”
nights I shall be gone—Kathleen
“
“
”
Yes
I will play for you to night
sh e answered ;
Yo u must not exp ect to o much from me however
I
know but the simple little songs o f my o wn land ; they
seem strangely o ut o f place here in Australia where
conditions are so di ff erent We are an unhappy fettered
race prisoned and shackled by sup erstition It is for us
as if somewhere behind the looming clouds the sun is
shining but the clouds hang heavily an d ominously and
the sorrow to all our hearts is that it is o ur own who
might disp el the shadows and will not The curse o f
”
the clo ud hangs over us
“
Some day— there will be light
His voice w a s
deeply stirred
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KATHLEE N MAV O URNE E N
1 04
“
she sai d f o r the little colleen of the song maybe had
a di ff erent story to th at of th e co ll een of the pict ur e
”
—
Listen you shall hear it
They were alone in the gar den—in all the w orl d, it
seemed All around them wavered the moonlight h eat
ing p ast them O nly the little white satin shoe was o u t
of the half shadows that held them a little shoe on
which a silver buckle glimm ered dully Very so ftly her
face pressed against the golden carving o f the ha rp she
A moment later rose her voice tremb li ng
e gan to play
at first not powerful b u t very sw eet the soft contralto
o f the Irish
Leanin g forward in his ch ai r Kilf arnh am listened
intently The words rose softly out o f the night in the
tender Irish brogue that warms every heart if ever so
small a d rop o f Irish bloo d forgotten or unforgotten
flow in the blood
“
O ch ! the little green val e that I loved tis there me
heart is turnin
T i s there is som eth m g call ing me at morn o r even
tide
’
Though here s the hub o everything an gran d this is
with learnin
For the old world is a great place—there s many
roads an wi de
“
Faith there s silken gowds an imeralds o f them I
would be takin
I could drink from out a silver cup an dine like any
queen ;
An great nobs with cockaded hats bow d own at just
my sp akin
With M y lady this M y lady that all at my w ish a
ween
“
Sh ur e I used to dream 0 this in a c abin by the
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c lea rin
A
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,
sittin o n some gr een hillside o r c anterin o er the
plain ;
‘
The very winds went wh isp rin by ! M avourneen a r e
ye hearin
The d eirdries song in sunshine an the h ush oo in the
r ain
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AR T HUR D E SM O ND ARR I VE S
1 05
she forgo t th at Kilf arnh am
sat in the shadows beside her In the garden the air
was very still and fragrant ; on the wi de lawns the
m oo nlight ebbe d and flowed a sea of silver and the tall
black pines dreamed on ben eath the sta rs As she sang
o f the little colleen who had loved not wi sely into her
voice grew a deeply mournful note
It was a little
broken heart ed colleen who sang no w
As Kathl een p layed
on,
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“
Sh ure I ve forgotten many things ! but more I d be
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I ve missed my father s blessing an my mother s
many a year
But I wish I d be f o rgettin thi s —a little colleen sittin
O n a lonely ro adsid e with her youn g eyes full 0
fear
“
Sitting there her kerchiefed head bowed neath l ove s
late sc o rnin
With her mi nd all dead it seeme d o n her heart a
load
Tis all she took aw ay wi d her that grey N ovember
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,
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mornin
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The never dyin memory o f a long and dusty road
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Her voice rose and fell ever so softly and at la st died
away into silence O nly for a moment and then she
began to sing a brighter lilting song of Erin
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“
The green ways o f Old Athlone
They call an d call to me
0 ! come ye back to Ireland
And come ye soon to m e
The wind that stirs the shamrocks here
Shall greet ye far away
The cabin door is op en wide
”
Come back noreen to day
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Perhaps Kathleen had a fancy as the yearning rose
in her voice that it woul d carry over that silver sheet
O f moonlight down the roads that lead to the sea over
all the worlds and the ways of the waters between
The fancy grew and changed and no w for a moment
she w as a child pratt ling at the knees o f the o nly mother
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KATHLEE N MAV O URNEE N
1 06
she ha d known that Old silent grandmother wh o with
the years grew more and more silent until at last she
slipped into the greatest silence of all Her voice
lingered o n the last notes and when th e music at last
died down to silence and the strings of the harp no
longer trembled she sat very still
“
”
Kathleen
said Kilf arnh am hoarsely
His hand
went out closed o n hers and for the first time sh e felt
her little hands thrill responsively within his
She turned her head an d looked at him her eyes like
st ars
“
”
“
Kathleen the wonder o f it was in his voice Kath
leen Yo u will go back to Ireland—soon ; we will go
”
back together
Was it the m us ic the fancies borne o f the music that
carried her away for she said very slowly and as if
weighing each word for the very happiness it contained
—“ Yes —w e will go together ” Then as suddenly she
shrank away her face very pale and pulled her hands
away
But he would not let her go so easily He bent for
“
”
ward
Kathleen he began A flood Of light poured
The hall door somewhere
o ut on the gravelled pathway
o n the verandah Op ened widely and Maude stepped o ut
then seeing them c ame across the lawn rapidly ex
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c ited ly
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O h ! Kathleen ,
”
sh e
breathed Her eyes were like
“
”
stars
Kathleen
She slipped o n her knees o n the
lawn beside her cousin s chair as if unnoticing o r un
heeding Kilf arnh am for the instant but when he moved
an d rose sh e put o ut o ne hand to stay his departure
”
“
“
Arthur is here
cried Maude to them both
He
made the trip as a surprise O f course we knew that
he intended to come but not that he would be here quite
”
so soon
She rose and turned impulsively to Kilf arnh am who
had als o risen and laid her hand upon his arm
”
“
Say that you too are pleased
He looked down into her young face a young happy
face on which sorrow had never carve d a line as yet
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C HAPTE R XIV
RE CO GNI TION
.
.
“
Words lightly spoken
”
From oft an heart broken
An early mist was trailing over the creek and the low
hills in the background and in the swaying grey green
branches of the eucalyptus a magpie was carolling It
flew away a second later beating right acro ss the path
where Maude and her fianc é were slowly walking
“
”
O ne for sorrow
quoted Maude ; she laughed j oy
ously her hand on Desmond s arm and then looked back
“
at the house
Are all the men fo lk still asleep Arthur ?
I know mother is and when I went into Kathleen s room
”
an hour ago she to o was dozing
“
The j udge and D enis are in the billiard room As
for la belle cousine sh e will be down for dinner to
”
night ? asked Desmond carelessly
He was not in
t erested in relations and had pictured rather contempt
uo usly what this cousin would be like
This cousin
hailed from Irelan d he had gathered from the little o f
Maude s conversation that revolved around anyone but
themselves She was therefore probably the old maid
typ e o f elder sister o r cousin to be found in many such
o ld homes
Though this was but the second day o f his stay at
Kentley Station he was more than content with h is
surroundings
The big house and the beauty o f its
setting app ealed to him It stood on the crest o f a low
hill crowned by a mass o f high rugged rocks that
seemed flung there by some long dead volcanic force
O n the slop e ro se the stately grey an d rambling house
on which the clinging autumn leaves were turning now
to a glory of crimson and brown and gold Far o ff was
an amphitheatre o f hills
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1 08
RE C O G NITI O N
1 09
The house site sloped to wide pastures and gr eat
clumps of planted pin es and field after field with their
wea ther grey fences In th e hollow three miles away
lay C ragh urst with its whi te cottages and here and
there the more modern red roofs rising out of mist of
”
greenne ss
”
“
Autumn is a lmost here
Desmon d looked up at th e
glory o f russet and red leaves rippling o n the wall at
“
the W ind s passing
and next autumn little lov e
He bent his head tenderly without finishing the sen
tence
Th us it was that Kathleen L yndh am saw them pass
below her window late in the afternoon o f the same day
She could not see D esmond s face but his dark bent
head the well remembered figure and profil e were all
too familiar and brought back with a sickening rush Of
feeling d ays out of the dead years Long after they
had gone un til the first be ll t inkled across the silence of
the house Kathleen stood there her face pale a hunted
look in her eyes She had both her hands pressed to
her heart as if to still its wild beating In her room
the maid was arranging what sh e w as to wear at the
di nner f o r Lady A licia in deference to the ear l who
would shortly be leaving and to her future son in law
had invited several of the C ra gh urst fo lk an d neigh o urs
around C ragmorto n Station
Later Maude rushed in f or a moment on her way to
“
her own room
O h ! yo u are coming down to dinner
”
“
after all ? she said breathlessly
Such fun ; Arthur
exp ects yo u to be an old maid and I have let him think
so What a pity those serious C ragh urst crowd are
coming otherwise I woul d get yo u to dr ess the part
”
Arthur is always in the drawing room
she blushed
“
consciously
quite fifteen minutes before d inn er If
y o u could get a black mantilla and a grey wig now and
”
go down a nd pay your resp ects to him
She laughed
gaily as she vanished into her room
“
”
Do go down in any case
she called thr ough the
“
wall
I haven t had my bath yet and I m sure to e
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KA THLEE N MAV O UR NEEN
110
l ate
I m l ate now as it is
A moment later sh e was
in the bath room singing
“
I love my love
”
An d my love loves me
Kathleen her lip s set and white dressed in silence
She looked at her war d robe thoughtfully choosing at
last a ch ifi on and silk gown o f pal est pink simply but
a rtistically cut its train adding height and clinging to
her slim figure F o r the first time that Marie the maid
could remember Kathleen L yndh am used rouge for her
lips and ch ecks
Kilf arnh am struggling with a refractory tie saw her
go slowly down the wide corridor that led past his half
op en door pause a little uncertainly and then turn
towar d s the drawing room His heart beat fast boy
ishly as he finished dressing flinging things about hur
riedly in a way that made his valet pause and ponder
Kathleen L yndh am crosse d the hall slowly the soft
rustling of her dress the only sound O n the threshold
she paused Her heart began to beat in slow heavy p ul
sation She did no t hear Kilf arnh am o n the thickly
carp eted corridor above her or looking up see the worl d
of love and longing in h is eyes He saw her hands go to
her brow sa w her hesitate and stare at her reflection in
the long hall mirror then p ushing the dr awing room
door gently sh e went slowly in
Arthur D esmond had been interestedly studying a
painting by an Aust ralian artist— just a group o f black
pin es wind bent huddling back from the sea with a
shining path lit redly as if with sunset in the fore
ground
“
By jove Mau d e ! there is life and breadth in this
”
thing
he cried enthusiastica ll y without turning for
“
the moment
O ne can a lmost smell the sea ; o ne can
”
almost see those trees bend to the win d
”
“
It is indeed very clever p eople say
said a clear
high rather a ff ected voice he thought as he turned in
“
amazement
It is o ne of Laurie Taylor s—o ne o f our
”
Australian artists
A w on derful vision— a rose—h e co ul d find no other
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KATHLEE N MAV O UR NEE N
112
The light to uche d the girl s proud face lingered on
’
,
her hair her exquisite lovely face o n which the rose
colo ur glowed o n her scarlet lips questioning as her eyes
”
“
Yes I am Miss Kathleen L yndh am
Kilf arnh am
heard her say There was quest ion in her voice and to
Kilf arnh am a strange di ff erence
It sounded hi gh a
little strained in his ears There was not th e slightest
trace for th e moment o f the faint bro gue It w as as if
she had with strenuous eff ort striven to elim inate it
“
”
L yndh a m
Arthur Desmon d rep eated in a st range
voice He moistened his lips as if they were dry
“
Kilf a rnh am stepp ed into the circle o f light
My
”
—
brother Arthur Miss L yndh a m
He introduced them
“
Yo u have no t been introduced as yet I know
gravely
”
Are yo u better Miss L yndh am ?
He bent ove r her
hand deferentially then seated himself by her
Kathleen had turned her head away from D esmon d
as if no longer interested in him She was smiling as
she talked to Kilf arnh am
”
“
Miss L yndh am
said Arth u r Desmond suddenly
”
“
—
have you ever been in Ireland Killaloe ?
She turned looked at him with eyes which held no
“
express ion whatever save perhaps o f boredom
I was
“
”
born in Ireland sh e sai d
Killaloe ? O h ! yes I have
been there many tim es I suppose It is considered a
”
great to u rist resort yo u know
”
“
—
Do yo u know B allyvall ey ?
Did sh e know B allyv alley ! B allyvalley nest ling in
the hollow and b lack against the night th e mountains
o f Killaloe
”
“
So many names be gin with Bally
K athleen Lynd
“
ham said indi fferently sh rugging he r shoulders
I
really— forget
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CH APTE R XV
TH
E
.
F AM O U S P I C T URE
.
“
A storm in the world outs ide
”
And a storm in the heart
,
.
“
O nly seven days more and to think the girls thought
,
you such an 0 1
”
“
Curmudgeon
supplemente d the earl with a
twinkle in his eyes
He glanced across at Kathleen
L yndh a m sitting in her favourite attitude o n the wide
stone step Of the verandah and looking at them all as
if mus ingly elbow o n knee an d o ne hand shielding her
face—the little p erfect face— in whi ch the bright colour
always glowed so steadily lately
Mrs Kentley at a small table in one corner o f the
verandah busy with the proj ects o ver still an o ther
baz aar in still another cause looked up and sm iled
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”
But you ve qui te forgiven them now
she sa i d
“
Maude dear do put your hat o n if you will p ersist in
”
sitting o n the lawn You know you freckle so
“
”
I thought o ne only got freckles in summer pouted
Maude She drew a little hand mirror from the vanity
bag she generally carried and s urveyed herself com
O nly four freckles and small ones at that
p la c ently
she turned to Arthur D esmond who was rather distrait
“
and moody this morni ng
Arth u r can you see even
”
the suspicion of another freckle ?
He smile d a trifle mechanica lly and perhaps his eyes
als o flashed for an instant to Kathleen L yndh am and the
flight of gr ey st one steps
”
“
S ixteen an d seven
said Mrs Kentley with her
“
usual delightful vagu eness
sixte en and
Sum
mer is over Maude or it should e Thi s is a u tumn of
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118
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KATHLE E N MAV O URNEEN
114
cou rse and u sually we have rain and all sorts of things
such as mists and fogs Sixt een and seven—can anyone
tell me what six teen and seven is ? Anyho w the weather
”
is ehaving itself very nicely
“
”
“
Twenty three mother said Ma ud e
D earest you
are getting w orse and w orse at figures W h o says
”
tennis ?
“
”
I m to o comfortable
murm ur ed Kilf arnh am
sleepily He closed the book he had been reading until
a moment ago when the drowsy quiet had been broken
by the app earance from three di fierent qua rters of
three di ff erent people Tilting his garden chair com
fortably against a convenient beech he closed h is eyes
“
”
I a lso am to o tired
declared Kathleen looking at
“
no
I walke d miles early this morn
e in particular
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on
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ng
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Kilf arnh am op ene d his eyes suddenly
“
Wh ereve r
“
and was that why you were
”
.
did you go ? he asked ;
”
late at breakfast ?
“
”
O h ! all along the river
replied Kathleen answ er
”
“
ing both questions and it was why I was late
”
“
I saw you Miss L yndh am
said Ar thur D esmond
Her long lashes lifted She looked at him langui dly
an d there came no change of colour in her face although
her heart leaped H e had seen her Had he seen a lso
that hour o f agony of mind when she had fl ung he rself
face downwards on the wet grass ?
“
”
“
Did you ? she said indi ff erently
Aunt Alicia
”
to day p romises to be as hot almost as summer
“Fo rty eight and— and
What w as it Kathleen ?
O h ! yes ; but the barometer says it is going to change
It takes some time to get used to the A ustralian climate
In the morning it may be warm and before evening you
will be shivering with the col d an d c lamouring for a
”
fire
She turned again to her pap ers Forty eight
forty eight and
“
“
”
I love fires
said Maude
I am sure if I had a
l ife before this that I was a cat a nice sleek contented
Persian cat whose conception of heaven w as a h ea rthru g
”
and a fire
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KATHLEE N MAV O URNEEN
116
he su d denly op ened hi s grey eyes and they rested o n
hers
She felt angry at herself for the throbbing her heart
all at once gave Her eyes fell O ver there paying
court to his fianc ée on the lawn was the man she Kath
leen L yndh am had loved whom she surely now loved
She vaguely wondered now why she had qualified her
statement She had purposely avoided Arthur D esmond
He was the a fii anc ed lover o f Maude
o n every occasion
—Maude loved him
She woul d never tell aught to
Maude that would break her trust in her lover
Instinctively sh e knew that Denis Kilf arnh am was
anything but pleased with h is half brother s unexpected
visit and often when he c o nisdered himself unobserved
There was
sh e found him watch ing D esmond oddly
often in that gaze something half surprised half doubt
ing an d once o r twice he had bitten his lip sternly and
looked away frowni ng as if at other m emories
Perhaps there came thoughts that he never voiced
alo u d of many escap ades of Arthur D esmond s youth
o f ever accumulating piles o f debts o f the gay careless
ness and selfishness o f the half brother he had once
dearly loved before that half brother had time after
time tricked and betrayed him Wh at could he exp ect
Would the love of this girl Mau d e Kent
o f him no w ?
ley change in any degree the life o f Arthur Desmond
that life to which many women had brought love ? Kil
farnham said no word o f his thoughts of h is fears o f
the future o f his wish that into Maude s life would
come someone more worthy ; but he grew very silent in
those last few days Kathleen however with Celtic in
tuition read his every thought almost
“
”
—
Ta lking o f sheep or was it cats ? sa id Mrs Kent
“
ley with her usual v a gueness
Does anyone know
”
when Hubert A ldersh am is returning ?
She laid down
her pen and sighed contentedly as sh e closed her account
“
”
books
I m nearly right anyhow
she always con
soled herself
”
“
O h mother !
protested Maude in laughing re
“
p roach Her face went red
How can you ! We were
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THE FAM O US PI CTURE
117
talking of sheep nor altogether o f cats but of what
we were in our former lives S urely dearest you don t
”
mean to imply that p oor Hubert was a sheep ?
Kilf arnh am and Kathleen laughed heartily esp ecially
at the look o f amazement on Lady Alicia s face
“
”
“
O h ! said sh e in horror ; o f course not Maude
How can y ou ! Yo u know what I think o f Hubert
”
what I always will th ink of him
”
“
Yes mother I do kn o w said Maude complacently
M rs K entley came o ut to the verandah steps beam
“
ing d own on them all
How everything is fad ing
You should
But those autumn leaves are beautiful
”
paint them one day Arthur
“
”
“
I will a slow flus h came in his cheeks
I would
like to make a study of you all beginning with yo u
Maude against that background o f the grey tower and
”
the fluttering autumn leaves
“
‘
And you woul d call it Sere and yellow leaves I
”
“
su ppose ?
mocked Maude
No w tell me ho w you
”
woul d paint Ka thleen ?
He looked across at Kath elen who had moved a little
She sa t very still an d straight o n the stone steps her
hands clasped in her lap Her eyes met his in di fferent
cold unrecognising A wild wave Of fury surged sud
d enly within him a desire to break down that inso lent
langour that unrecognising calm that air o f quiet avoid
an ce
He waited until the tide o f passion receded shaken
“
”
by its force
I would like to paint her
he began
“
slowly
as a colleen a little wil d haired wild eyed
colleen in the rain— the ra in beside the Shannon
”
water
Maude clasped her hands gleefully Kathleen never
stirred She shrugged her shoulders
“
”
It sounds very picturesque
she remarke d indif
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f erently
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Maude wrapp ed up in her lover had hardly noticed
how Kathleen s voice and manner ha d changed lately
until now She n oted it now with a puzzled look in her
eyes
“
T h e idea was something similar to your famo us p ic
,
,
’
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.
’7
KATHLEEN MAV O URNE E N
118
”
“
You mean the little fis h er girl ?
said Maude
“
ea gerly
O h ! Arthur did you bring a copy o f it with
you as y ou promised I know ever so many friends in
the city who hearing about it think that you should
”
give a p rivate or public view o f it
D esmond saw that Kathleen winced then that her
hands tremble d a little
”
“
You brought a copy with you ? asked Kilf arnh am
interestedly
“
I brought the original painting with me strangely
”
enough ; but my boxes have not been forwarded as yet
“
Desmond said suavely
W hen it does come— which
may be any day— I think I will do as the Gallery
authorities cabled me to do—loan it to the vario us gal
That was really why I brought it
leries for a while
”
with me
“
“
”
O h ! I wish
sa id Mrs Kentley
that you would
lend it to me for the bazaar in the meantime Loo k at
the crowds it woul d bring and in such a good cause
too I can t remember what the picture was like but I
d o remember how the p eople crowded to see it in Lon
”
don she smiled more kindly than usual at Arthur
”
“
“
I can t remember it either
sa id Maude
I w as
”
—
engaged
She dimpled
so much
Kathleen said nothing She was conscious that Ki l
farnham was uneasy upon her accoun t
“
”
It is just an Irish colleen began De smond a little
flushed
“
”
O h ! bo ther your colleens !
sai d Maude laughing
“
”
and frowning
I told everybody it was a fish er girl
“
”
A dream creation
said the earl softly
Desmond glanced at him quickly then his mouth set
in a hard line f or a second He looked at Kathleen Lynd
ham
“
’
I would like you to see the picture Miss L yndh am
“
he sa id courteously enough
She— the picture has a
”
most astonishi ng likeness to you
“
”
“
It has
agree d the earl
I told Miss L y ndh am
”
about it some time ago
“
”
Wh at is the name of it again ? sai d Mrs Kentley
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C HAP TE R XVI
TH E
“
RO AD
or
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ME M ORY
.
A wo man s heart is a strange thi ng
”
An d a woman s so ul who kn ows ?
’
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’
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“
Ra the r strange th aW e shoul d meet again after a ll
“
”
these years he said and t hat I sho uld fin d you here
”
of all p laces
Kathleen in the big chair before the library fir e
stirre d a little She still held in her han ds the book o f
poems sh e had been reading The slim grace o f her the
wonderful violet blue o f her eyes w as accentuated by
the morning gown she wore some iri d escent creation in
which violet strove for supremacy over the curious in
w oven grey blue
“
”
How st range the diff e r ence of place and garb
he
w ent o n an d now a faint sn eer in his vo ice voicing his
“
fury at her continued cold aloofness
T o day you are
a young society lady whom everybody seems more or
”—
“
l ess inclined to rave over even
with emph asis— even
”
my Lord D eni s Ki lf arnh am
She took up her book op ened it with a quiet ge sture
of dismi ssal Her full p erfect face bent over it This
morning she were no rouge the clear p allor o f her face
haunted hi m brought a hundred closely thronging
memories
“
O nce long ago in Ireland
he began
She lifted her eye s Their proud hostility cha ll enged
”
“
How strange it is
her voice was
hi m to continue
“
level very cold
to find you here making love to my
cousin I little thought in those days to which yo u so
p ersistently refer that I would have the hono ur o f
”
some day acknowledging you as my cousin
That little insolent p ause filled him with anger, that
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1 20
THE R O AD O F ME M O RY
flam ed at th e mocking laughter of her eyes
1 21
He fro wned
.
sullenly
”
“
Taking your place my d ear Kathleen
he sug
gested
“
N o t at all my d e ar
She shrugged her sho ul ders
”
Arthur
Her mimicry was p erfect
“
”
“
I remember
he began furiously
I remember
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H
“
”
I forget
she interrupted mockingly
She
turn ed her head an d her eyes went to the side windows
“
I see Maude o ut on the tennis court I think sh e is
”
w aiting for you
He looked at her came nearer his face furiously red
then suddenly the blaze of anger d ied out of his eyes
The weak lin es about his e ff eminate mouth deep ened
“
”
“
Yo u forget ? he s ai d
Kathleen tell me do you
”
forget ?
“
”
Shure and I have already told you so
She sighed
“
in exaggerated wearin ess
And it is her fianc é now
that wo ul d be keeping Maude waiting at tenni s
“
”
“
D
tennis ! he said fiercely ;
every
d
”
bo dy !
“
”
Kathleen raised her eyebrows
Faith
she said
“
seriously enough
those are queer sentiments to be
”
getting up with in the mornin g
B ehind the flicker of merriment in her eyes he saw
h idden pain He came to her side bent over her There
was entreaty no w in hi s eyes
“
”
“
Kathleen he begged hoa rsely
Listen to me ; l et
”
me explain
“
”
There is no need for any e xplanation she sa id and
n o w her mouth set in a firm lin e and l ost its usual
A nd
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But there is
he insisted vehemently
D o yo u
think I am a sto ne statue that can sit day after day and
watch you note your insolent air towar d s me as if for
”
you I do not e xist as if I never e xisted
She put down the book and looked at him then
I
—am begi ni ng to wonder ” she said There was p ain
n
— questio nm g in h er voic e as she watched him He was
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KATHLE E N MAV O UR NE E N
1 22
changed but little His face h is voic e his eyes all
w ere sur ely the s ame as in those years gone by Was
it th en sh e who had chan ged ?
She stir red restlessly asking herself h ow she came to
sit there in that qui et library so calm and cool aft er
all these years when the man sh e loved was so near
She ha d often when the burden of li fe seemed a lmost
too hard to bear in those old days on the hillside of
Ki llaloe set her life on a dream stage as it were closed
her eyes to the everyday duties and surroundings ; and
when she had worked in the p oor cabin or dug potatoes
or carried the drie d p eat from the bank o f the o g it
h a d not been the scene around her daily life tha t she
sa w
No she had b een in a littl e hom e sin gin g ab out h er
w ork a bride happily waiting her husband s home
comin g a t dusk an d in the cradle a little child o f their
love an d lif e to gether Perhap s some o f th e o ld heart
hunger for D esmond the same love came back to her
no w sh o ok her for a moment with all its force for in a
little while sh e gave a l o w cry an d covered her face in
h er hands
The ne xt moment as if understanding what was in
h er mi nd
Desmond strode across from the window
w here a moment ago he had moo dily gone and l eaning
over let h is hand fall roughly p ossessingly o n her
“
shoulder
Kathleen
I have never forgotten you
never—d own in the depth s o f my heart I swear it
O nly last year indee d I went back to K illa l oe to thf
old w ays by B allyvalley Yo u had gone— no one n
where O ld Mag E ast sa id you had gone to Ame
N ow that I am here that we are here together I w ant
”
to e xp lain ; I want to j ustify myself
“
”
It is too late
she said
“
”
It is not too late
She rose They faced one another their hea rts h eat
ing Across at the tennis court Maude talking to Kil
f arnham l ooked over her shoulder once or twice
impatiently evidently w ondering at the absence of her
cavalie r
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KATHLEEN MAV O UR NE E N
1 24
“
N O no
She interrupted him sadly
The little
colleen is dead Arthur
She died over in ould Erin
The hills keep and guard her the oul d hills of Killaloe
where the Virgin walks at night and guards the little
“
”
colleens
She was sobbing softly now
The more
esp ecially those too tender hearted those to o loving
colleens The little colleen yo u painted by the Shannon
water is dead Let her sleep ; let us both write requiesc a t
”
in p a c e over her and forget
She dr ew her hands from h is and her voice grew
hoarse ; her eyes were shining with tears
“
”
Leave the little colleen there Arthur
she begged
“
gently ; leave her there A man played with her heart
for a while an d then threw it aside when he had tired
K athleen L yn dh am who knows a gr eat deal of the world
and its ways is someone els e—someone who will never
come into your life again Kathleen L yndh am though
her o wn heart broke again Arthur would never be the
means of breaking her cousin s heart Will you remem
”
b er that if you forget all else ?
“
”
—
I will never forget never
he cried passionately
H e bent forward imp etuously a ru sh o f words on his
lips and thus it was that Kilf arnh am and Ma ude
Kentley entering the window saw them
Did Maud e also hear those last impassioned words
Kilf arnh am suddenly pale wond ered and di d the
sudden transition from light to the comparative dark
n ess o f the ro om obscure them from h er gaz e ?
“
”
O h ! there yo u are you two !
Maude called gaily
“
enough
Wh atever have you been d oing— d iscussing
”
bo oks ?
“
”
We were
admitted Arthur candidly
He was
“
standing by the mantel his face rather pale
Miss
L yndh am was j ust telling me sh e had been foolish
‘
enough to cry over E ast Lynne
“
”
“
O h y ou baby
said Maude boyishly
Why the
tears are in her ey es still Come Arthur I have surely
H urry Kathl een if you
waited long eno ugh for you
”
want a game
They went laughing out o f the room and Kath l een
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THE R O AD O F ME M O RY
1 25
with a murm ured excus e to th e ear l left the room
hurriedly
Kilf arnh am saw her cross the hall and mount the
stairs very slowly He staye d for a long while in the
library his elbow o n the mantelshelf looking down into
the empty grate The book Kathleen L yndh am had left
Perhaps his ears had de
o n the divan still lay there
If not the p ur
c eived him he kept saying to himse lf
port o f the words he had heard maybe had a different
meaning— Kathl een Often unconsciously phr ased words
di ff erently in the quaintnes s o f her musical so ft brogue
Arthur an d she might indeed have been ta lking of
E ast Lynne ; have perhaps drifted into a conversation
Of latter day stories from real life o f what one o r the
other might do in similar cases
Arthur might have
been dramatically quoting a sentence from one of them
That was it surely His heart lightened
He picked up the book to return it to its place on the
shelves among the rows of nove ls y Annie Swan Mrs
Humphrey Ward an d Evelyn Everett Green
East
Lynne ! How the o ld book had power to stir the hea rt
even in remembrance o f those days of youth when o ne
over its pages had blotted the pages with tea rs
He
turned the pages thinking o f the d ays of youth the
dreams and ideals o f youth He would read again that
chapter in which Isabel went out from her home a child
st ill in heart It was then that he saw o n the title page
“
”
as on the cover the words S elected Poems
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C H A PT ER XVII
F R AYI N G S TRI N GS
“
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’
Hop e s slender cord that bound them
”
Has snapp ed as frail cords must
.
,
They were all in the drawin g room talkin g gail y
ab out the b azaar It w as a little after five but already
dusk w as falling In an hour it would b e almost dark
f o r th e days grew shorter an d night fell early now
M rs Kentley had invited the usual leadin g folk from
C ra gh ur st to gether with those interested or likely to b e
interested in the bazaar About a dozen young folk had
been included with them and now they crowde d roun d
the drawing room fire for the day was exceptionally
chilly and outside a drizzling rain was beginning to fall
”
“
Just enough to make it feel all the more cosy
de
c lared Maude sitting in E astern fashion on a scarlet
“
cushion in front of the fire
Can t you hear me j ust
”
purr ?
Near her A rthur D esmond w as the centre o f a very
admiring and also very young gr oup Of girls who were
han gin g o n his ev ery w ord He was at his brightest an d
wittiest more so than Maude had ever remembered him
and shrieks o f gir lish laughter punctuated his solemn
discourse for he w as p osing as a clergyman in chief o f
the function and solemnl y preaching to the help ers on
their several duties in connection with the bazaar
The mistress o f C ragmort on Station smiled vagu ely
approvingly as sh e p eeped in on them occasionally then
went b ack again to the older coterie toasting their to es
b efore her b oudoir grate
O ne came across strange packages eve ryw here heaps
of gaily coloured flo w ers f or draping and ro lls of vivi d
art m usl in
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1 26
KATHLE E N MAV O URNEEN
1 28
glance quickly a moment after at Maude s p ro fil e bent
ver
the
glowing
ruby
beads
she
The
w as threading
o
o f the fir e beat on them and they glimmered red
as oo d
“
”
Will you come for a walk Miss L yndh a m ? said the
“
earl casually
I notice y ou have come to the end of
your task and so you will be the o nl y one idl e B esides
you have already told us ho w you love a walk in the
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You ll be late for dinner
chorused several voices
“
”
Miss L yndh am don t let him lure you outsi d e
”
“
We will keep you something in the oven promis ed
“
Arthur solemnly but a frown came into his eyes ; that
B ut we can give you heap s o f work
is if you will go
in the p aper fl o w er lin e over here You may have ev en
”
a seat of honour at my right hand
”
“
Kathl een has done enough
sai d Maude without
“
l ooking up from the ruby beads
If you two will go
out in the rain and if y o u will come back half drowned
and with a nice attack of pneumonia you will find the
doctor s number scratched o n the o ff si d e of the hall
telephone
O ne thi ng—and the all important— you
can t stop the baz aar for I believe pneumonia takes
”
qui te twenty fours to develop
“
I promise to de liver her safe and sound within the
”
hour said the earl He nodded smilingly as they went
to the door
”
“
Don t go at all ; you will both get wet thro ugh said
“
Arthur rather sharply
D enis o ld chap I want to
have your advice abo ut the ha nging Of those pictures at
”
the Hall
Kilf arnh am at the d oor shrugged hi s shoul ders and
“
laughed lightly
Why bo y I know little o r nothi ng
”
about art as y ou know
‘
“
Perhaps he wants yo u to help him with Kathl een
Mavourneen
in t erposed Maude carelessly She he ld
up a long glittering string o f beads intently watching
the e ff ect of the fireligh t on them
“
B ut I ha ven t decided whether I am go ing to hang
”
that pict ur e Arthur fro w ned He looked with a close
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F R A YI N G
1 29
STRIN G S
scrutiny in his eyes at Maude s fair imm ob il e face
“
You kn ow that I consider it my most valuable as
a lso my most famous wor
E gotism crept into the
words
From th e little group about him came a trail of a dmir
“
”
ing quest ions
B esides it is still in its packin g
he
went on He looke d towards the d oor where Kathleen
who had j ust risen was shaking the confetti from her
ski rts her face prettily flushed by the fire glow
”
“
That s ab out th e four hun dredth strin g
mur
mured Maude Therefore brethren let us s in g from the
four hundredth Psalm Arthur dear you look for the
moment as if you w ere present at a gr eat aunt s will
reading inst ea d o f at a gay and festive gathering like
this and also you appear to me as if the old lady ha d
left yo u inst ead of your high exp ectations her woollen
”
sampler and two china dogs
“
”
Au revoir p eople
cri ed Kathleen She waved her
hand gaily flus hing suddenly as she met Ar thur s eyes
Maude was looking at them both the smile still on her
lips
”
“
“
O h ! Maude
cried somebo dy
Loo k you ve
”
broken your st ring of ruby bea d s
“
Even the st rongest string breaks too easily some
”
times
said Maude She looked down at the scattered
beads strangely
Kilf a rnh a m who had op ened the door stand ing until
Kathleen p assed through heard and understood the
wor d s as he went o ut Perhaps Arthur Desmond hear
ing unde rstood too
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C H AP TE R XVIII
F ALL
TH E
“
OF
.
TH E
love but a fl ow er that blows
Frail o n a frailer stem
”
Broken at but the storm win ds to u ch ?
Is
,
,
autumn lea f blew aga inst Kathleen L yn dh am s
fa c e as they turned o ut o f the wide imp osing gateway
The skies w ere leaden grey and sullen the air chi ll and
damp
“
A green leaf falling lik e this brings they say a
“
”
happy year
she said
an d an autumn leaf so rrow
until all the withered leaves have vanished
She lifted her face half hi d den in the enveloping
water proof hood The rain beat in her face as they
walked o n its clear pallor unchanged and colourless He
saw sudde nl y th at she had grown thinner the purple
shadows under her eyes darker and there came again
to hi m with a rush of overwhe lming tenderness the
knowledge that she held his h ea rt in the holl ow o f her
little hand
“
”
Give m e the l eaf he sa i d and now he tucked her
“
arm through his as in comradeship
I will take over
”
your share of the ill luck
She smiled rather wistfully
The gaiety that had
surrounded her in the drawing room and had seemingly
been genuine had slipped from her O ut o f all the
intervening weeks for this one day for th ese hours she
seem ed to com e b ack t o him a s he lik ed b est to remem
b er her
“
’
I don t thi nk anyone can take ill o r goo d l uck from
”
each other Do you ?
“
”
Perhaps I don t b elieve in luck Kathl een
“
”
You are not Irish then
’
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1 80
.
KATHLEEN MAV O URNE E N
1 32
men Of our race brave men and tru e Yo u bear a great
nam e Keep it always clean and u ns ulli ed
His voice rang now as he rep eated the words He did
not feel the little ha nd in h is tremble or that Kathl een
L yndh am shivered as if with cold
“
”
A great name she had rep eated softly A shadow
came dark and w istful into eyes that st are d along the
grey road in front o f her
“
“
”
So
he went on, slowly
I to o can picture that
”
mother o f yours—her pride o f race
Now sh e lif ted her dark lash es an d looked at him
un certainl y He to o was gazing as if in recollection
along the road ah ead that road that led to the wide
wind swept p lains to the tall trees to day so motionl ess
unstirring with the rain falling steadily an d all th e
world beyond but a grey blur
He was picturing that earlier home of Kathleen s a s
he walked o n saw in fancy as Often when he thought
o f her girlhoo d a big and maybe neglected
old Ir ish
mansion a wild garden in which weeds ran riot and
trailing creepers everywhere —
sa w too the Irish grand
mother an Old Irish gentlewoman with her E nglish
ways and English dress even to the d ainty lace square
o n her white head leaning on a stick o r on her grand
daughter s arm trea di ng the path s and recalling old
memories o f older glories
“
“
”
I
How little yo u sp eak of y o ur home
he said
”
hear you sp eak o f Irela nd but never of your home
“
”
We were very poor
Kathl een said half whisp er
“
”
ing and it was Often very lonely
He felt her arm tremble then in his After a silence
“
—
You see I
sh e said
W e were so unnecessar ily poor
did not kn o w that th ere was mon ey w aitin g for m e My
grandmother did not know although there were all the
pap ers in the place She never read them or gave them
to me to read If I had known
there came now a
“
—
passiona te note of regret into her voice
I might have
made her so much more co mfortable B ut she di ed
p oor
He pressed her arm in sym pathy an d pressed the
little hand he held A thrill ran through her— thro ugh
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1 33
THE F ALL O F THE YE AR
them both She fl ushe d an d her eyes met his then fell
swiftly
“
They say my mother was the sw eetest colleen that
”
trod the mountain roads she went o n speakin g slowly
“
She went away I thi nk beca use of the poverty beating
with both hands at the door and always bidding good
”
mornin g when day broke
Then she did not marry B asil L yndh am yo ur father
”
in Ire land
“
“
”
O h no
Her colo ur rose a little now
In Eng
land as no doubt you know She looked at him a half
quest ion in her eyes
“
Yes your Aunt Alicia told me She said it wa s quite
”
a romance
That warm intimate thrill went through
h im again as a wet curling stran d of her hair blew
softly against his face
”
She drew a long breath
I am glad yo u know she
“
said so ftly
Shure it s the wicked pri de I have in the
heart of me so metimes But always I long for the little
mother I never kn ew I often th ink I can see her If
I shut my eyes even no w
He thought he also could see—see a girl like Kathleen
with Kathleen s eyes f o r the L yn dh ams coul d not bo ast
of such He saw Kathl een s mother in that vision in
th e bridal array o f a quarter o f a cen t ury ago th e
wreath of oran ge blossoms and the stif f bridal posy
She would be married perhaps in o ne o f the old
hist oric churches St Margaret s at We stmi nster or St
Paul s where many a L yndh am had bent the knee and
taken the most solemn o f vows
A s he thought o f London a longing gr ew in his hea rt
There in old Engla nd was the grey ancestral pile where
generation after generation o f Kilf arnh ams had first
seen the light Of d ay and where many a Kilf arnh am
had closed his eyes on the world and the co untry he had
well served It was a far cry here to Australia from
the surge of trafli c around St Paul s an d out far out
to the coun try where in a blaze o f sun light as he had
last seen it Kilf arnh am lifte d its stately head the June
rose s nodding in its gardens—a far cry indeed to this
wi d e rain misted sweep of greening lan d clustered with
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KA THLEE N MAV O UR NEEN
1 34
trees dotted here and there with farm houses no t old
and ivy grown like in E nglish villages but raising pre
t ent io us heads and with new red ro ofs and tow ers an d
quaint pagodas rising above the clustering trees in all
the varieties o f Queen Anne and Elizabethan revival Of
architecture plus the additions supplied by the fertile
imagination of the local architects
E ngland ! London ! He turned his face westward for
the moment listened to the syren call of his country
thought of his home heard again the cry o f the white
peacocks as they moved ghost like across the terraced
slope then he realised that without Kathleen L yn dh am
when he went back the world for him woul d seem
empty indeed ; the great house be filled with loneliness
E ach wrapped in thought Kilf arnh am and Kathleen
L yndh am turned to the left crossing a whi te painte d
wooden bridge over the creek Underneath the water
trickled slowly and the faint subtle smell of p ennyroyal
and wild thyme rose wet with rain A rabbit scuttled
from the undergrowth and flash ed a blurred ball of
grey and white across their path
The wind was blowing d irectly in their faces now It
loosened Kathleen s dark hair brought a glow to her
cheeks and a light to her eyes She drew a deep breath
o f the pure fresh air
“
”
“
Wh en you are far away
she said
and a rainy
day like this comes I will surely think o f you Will you
ever think Of Australia when y ou are back in your own
”
land ?
“
”
“
—
O ften
he said and then
and always if it st ill
”
“
holds y ou
He leaned toward her
This time next
”
year or the year after I will retu rn
“
”
—
You are not sure which ?
“
”
O nly y ou Kathleen can make me sure
She loo ke d at him wistfully O ften afterwards he
thought of the strange still look th at came to her face
“
I wonder SO much happ ens in a year— in two years
”
Will you still be my friend I wonder and I yours ?
She drew her hands away gently B oth paused
“
I shall always be your friend whethe r you bid me
”
go o r stay K ath l een
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KATHLEE N MAVO URNE E N
1 36
into his face the look that often app eared when he loo ked
at his hal f brother
”
“
It is when you look like that Kathleen whisp ered
”
“
—
that I grow afraid o f you
She seemed to shrink
away from him He did not know that she w as repeat
“
—
ing o ne word over an d over with sti ff lips
Dishonour !
”
dis honour !
The wind seemed to whisp er it the trees
in the rain to re echo it
He smiled and the sternn ess vanished He p atted her
little gloved hand that r ested now on his coat sleeve
almost paternally
“
Never be afraid o f me Kathleen
As the circus
‘
clown would say I can t help my face
“
B ut don t yo u think thoughts that are of the heart
”
are reflected in the face ?
”
“
Not always
he smiled at her ra d iantly and then
“
—
leaning towar ds her
Little girl friend I am going
away in three days Have you no w ord for me now
here in this hour the last p erhaps th at we shall have
together ? Will you not even say that yo u will miss me
”
for a sp ace Kathleen ?
“
”
O h ! surely
In her eyes grew the light
sh e said
changing glowing then all at once it died away A
“
break came into her voice
I am sorry— I cannot say
”
how sorry
‘
”
Is that all you have to say to me Kathleen ?
“
”
—
Wh at would y ou have me say ?
she whispered
Her han ds trembl ed
“
”
“
B ut —there is o ne
A very great deal
he said
”
word alone that w ould make me happy
S
d re w a l ong breath and shr ank a little from
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11 1
h
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”
“
“
I l ove you
he said simply
K athleen tell me
tru ly honestly do I mean no more to you now than
when I came fir st to Gragmorton homestead ? Shall I
”
never mean more ?
She was looking away at the blurred fields words
welling up from her heart but she could not sp eak them
“
”
Tell me he insisted gently
She dropp ed her h ea d her heart beatin g wildly A ll
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T HE FALL O F THE YE AR
1 37
about them the blurred fields stretched and the rain
d ripp ed steadily B eside them on the road the gutters
ran yellow with water but for a moment the two stood
as it were in a world of light
“
”
Kathleen he ca lled holding out both a rms t o her
She w ent into them lay crushed against his heart
He h eard her sobbing softly wearily but happily like a
littl e lonely child who c omes at last to the safe shelter
o f loving arms
Her arms crept u p abo u t his neck and
clung there
F o r a long whi le and now in silence she leaned
against him then very gently at last she drew away from
him There were tears still in her eyes but in them now
the light played clear and strong Something else was
there als o— a determination as it were half challenge
half p urp os e
”
“
Let us go back she said She smiled into his eyes
an d the light that was in her own beat and played about
hi m a white flame o f love whose radiance circled them
“
drew them closer
We must n ot keep th e others wait
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ing
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He looked at his watch protesting hi s arm about her
“
sho ul der
I am afraid we have already done so It
”
w ill b e quite three quarters past the din n er hour
“
”
“
Then they won t wait for us she said
You will
”
have to have your dinner alone with me she s miled up
“
at him
Did not Maude promise th at it should be left
in the oven as mothers d o for tardy school children ?
Slowly they turned hom eward N o w and again there
came a shadow as o f suffering of remembrance into the
girl s eyes but the light behind the shadow st ill played
and when she looked at hi m half wistfully the shadow
passed and only the light remained
“
”
You have not told me abo ut yo u r mother afte r all
she said once
He to l d her then She sa w that proud radiant mother
of his as he went on her queenly gr aci ousness her strict
ideas of honour Some of the colour went out o f her
fac e as sh e listened very quietly He spok e littl e of his
father aft er he mentioned h o w happy the ma rri age had
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KA THLEE N MAV O UR NEE N
1 38
’
been to the hour of his mother s death It was many
years afterwards he said that his father had married
Arthur Desmond s mother There came then to the face
3
of D enis Kilf arnh a m the stern look sh e dreade d
”
“
She was an actress was sh e not ? said Kathleen
ins tantly conscious she was treading on sore groun d for
the Kilf arnh ams of Kilf arnh am were a proud race
generations o f whom had boasted of many things but
none so much as o f a stainless ancestry
“
”
Yes
He sighed as he thought of that brilliant and
also pitiful little stepmother who just before her death
already tired o f marriage had returned to the stage
with the lustre o f a coronet to add to her theatrical
h al o
B ecaus e of his boyish memories o f that little butterfly
stepmother and the tragedy of her d eath he had always
allowed sympathy for Arthur to dominate his reasoning
powers even though his step brother came out o f one
escapade but to plunge even more deeply into another
Sometimes he had wondered as he grew Older if ever
a drop Of Kilf arnh am bl ood flowed in A rthur D esmond s
veins There had been so many rumours about the gay
little butterfl y who ha d fl itted in an d ou t of Kilf arn
ham
“
”
My father made a grave mistake he said speaking
“
his thoughts aloud ; but if it had o nl y brought him
happiness there would have been some sati sfaction
Marrying out Of one s station in li fe is a failure in more
asp ect than j ust the so cial sid e of the question I am
no t a snob but marriage to me is a very solemn an d
sacred thing O ne m ust look n o t so much to the present
”
as to the future
Kathleen took her hand from his arm an d smoothed
back the dark waving hair from her bro w Her l ips set
as if in pain
“
Then do you— was my mother no t happy do you
”
think ? She was looking up at him with plead ing eyes
‘
‘
Do y u think that woul d be w hy she went back to
o
Elrin ?
“
”
Perhaps sh e love d Irel an d s o mu ch
he sai d not
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KA THLEEN M AV OU RNE E N
1 40
”
Ireland ; I also came fro m there
She thre w up her
head but he noticed that the little grey gloved hand
“
clenched the rail post hard
I was born and I liv ed
until I came to Australia in a little low built cabin
typic ally Irish typ ically p oor only it was clean and
”
—
the hearth always bright I help ed to k eep it so
He made no movement The world about them grew
darkly grey He turned away and stoo d for a little
while staring at the w rinkl ed pools of water at his feet
Her words seemed to come from a long distance
“
”
Shure twas kind indeed o f Lady Alicia
there
was a break in her voice that h a d lapsed into its soft
“
—
blurred bro gue
but I would no t b e dec eiving yo u
Tis no t Sheilah Mur tagh s gran ddaughter that would
b e wilfully dec eivin g anyone for all that sh e on c e dug
f o r praties carried p eat
“
”
Kathleen
his voice was very clear sha rp
It
seem ed to cl eave th e air b etwe en them like a knife
“
Ka leen don t say su ch things ; d on t j oke l ike that
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It is not a j oke
Her voice w as a s colourless as the
face sh e kept p ers istently turned from him but truth
rang in the five words
Kilf a rnh am stood staring in front of hi m for a mom
ent O nce he caught his breath like a man in p ain
There was a silence
She hear d her heart h eat so
loudly that he too surely m u st hear it and all at once a
great wave of feeling swept over her strange regretful
crying out f or the need o f him of his love Her thro at
felt suddenly dry
The world about he r the very
groun d on which she stood seemed all at onc e un
c ertain
Kilf arnh am sudden ly faced h er He cried alou d in a
“
—
voice of p assion
But it makes no difference when all
is said and done O nce yea rs ago one year a go I might
”
—
have had different though ts but now
he put out one
“
arm d rew her to his breast
Love laughs at life s
”
puny barriers
and in his voice now was a strange
hushed note
”
“
Little white rose o f what are you thinking ?
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1 41
THE FALL O F THE YEAR
She sh o ok her hea d not sp eaking He did not know
that there was a lump in her thr oa t that felt as if i t
woul d chok e her if sh e spok e but he to ok her hand in
his held it warmly and so they w ent silently on
They cam e to a small gate an d a p ath that led by the
sod den lawns to a little use d side entrance There for
a moment both paused He was holding someth ing in
his hand Now he lifted o ne o r hers very gently and a
moment later on her hand glimm ered a ruby ring glow
ing redly
”
“
N O woman h as worn that since my mother died
“
he said
Little Kathleen h ow w orthy yo u are to wear
”
it only my hea rt knows
Still she co ul d not Sp eak
O n her finger the ring
fli ck ered an d win ked mo ckingly She lon ged to cry out
“
to fall at his feet and say
I am not worthy In a ll
”
the world there is none so unwort hy as I
But sh e
could no t Youth—youth and the heart o f her clam
Her feet were on the road o f
o ured f o r happ iness
happin ess wo ul d sh e turn b ack to the darkness the
lonelin ess ?
“
”
O h ! I wil l try to b e wort hy
she whisp ered
“
”
You are worthy
sai d Kilf arnh am
B ending he
kissed the little hand that wore the r ing
And again she co ul d say nothing She turned w ent
slowly indoo rs without a word and he stood where she
had left him a tall strong limbed figure He watched
her h is face no longer stern as she went slowing along
the corridor and turn ed into the hall
A butler came out saw Lord Kilf arnh am and p aused
“
a little uncerta inly He cleared his throat
Dinner is
”
ready at any time my lord he suggested resp ectfully
“
An d Mrs Kentley said would you mi nd driving Miss
Kathleen over to the Hall if she coul d not send the
”
c ar ?
He hesitated as if about to say somethin g else
“
Kilf a rnh am looked at him unconsciously fro wning
I
”
beg your pardon your lordship
the man murmured
and vanished
Kathleen L yndh am pa ssing a moment before ac ross
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KATHLEEN MAV O UR N EEN
1 42
the hall t o wards the wide staircase heard a voice which
angry uncertain called her
She turned quickly an d went w hite to the lips In
the light o f the hall the stones on the ruby ring of the
Kilf a rnh ams glittered balefully Arthur D esmond his
fac e flushed swaying a little stoo d in the library doo r
w ay
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KATHLEEN MAV O UR NEEN
1 44
set o f them got on my nerves—even Maude
He
laughed discordantly
”
“
Hush !
She rose, gripp ing the chair back nerv
“
Don t let th e se rvants hear y ou
Think o f
o usly
”
what you are saying
”
“
I am thinking
he said savagely an d then
”
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’
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“
W h ere is h e ?
,
,
”
She did not sp eak ; she looke d as if sh e did not
und erstand him
”
“
“
”
I mean S aint Denis
he said
the woman hater
“
He began to laugh softly
Seems to me he is changing
”
Has he proposed yet Kathleen ?
his views
“
”
How dare yo u ! she said under her breath She
coul d hear the butl er p assin g down the hall
Arthur laughed again as he saw the fl a m e in her eyes
“
What wonderful eyes you have Kathleen No wonder
that even— hic— woman haters chan ge their views An d
your hair— that rare blue b lack !
I p ainte d it well
Kathleen Mavourneen
Mau d e looks l ike a w ax doll
”
beside yo u
a cheap w a x doll
“
Arthur A rth ur ! Do y ou kno w w hat yo u are saying
”
and doing ? where yo u are ?
“
”
Yes I know
he nodded solemnly
R ed lights
“
seemed to flicke r in his eyes
And I know this Kath
l een th at I am not going to give you up for all the
women in Australia nor for a ll the Saint Deni s that
ever walked the earth I m sorry I ever left you Kath
”
leen You us ed not to look at me a s yo u do now
H e came towards her step by step
Fearfully sh e
retreated and now into her eyes grew sud denly a con
temp t—w as it hatred also —th at maddened him He
broke into hoa rse recriminations taunted he r with the
memories o f days long p ast of days when in the shadows
o f Saint Finn an s sh e had waited for him — had b een
glad to wait he averred brutally
She struck dow n the han d that he stretched towards
her stood before him quivering with more than fear
“
D on t dare to sp eak to me lik e that aga in ! Remem
”
er w here yo u are
She p ointe d pa ss ionately to the
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DISGRAC E O F ARTHUR D E SM O ND
1 45
“
op en door
Arthur go up to your room ; go befo r e
”
your brother se es or hears you
She thought with agony behind the thought o f what
Denis Kilf arnh am might think if he heard or saw them
What if he should come here into the library
there
as he often di d before d inner ? He might be here at any
min ute now
Frenzy seiz ed her ; she made a h ur ried
movement toward the door but D esmon d was there
before her his back planted to it
”
“
“
Wh at if he does come ? he said threateningly He
shall hear the truth— h e shall hear that you loved me
that you still love me Kathl een and y o u are playing
your cards well Yo u want the man with the money
”
eh ? The man with the title Kathleen ?
She stood helpless cold dread in her hea rt deaf
dumb and blind for th e moment
There was only a
curious buzz ing soun d in her ears She held o n to the
chair grippin g it hard that sh e might not fall at hi s
“
”
feet
I beg you to let me leave the room
Her voice
so unded strange far away with no mean ing in her
ears
“
I will go when it pleases me and I ll let you go
”
only o n o ne condition h e said tri umphantly He hic
“
coughed once or twice
O ne condition my dear Kath
”
leen
She looked at him with eyes that did not see
”
“
—
The condition is that you kiss me once
He
“
waved his hand gran d iloquently
I supp ose the
saintly D enis has ki ssed you often That sort always
”
does That was why yo u were o ut so late
He laughed
“
meanly
Quite rural lovers eh Kathl een ? Trudging
in the mud arms around each other
He walked for
ward lurching The red light wavered in his eyes
“
”
But now yo u will kiss me Kathleen
He reached towards her suddenly but sh e elu d ed his
grasp and leaned back aga inst the further bookshelves
the library ta ble betw een them O ut of the sh adows her
fac e was a white bl ur no w not only of fear b u t o f
scorn unutterable
It st ung him reached him even thr o ugh the mists o f
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KATHLEEN MAV O URNE E N
1 46
“
”
drunkenness
I w as all alone ; they h a d gone he
“
began to explain
B eastly lonely but some good wine
in the cabine t—and you were o ut with D enis Denis
”
won t marry you my d ear he nodde d knowingly and
“
began to laugh again ; not he Thinks too much o f the
one and only Kilf arnh am business hereditary rubbish
”
“
and such like
I know him
he nodded again
It
”
takes me to know him
He l urc hed against the door
“
”
It takes me to know him
he rep eated with many
“
noddings
You may be playing high f o r a coronet my
lady but it is no goo d I will take care of that I have
”
arranged that already
“
His voice rose triump h antly
We sha ll see w hat we
shall see to morrow It s all very well for him to pay
”
court to Lady Alicia s niece but wait un til to morrow
“
”
she whisp ered Blind fear o f sh e knew
T o morrow
no t wh at swept over her in an overwhelming flood send
ing her almost to her knees
“
Yes
Saint D eni s will see his favourite picture
”
‘
“
Kathl een Mavourneen aga in ; but
he leered
I ve
”
altered the expression in the face a little
He began
“
to chuckle hi deously ; j ust the slightest alteration my
dear B ut S aint D enis will know that the fish er girl and
you are o ne Aye he will know more He will never
again as long as he lives be able to say that I am not
“
”
master of my brush
He bent towards her
The
picture will be in the hall ; it is there to night in a
sp ecial room of which I hold the key To morrow all
”
—
C ra gh urst will see it so will S aint Denis
“
”
—
—
—
What hav e you d on e ?
sh e cried pitifully
“
You will know to morrow— unl ess you come back to
m e Kathleen You told me that first interview we had
alone that you still loved me Bah ! you lied You love
him— that prig D enis Can you deny it ? Say that yo u
”
will come back to me Kathl een
”
“
I ll not say it sh e whisp ered Her eyes seemed to
She lean ed against the b ookcase sick and
see a ghost
trembling Her hands went to her face and in the fire
l ight he saw the ring He gave a harsh s narling sound
and lurched forw ar d, his ey es ab laze
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KAT H LEEN MAV O URNEEN
1 48
m around her shoul der to steady her
Blindly sh e
turned to him and hid her face against his breast
Her
sobbing was terrible
It went o n and on for a moment
the o nl y sound in a silent world
At a movement in the roo m Kilf arnh am turne d t o
find D esmond rising defiant sober for the moment
An ger blazed in his eyes
The sight o f Kathleen Lynd
ham agains t Kilf arnh am s breast w a s like oil to flame
The ruby ring of the Kilf arnh ams the ring o f purity
”
and faith and unstained lineage given by Saint Denis
“
he sneere d
to Saint Kathleen Tell him the truth
Kathl een how once you loved me —me ! Tell him o f o ne
night in Ireland Kathleen Mavourneen when I asked
you to come and live with me ; o f the night when you
begged me not to leave you— you to whom he has given
the ruby ring o f the Kilf arnh ams—the ruby ring that
w as not good enough for my moth er
It was kept for
”
such a woman as you Kathleen
“
”
My God ! said Kilf arnh am hoarsely
He felt
Kathleen droop heavily like a shot thing against h is
breast
His arms held her then only that sh e might not
fall
”
“
Will you go ! he said to D esmond The words fell
one after the other slow dull like clods on the co ffin
“
”
“
Yo u don t like
Why should I go ? truculently
Yo u don t like to think that
to hear the truth D enis
I w as Kathleen s sweetheart years ago
She was only
old Sheilah Mur tagh s granddaughter anyway
As for
She tol d me so
But you
y o u she doesn t love you
have the Kilf arnh am wealth and title
”
“
—
—
Will yo u go ! Kilf arnh am cried aloud in a ter
rible voice
He made a movement to place the un c on
scious figu re o f Kathleen L yndh am o n the divan
“
”
I ll go when it suits me and not before
said
“
Arthur sullenly
This isn t your house
I want to
sp eak to Kathleen
She is mine I tell you
What
right in this house have yo u to interfere ? what right
have you
”
“
But I have a right said a voice at the door Maude
K ently her riding habit sp attered in mud stood in the
op en doo rw ay
o ne ar
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C HAP TE R XX
TH
“
E
.
VO I CE IN T HE RAI N
.
B ut a voice in the rain kept singing
Holding me fast in thrall
‘
Fame O fame is a fine thing dear
B ut — love i s all
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O utside the wind was rising , d riving the rain in great
,
angry gusts against the windows howling down the
library chimney
O n the great house itself unbroken
silence lay
A ll lights except a lamp that all night
fli ckered dimly in the hall were long since switched o ff
In the library the fire burned low but steadily
Now
and again the fir eligh t leap e d as the wind hoved down
the chimney and the quivering shaft o f light cast a
dark bulky shadow against the wall from an arm chair
by the fire
The st illness in the ho u se grew
The w ind abated A
”
“
—
—
clock somewhere st ru ck dully heavily
O ne two
Then again there was silence
Denis Kilf arnh am s face in the dim u ncertain light
was grey an d drawn lined with fatigue and inward
thought
O ver and over again he h eat back the throng
ing thoughts that clamoured against the barrie rs of his
mind Two O clock ! The new day would soon be stealing
in
With the breaking o f another dawn he wo ul d be far
away from C ragmorton Station
He would go away an d forget putting Kathleen Lynd
ham forever out of his mind
A spasm of pain twi sted
his face
Yes ; he wo ul d go away but first of all he
would see that Arthur Desmond ent the knee to Kath
leen L yndh am
He was a Kilf arnh a m o f Kilf arnh am ;
he h a d lived an honourabl e life had fought as his
ancestors had fought for king an d country and the
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1 49
KATHLEEN MAVO UR N E E N
1 50
words of his proud fond mother came back to him now
“
Denis D enis never forget that you are a Kilf arn
ham and that the bloo d o f brave men and true men
flows redly in your veins
Sully not the name that
through good and ill the Kilf arnh ams have kept untar
and when you marry my so n kee p
ni sh ed
”
always before y ou the proud name y ou b ear
She also had borne a proud name the Oldest and
proudest in the annals o f old Ireland
“
”
Keep the name unsullied and your heart pure she
had said to him and he seemed to hear her voice now in
the r o om seemed to see her fair proud face rising from
“
the mist of years
Never bring home to the house Of
Kilf arnh am a woman that y o u would not have your
mother know
There are many phases Of love that are
not love Denis
You may wait many years before
comes the one great love of your life
But wait D enis ;
”
love is worth the waiting
The silence grew
He saw again his mother s proud
patrician face but another face there w as that came
blurring the impress of that well loved dead mother
No stately head no proud finely chiselled face was here
no pride o f race as in the d elicate oval and lifted chin
Instead there was a little calm face with great wistful
eyes and quivering lips
O ne after another exp res
sions p assed swiftly over that small face N o w it glowed
with colour sweet as a rose The eyes the long lashes
lifted from them smiled at him were darkly blue a lmost
violet ; the little white teeth glimmered now
A strange
wistfulness crept over that face ; there came something
unfathomabl e in the eyes ; th ere was me aning in the
restless hands
She was no near in spirit that a blue
black waving strand o f her hair blew aga inst his face
He sensed its faint p erfume in his nostrils
The fire leaped died down slowly crackling feebly as
the last coals broke apart
He saw that little face again
drawn with fear the desperate eyes the colour slowly
d rainin g drop by drop
He felt a heavy weight against
his heart— and in his heart
N ow he heard Desmond 8
Kilf arnh am buried
voice again harsh angry bitter
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KA THLEE N MAV O URNEEN
1 52
waited breathing heavily He saw the figure in its loose
white silk kimono trembling against the dim hall light
She began to move softly swiftly ; she passed out o f the
circle Of light
He heard he r go step by step as if grop ing her way
The wide hall led outwards into p assages connected wi th
the rest of the house
To the left was the short passage
leading to the rooms that Arthur D esmond and the judge
who was still away occupied He heard her p ause
stumble a little against a chair the sound o f a creaking
door
The door leading to the left wing made that
sound !
Kilf a rnh am felt as if a heavy hand came out o f the
darkness that was f ull of grinning leering faces
The
air seemed full o f whisperin gs
There was no further
sound
E ither sh e paused still at the corridor door o r
had left it op en
He waited for minutes that seeme d hours then sud
d enly he rose went quickly out o f the library his slip
p ered feet making little sound on the carp eted floor The
corridor door stood op en the corridor faintly lighted as
the hall with an o il lamp
He came to the archway
just in time t o see the white o f a woman s gown trailing
slowly through the doorway of Arthur Desmond s room
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C HAPT ER XXI
S H ADO W S
“
T HE
OF
.
N I GH T
.
What was it moved then fled
Like a strange wild haunted thing
”
Into the gloom of the night ?
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The sleeper stirre d
Muttering inartic ul ately he
threw up one arm above his head moved restlessly then
relapsed again into uneasy slumber and the woman at
the almo st closed door breathed again
She crept slowly
by the bed fumbled noiselessly among the knick knacks
o n the dressing table
O nce sh e sighed a suppressed sob
bing sigh
”
“
The sleep er stirred again
Kathleen he muttered
thickly in his sleep and the woman in the darkness
shrank back her han ds pressed to her heart her breath
coming in smothered gasps
Silence fell again There in the darkness gropingly
she searched
The wardrobe door creaked as it opened
then came the deep breathless stillness again
The seeker s han d s found at last what they sought
the grey suit Arthur D esmond had worn in the aft er
noon
Through trousers pocket and coat through the
waistcoat her hands search ing desperately closed on
something that clinke d ever so softly
A moment and
the door closed behind her
She passed o ut as silently
as she had come
In the front hall the ruby lamp burned splutteringly
the o il burning low
The library door was still aj ar the
r oom black and silent
O utside the rain seemed to
have cease d
Quickly she took a cloak and muffl er from
the hall stooped for the goloshes that were always left
in the cupboard there She passed through the library
toward th e great bay win d ow that op ened to the park
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1 53
KA THLEE N MAVO URNEEN
1 54
lands Suddenly half afraid Of its black darkness she
paused half way
It seemed to her that another faint
breathing than her own was in that silent room
She gave a low suppressed sort of shudder listening
with her hands on her heart
Nothing stirred
She
drew the blind slowly slowly and silently o n its cord
O utside the world began to glimm er dully grey as if far
behind the clouds the moonlight strove to break through
She looked around again imp elled by that feeling o f
half fear her heart beating wildly
Wh at was that by the mantel— rising blackly out o f
deep er blackness ?
She leaned heavily against the window striving for
calmness striving to pierce the gloom withi n the room
Slowly the black bulk resolved itself into an arm chair
j ust the big cosy arm chair in which sh e had often sat
and which someone o r other had left before the fire
To reassure herself sh e groped her way towards it
and felt its comforting velvet pile beneath her fingers
There was nothing els e there only a silk cushion thrown
carelessly on top of the roun d ed scroll o f the woodwork
and she leaned her face against it sobbed softly in the
relief o f the m o ment
There was a faint fragrance the O d our as o f cigar
smoke
With her face press ed against the cushions
Kilf a rnh am scarce breathing heard the p assionate wh is
p erered words she said and with a start recognised her
As o ne in a dream he heard her go more swiftly to the
window heard the sliding o f the lock the faint sound as
o f a windo w sliding up
The curtains blew wildly into
the room for a sec ond
He heard the moaning o f the
pines then the curtains h ung again in long level un
swayi ng lines
Leaving the tiled verandah she ran swiftly across the
wide lawns takin g the short cut through th e grounds
towards the little town o f C ra gh urst The two mile road
was mud heavy the gutters ran a banker and no w an d
again she slipp ed o r the shoes caught with a squashing
sound in the mud
O n and o n through the grey and
sullen night with here and there a glimmering overhead
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KATHLEEN MAV O URNEEN
1 56
ling came again ; it seemed that the sheeted package
moved ca lled her name with a hoarse whisp ering With
her hands to her ears she t urned an d fl ed— fl ed like an
a ff righted pursued thing o ut into the night The frame
silent
o f the picture alone hung th ere in that gloomy
hall The canvas had gone !
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CHAP TE R XXII
LI FE
’
.
MAS ! UER A DE
s
.
“
A word and a laugh
And so we pa rt
A son g on the lips
”
A sigh in the heart
,
,
,
.
At nine o clock next morning the morning of the
bazaar long yellow shafts o f pale sun light were lying
across the lawn an d the world about C ra gmo rto n Sta
tion an d Little C ra gh urst was flooded with sunshine as
if to ato ne for days of storm The pines rustled ever so
softly t urning their fresh frag r ant tips to a sky blue
and cloudless as a dream
”
“
Wh at di d I tell you ? cried Mrs Kentley gaily as
“
No rain no wind
sh e swept into the breakfas t room
— the most p erfect day o ne could wish for ”
”
“
It is very muddy underfoot remarked Maude wh o
had a great dea l of colour on her face this morning
”
“
It will soon dry
declare d Lady Alicia o p timi sti
“
cally
Where is everybody thi s morning I am glad
”
to see that you are looking better Maude
I am very well mother
Her eyes were very bright
her cheeks had a rich glow that deceived Mrs Kentley
w h o w as even at the b est of times a little shortsighted
It had been very carefully laid on that touch of liquid
carmine
“
I c an see the earl out in the garden M rs Kentley
walked to the window
They are talking very earne stly
he and his brother ; bus iness matters I suppose Perhap s
”
abo ut you Maude
She looke d thoughtfully at her
da ughter
”
“
Perhaps so
said Maude quietly
”
“
Ah well !
Her moth er sighed as she s eate d herse lf
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1 57
.
KATHLEEN MAV O URNE E N
1 58
“
at the table
If it ha d onl y been poor Hubert The
other is very clever but I hav e always liked Hub ert
”
Maude
”
“
Will you have some toast mother ?
“
”
Please M rs Kentley sighed again
Maude passed her the silver platter with its buttered
triangles of thin toast
O ne came in at any time for breakfast at C ragmort on
S tation The bell rang at eight Thereafter as a rul e
the household guests and all troop ed in at their own
time with the comforting knowledge that there was
always fresh tea an d toast as well as other things to be
h ad A log fire on the hearth w a s cracklin g cheerily
A moment later Kathleen L yndh am came down paus
ing for an imp erc eptible se cond o n the threshold as sh e
s a w Maude
“
”
Will yo u ring for fresh tea Kathleen ? asked
“
Maude quietly ; th is has been standing some little
”
time
S he said nothing more f or the earl and Arthur
Desmond came in almost directly and at once Mrs Kent
ley began to chatter volubly about the bazaar
D esmond and sh e for a tim e monopolised the whol e of
the conversation The others sat apparently listening
with the exception of Mau d e who on the plea Of an
unfini shed stall to arrange left the room shortly after
wards Arthur was laughing gaily at some o f Lady
Al icia s instructions
“
A n d to morrow
Mrs Kentley b egan
”
“
O h there will be no to morrow
remarked Arthur
“
with a half laugh and a shrug of his shoulders
I have
promised Denis that I will go up to the city o n some
business for him to—
night It is rather urgent and can
”
not wait
Denis Kilf arnh am sa w Kathleen instinctively shrink
into her chair and close her eyes but when he looked
again she w a s smiling at something M rs Kentley was
saying but there was no smile in her eyes She wore
her hair piled high coronal fashion o n her head instead
o f the usual simple knot o n the nap e o f her slender
w hite neck The quaint style drawn well up fro m he r
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KATHLEEN MAV O URNEEN
1 60
”
“
Kathleen !
Mrs Kentley gave a little gasp of de
“
lighted surprise as she turned round
My dear Kath
”
leen !
“
”
The girl gave a little low laugh
DO I please you ?
“
she asked a s she came forward
Marie told me I looked
like a rose I have heard of blue roses but never o f a
”
grey one Have you ?
“
It is exquisite my dear ; almost to o grand for
“
”
her aunt said softly
And how like B asil you
t o day
are looking W as this the frock you were going to sur
”
prise m e with for your birthday ball ?
A sha d ow came over Kathleen s face then fled as
“
”
swiftly
O h that s months and months ah ead
she
said lightly ; I simply couldn t r esist wearing it Every
”
b ody else will b e s o gay
“
”
But not so a la Parisienne laughed Al icia Kentley
“
Kathleen I have never seen you look so lovely That
touch Of pale pink ! What is Maude wearing — another
”
surprise ?
“
I haven t se en Maude this morning for more than a
”
flying second in the breakfast room o r on the staircase
Kathleen b ent do wn fastenin g the b o w o f her d ainty
gr ey suede shoes her voic e a little muff led as if with
the eff o rt
“
”
I have got another surprise for her said Mrs Kent
“
ley
She lowered her voice
Hubert A ldersh am is
coming back with the j udge from the city to d ay It
appears Hubert w as in the city on business and the
j udge accidentally met him O f course Robert insisted
he should run up — j ust f o r the bazaar You know dear
Maude has not said anything definite t o me about her
engagement and Arthur is leaving to night for to wn
He will come back again Of course before he leaves for
”
London I wonder how Maude will take Hubert s visit
‘
I think— Maude—will be glad somehow said Kath
“
leen in a low voice
Hubert an d sh e were always good
friends
I think sh e has missed him more than sh e
”
thought likely o r is aware o f
“
”
I hop e so said Mrs Kentley with a return Of her
“
usual vagueness
Kathleen do tell everybody in the
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LIFE 8 MA S QUE R AD E
1 61
’
drawing r oo m to hurry The horses have been w aiting
ever so lon g an d a couple of cars have b een at the door
”
for ever so long
As Kathl een L yndh am turned down the hall and
entered the drawing roo m in her grey gown there was
suddenly a little sil ence then a long excited buz z of
comment
Her girl frien ds o f the dis trict crowded round and
insp ected her and sh e twirled herse lf gaily round for
“
their insp ection the colour high in her cheeks
Kath
”
leen L yndh a m you mean mean thing
moaned one
“
accus ingly ; how co ul d you and poor me in a washed
”
mus lin
“
Yo u are as beautiful as a dream
cried another
rapturous ly
“
”
Nonsense
K athleen laughed the colour in her
cheeks still glowing her eyes wonderful in the shadow
of the large hat with the big sweeping white feather
”
“
E verybody will fall in love with you Mavourneen
“
d ec lared the first speaker
I must certainly take my
man out Of your w ay to d ay If y o u people miss my
washed muslin frock and a tall red haired admirer who
shall be nameless you will know that f or safety s sake
I have decoyed him away from the bazaar M avour
”
neen I ask you again how could you ?
She wiped
away mock tears with the end o f he r white silk sash
Kathleen laughed again
She saw the earl still
sta nding by the window as at her entrance loo king at
her coldly
The Celtic spirit o f perversity seized her She mad e
him a lo w an d mocking h o w that she regretted the
“
”
moment after
And you my lord
she sa id curt
“
”
seying lo w
do I meet with your approval ?
A little burst of laughter followed saving the earl
the necessity of an ans wer She saw the dark fl ush
come an d go in his face
“
”
By Jove ! Kathleen
said Arthur Desmond in a
low voice a little thickly
He had jus t entered the
room an d stoo d n ear her a red flush was o n h is face
She t urned as if she neither saw no r heard him and
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KA THLEE N MAV O URNEEN
1 62
swept o ut with the laughing crowd o f gir ls who were
noisily making for the waiting drag
Kilf a rnh am followed down the hall an d o ut into the
fresh sunshine The earl s big grey touring car and a
chau ff eur in uniform waited
He j ump ed down and
Opened the tonneau door for Mrs Kentley and the earl
and waited for Kathleen L yndh am
“
Kathleen shook her head
I have pro mised to go in
”
the drag
sh e exp lained
Maude had already gone o n in a neighbour s car and
Desmond a little later in a smart dogcart w ith two
girls The air resounded w ith merriment All through
the day Kathleen L yndh am played her part and played
it w ell
Never had her laugh run g so brightly s o
apparently happily
She moved here and there her
slim figure in the elegance o f her grey gown followed
by scores of a d miring eyes She sold flowers at the
fl o wer stall for an hour or two told fortunes in the
gipsy tent and the spirit o f gaiety hung about her
Maude behind the piled up barricade o f her dainty
stall where seem ingly everyt hing was to be procured
l o oked once o r twice after her cousin s elegant figure
with a strange expression o n her face
”
“
It seems a great success
said the earl pausing
“
Everybody se ems happy It is a feast o f ligh t and
”
laughter
The mechanical smile went suddenly from Maude s
face as her eyes met his F or the moment they were
”
“
“
quite alone
A feast
sh e said
and the skeleto n is
”
—
—
stalking through it all Do only you an d I see it ?
He followed the direction of her eyes to fin d Kath
l een L yndh a m seated no w in a rus h chair un der a
canopy o f p alms sippin g her tea and smilin g at the
littl e group also resting roun d h er There were s everal
“
c avaliers in attendanc e
Miss L yndh am seems
”
happy
Maude said bitterly
“
”
Ah ! I wonder
said Kilf arnh am in a low voice
Maude was looking down the long room now wearily
The door had op ene d t o admit some new arrivals and
Maude with a sigh mechanically moved forward Sud
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KAT HLEE N MAV O URNE E N
1 64
carelessly, and m a d e s ome l aughing an sw er only too
well aware that Kilf arnh am who was sauntering p ast
with the j udge had overheard
That night befo re the ba zaa r again op ene d a mer ry
p arty gathered in the drawi ng room at C ragmorto n
Statio n for all the help ers had b een asked to dinner
Arthur w ho had b een first upstairs w as late They all
lingered in the drawing room w aiting Kilf arnh am
found himself nea r Kathleen
”
“
The ba zaar is going to be a big success
she said
vaguely not looking at him She wore a simple white
gown now a kind of blue at her throat
”
“
“
I am glad of that
he answered gravely
It is
”
in a worthy c ause
She felt suddenly chi lled at some
thin g in his aloof manner
The minutes passed Mrs Kentley yawne d op enly
O nce Kilf arnh am looked at his watch and making an
excuse was about to leave the room when the d oor
burst op en suddenl y and Arthur Desmond flung him
“
”
self r ather than walked into the room
D enis
he
“
called in a high queer voice
D enis — my pic
ture
His eyes w ent past to K athleen leaning a little f o r
ward her eyes closed at Maude standing very still
“
against the mantel fear in her eyes
My picture
”
the pict ure ! he muttered incoh erently
Maude shrank back against Hubert A ldersh am
Kathleen L yndh am never moved
“
”
D enis
he began again He lurche d a little for
ward his eyes wild ; the flush o f drink fl amed in his
The op en door closed Kilf arnh am had gone
ch ecks
They a ll with the
o ut of the room Desmond with him
exception of two p eople stared questioningly at that
closed door It op ened a second later
”
“
Lord Kilf arnh am begs
said the earl s va l et
“
”
gravely that you will not w ait dinn er
In a few moments more laughter an d merriment if
a trifle forced circled again round the table Gradually
the incident w as forgotten Maude under her rouge
T O K ath l een L yndh am everything
w as very whi te
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1 65
LI F E s MA S QUE RAD E
’
passed as in a drea m
She heard he rse lf sp eaking
laughing j oining in the merriment about her an d all
the time across the table Maude s eyes were saying
mutely breathlessly with an intensity of desp air and
understanding
O h Kathleen Kathleen
The jud ge who had gon e upstairs came b ack a littl e
later vagu ely disturbed Ka thleen sitting next to him
h eard him speaking in a low voice to hi s wife an d
answering her troubled questions
D esm ond had had bad news about his picture so Kil
farnham says He has to go to the city to night and
therefore must catch the train that leaves C ragmorto n
within a couple o f hours
He asks that you e x cuse
him
“
—
I can t unde rstand
A little later o n the judge said
it ; I t h ink he is drinking He actually had an idea
Alicia that someo ne ha d cut and destroyed his picture
Kilf arnh a m is driving him t o the station and will be
b ack b efore t en He will prob ably tell us all about it
then I never saw a chap who looked so bad as D es
mond I shall have a very, very serio us talk to Maude
in the morning
They heard the sound of wheels in the yard without as
they trooped down from dinner Did Maude hear them
to o ? Kathleen saw her cousin s eyes turn to the lighted
tra nsom over the door o f the private sitting room that
the brothers shared an d w hich opened ou t o f the earl s
room
Maude left the group that had gathered in the d raw
ing room and was already making preparations to r e
“
turn to the bazaar She came up to Kathleen
Kath
”
leen I want something that I left in your room
she
“
”
said aloud
will you help me find it ?
Under her
“
—
breath she cried
Come with me I m ust go to him !
I must ! Kathleen stand by me
I have misj udged
”
you maybe but sta nd by me now
She w as sobbing
“
”
I will stan d by you
said Kathle en They w ent
silently up the st airs together As they came towards
the door o f that li ghted room Maude clung in a su dden
panic to K athl een s arm her lips w hite Th e ca rm ine
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KATHLEEN MAV O URNE E N
1 66
stoo d out o n her cheeks two spots of flame the rest o f
her face sickly white The door op ened Kilf arnh am
stood on the threshold as if he had exp ecte d them He
turned to them courteously still holding the door open
tall an d very stern His voice was low but very dis
tinct
H e stood aside for them to enter looking half ques
t io nin gly at Kathl een Imp elled against their will they
went in Kilf a rnh am closing the door quietly behind
them In an armchair by the fire sat Arthur Desmond
his head bowed strangely broken an d with all h is
d e onna ir mann er stripp ed from him
Maude looked at
him and ; looking shrank back
“
I am glad that you hav e come Miss L yn dh a m and
”
“
Miss K entley
said Kilf a rnh am
because you were
indirectly concerned in last night s scene I have been
asked by my brother to apologise f o r him to y o u both
I believe Miss Maude that he had written to you all
”
that he feels he cannot say Arthur ! an authoritative
“
note came in his voice now
you wi shed to first say
”
something to Miss L yndh am I believe
“
”
—
I apologise to y o u Kath Miss L yndh a m
said
“
Art hur Desmond his voice hoarse cowed
I ask yo u
”
to forgive me
The colour drained slowly out o f Maude Kentley s
face
”
“
—
Say that you forgive me Kathleen
D esmon d
turned h is grey face and he never looked at Maude
”
“ —
—
forgive you sh e whisp ered Without turning
I
sh e walked b ack ing S lowly step by step to wards the
door still with her eyes o n Arthur D esmond s grey face
perhaps remembering how once long ago a little col
leen had loved its lost grace and beauty
“
“
”
Don t go
said Maude inarticulately ; don t go
”
Kathleen
In the background stood Kilf arnh am tall stern d eep
lines o f snfi erin g carven in his face
He turned to
Maude Kentley
“
“
”
Maude
she said kindly
I have read the letter
you wrote to my brother He wished me to do so, my
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KATHL EEN MAV O URNEEN
1 68
o ff erin g y o u o ne now but you must start st raight Y ou
”
must start straight and clean
Someone came cheerily along the hall below whist
ling merrily There was the soun d Of a h anging door
of laughin g voices of trooping feet in the hall an d
“
”
wheels o n the gravelled d rive
Maude Maude !
a
“
”
voice call ed ; wherever are you ?
Desmond turned at a stifled sound to find Ma u de
beside him She would have slipped on her kn ees e
“
side him but he put o ut his hand to stay her
Go to
“
”
him Maude
he said
I am not fit to touch your
”
hands
”
“
“
You don t understand
she said wildly ; I believe
in you still— I
“
“
”
Maude
he began hoarsely
I never really loved
you I thought I did
“
”
—
—
—
You never loved m e !
She ros e with a pitiful
cry and ran towards the door pushing past Kathl een
”
“
Maude
called Hubert A ldersh am again a little
“
”
impatiently
I am waiting
Sobbing sh e ran down the d eserted st ai rs to him
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CHAPT E R XXIII
A T T HE
.
C R O SS RO ADS
.
“
And shure above all else
Tis this I will be hearin
A little colleen weeping
”
Ha lf the w orld away
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’
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,
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Kathleen at the door looked f or a long moment at
Kilf a rnh am in the shad ow beyond the lamplight ; at
Arthur Desmond in the ch air At the end of the room
the coals heaped high in the grate glowed so ftly and
the silent red glare wavered across the room
“
”
Would you rather that I left the room
said Kil
farnham coldly He spok e to them b oth Kathleen
did not seem to hear him The look on her face p uz zled
him The light grew and in the qui vering golden
flame he saw the faint hollows that suffering had picked
out in her face the lines o f pain about her white lips
Arthur Desmond hid his face and something greater
than himself sent him to her side sinking at her feet
groping for her hands
She looked at hi m strangely half fearfully ; and then
all th e fear dropp ed suddenly from her lik e a discarded
cloak Perhaps she saw again Arthur D esmond with
the eyes o f the little coll een the little colleen who had
loved his grace and beauty In th e great Irish heart of
her memory stirred and left her bruised and shaken
like a reed in a storm The storm passed over her She
seemed to see life very clearly to realise the w eakn ess
o f the man who knelt dumbly at her feet
With pity
maternal pity in her eyes she stare d down o n him
Her hand went o ut and rested o n that bowed head
She knew that Kilf arnh a m moved suddenl y although
she never loo ked towards him
Was he thinking of
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1 69
KATHLEE N MAV O U RNEE N
1 70
“
—
M aude s words in the s ilent library
She never loved
’
”
you
She never loved you
Kathl een h eard h im cross to the door and Op en it
”
“
Without turning her head she said Don t go
The door closed Did he stay o n this or the other
side o f it ? And— d id it matter— now ?
“
D esmond
Help m e to live—to begin again
“
”
groaned
Yo u love m e Kathleen
“
”
I don t love you
she said clearly ; her voice
“
sounded very qui et cold after the passion in h is
But
”
She looked past him but not
y ou must begin again
”
“
at the door
You mus t live
sh e went on and now
“
there was no quiver in her quiet voice
You must
liv e and help me to go back to the days when I first
”
met yo u
And now a ripple o f grief stirred across
her p ale still face
H e raised to his mouth the hand that hung listlessly
by her side and sobbed against it like a grieved child
“
But— you d o not c are
His voic e was chilled
questioning
“
”
It does not matter
and then
sh e said wearily
“
Yo u need me Arthur
The past has strong claims
”
they say Is not that enough ?
She heard a movement near the door the soun d o f
deep breathing Still sh e did not turn A j ust p er
c ep t i le quiver pa ssed over her face
It was D esmond after all who broke the silence He
“
”
sprang to his feet
Kathleen
he said in a strange
“
voice
forgive me I was a cad— a cad I loved you
so much Kathleen I will always love y ou You sent
me mad for the moment because I realised that you
cared not for me
“
”
D id I ever care
she asked sorrowfully and now
“
”
she was sp eaking to h ers elf
Did I ever care ?
“
You were good and true
said D esmond in a
“
broken voice
good and true
“
He lifted his haggard young face
I am not worthy
to kneel even at your feet Kathleen Yet you Offer to
me the great gift o f your life— a n empty gift Kath
”
l een , beca u se the hea rt of you goes not w ith it
Fo r
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KATHLEE N MAV O UR NEE N
1 72
like to a blind man who at last sees
O ne knew inst inct~
ively that he stepped out from the dark and to rtuous
.
ways o f the p ast on to the clean high road of the future
The first step on that road had meant renunciation Of
one who was the dearest thing in all the worl d to him
but he saw with keen vision that the hands outstretched
to him w ould always be empty
It was th e little colleen that spoke a little Irish c ol
leen from whom the dignity and scorn dropp ed sud
d enly who looked at him with understanding in her
eyes She strove for words could find none save the
wor ds of the little Irish colleen who baref oote d had
trod the dear w ays of E rin
“
”
’
Shure tis I kno w what to do
she w hisp ered
Tis the eagle to his eyre the lark to the sky and so
t o o the little Irish colleen stooping to the spade
She bent her head so that her cheek rested on Des
mond s hand and he felt that it was wet with tears It
w as her wordl ess farew ell an d her bl essing in o ne
Kilf a rnh am did not understan d only looked at her
all his troubled soul in his eyes could sh e have seen
She did not see for the blinding mist in her eyes
Kilf a rnh a m stood aside as she moved to the door
“
She turned and looked at him f or a long moment
I
”
give y ou back the little ring
she said very gently
placing it in his op en palm
“
”
He drew back stung
I have not aske d for it
“
”
His voic e w as almost inaudible
Keep it Kathleen
”
“
sh e w hispered
It is not for me
Her voice was
F o r the moment he
low and stricken though steady
could say no w ord O n the threshold she paused and
looked at them both
“
Good bye and God save ye kindly wherever lead
”
the road ! sai d Kathleen Th e door closed behind her
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CH AP TE R XXIV
KA T H L EE N
’
.
D EP AR T U RE
s
.
“
A n d the Virgin wa lks the hi lls ,
All the cabi ns guarding
.
A lanna
H ush aw een,
That night a light burned lo w an d late in a b alconied
roo m on the second floor Far into the night burned
that lamp in the roo m of Kath leen L yndh am
Kilf arnh a m returning from a long walk hou rs after
th e house was usually wrapped in slumber saw the
light as he passed through the garden saw the shadow
of a slight figur e pass b ackwards and forwards Was
Kathleen to o keep ing sorrowful vigil ?
He wondere d what she was doing and wondering
longed for the morning to come that he might see her ,
might e xplain to her many th ings
D esmon d had gon e Kilf arnh am had sent Westman
with him as far as the city and so there closed again
another ep isode in his step brother s life
But Des
mond woul d make good Kilf arnh am felt sure of that
The p urposeless exist ence was at an end
Desmond
t urned his face to ward the future In the morning he
Kilf arnh a m must make many explanations to the ho us e
of C ragmo rt o n He shrank before the necessity then
squared his shoulders
He thought o f Mau d e poor Maude fleeing from the
room In time for her all th is would become but a
memory a milestone o n the road of progression
It
would bring forth good fruit that evil hour that had
come to Maude Kentley She would emerge from the
dark pool of sufferin g no longer shallo w hearted She
would look at life not through th e eyes o f others but
through her own an d in time woul d come the supreme
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1 78
KATHLEE N MAV O UR NE E N
1 74
hour o f all when sh e would realise that sorrow had
w alked b eside her in the guise o f a friend
He thought Of the night in the library of h ow Kath
leen had bur ied her face in the c ushions un conscious
He heard once again the words fraught
o f his presence
“
”
—
with meaning
Denis, 0 D enis, and his hea rt beat
now as then
T o morrow morni ng he wo ul d go to her , meet her
p erhaps in her favourite walk by the lake where now
the wild blue lilies were breaking from their silver
green sheaths He wo ul d go to her hum bly would hold
out in silence the ruby ring o f the Kilf arnh am s with all
its m eaning H e would say as Arthur had bid him
that the tissue of li es was past
He heard Arthur s voice again Arthur who had
“
looked away saying
Kath leen is good and pure
D enis
B etween her and myself came no sha d ow of
evil I w as wron g She loved you after all Go to
”
her T ell her I wished it so
Up in her room Kathleen L yndh am went quietly
about between the light and the wi ndow
She was
p acking into a valise the few things sh e most prized
She left shimmering in their tissued wrappings the
costly dresses and in the j ewel case all j ewels
“
Shur e the little colleen will have little nee d o f
”
them
she sighed Towards morning she wrote a long
letter to her aunt and uncle
To Maude sh e wrote
nothing knowing that Maude would understand O nly
silence could help Maude now A train left at five in
the morning from the little station of C ra gh urst in the
dull grey hour w hen the h ousehold at Kentley Station
were wrapp ed in slumber
Kathleen quenched the li ght and at the window
watched the hours go by hear d the first crowing break
the silence about C ra gmorto n Station She sat there
very still for a long time her face in her hands It
seemed to her that at a great distance far far away
In
sh e heard the little colleen sobbing in the dark
some grey dawn o f the future a woman would come to
the lonely cabin on the hillside w ould wrap herself as
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KATHLEEN M AV O URNEE N
1 76
her feet She saw instead the gr eat bu lk of the Ki llaloe
mountains far away o ne long shoulder fl ung blackly
protectingly agains t the sky and belo w o n the slop e
a light long quenched gl ea me d thr ough a ll the enc om
p assing darkn ess
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CHAP TE R XXV
TH
.
T AN GLE U NW O U ND
E
.
“
Lo ve with t ear or frown
The hearts enth ralling ;
Love in the wind and wave
”
For ever calling
,
,
,
,
b
.
grey wharf was thronged with p assenge rs as the
i
r
reat
l
ner
gave
out
its
hoarse
warning
Coloured
i
g
bo ns floated o ut rippling in the light wi nd that stirred
Laughter and light and tears mingled
th e water
Som eo ne laughed gaily here another wip ed eyes surrep
Th e ship s band in gay uniform lined into
titio us ly
place on the upp er deck The wharf below black with
li fe seeme d to bend and sway with excitement Flowe rs
and floating si lken streamers were being handed u p A
girl leaning a gainst the railings looked down on it all
with strangely indiff erent eyes She stoo d alone ap art
from the half laughing half weeping group clustering
thickly at the side nearest the wharf
For her there was no one calling or waving farewells
For her there were no tears Of regret Th e last visitor
was going down the gangway Already the sailors were
busy as ropes were being hauled in orders ringing out
mingling harshly with th e ripple o f laughter At a
word of command the band moved forward to the white
rai ling the brass instrum ents shining in the sun Soon
at a b a ton stroke the strains of music woul d burst forth
the ribbons fluttering and dazzling across the sun break
and trail lifelessly on the sea th e flowers wither their
perfume spent A sailor slipp ed past that silent figure
climbed nimbly o n to th e rail Of the gangway There
was a harsh command from below and hurriedly a last
p a ssenger came on They were pulling up the gangw ay
even as h e climbed
Th e
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1 77
KATH L EE N MAV O URNEEN
1 78
Kathleen lookin g with eyes that di d not see had only
a blurred vision o f a tall dark clad figure Of a steward
racing ahead with a Gladstone bag Blurred too were
the spires of the Australian city far in the backgroun d
The gay crowded wharf was a shifting mass of colour
The band was playing now and the wharf receding
slowly
They were leaving behind Australia A lump rose in
her throat as sh e began to whi sp er good bye to its blue
an d gold and its peerless sunshine She must rememb er
only her o w n land after to day sh e told herself She
strove to picture it again those weeping skies o f E rin
with the mountains huddl ing darkly together and the
grey mist over the Shannon water The roads sh e had
trod Of o ld and well loved she would tread again
How the band played and how sa dly it echoed in her
heart ! The ribbons were trailing no w They began to
bre ak and someone sobbed lou d ly
Slowly ever so
slowly the boat turned beat ing o ut to sea
It was
good bye to Australia f o r ever good bye to a ll the love
and hospitality she had found there and good bye— to
love the o ne great love that had entered her heart to the
ex clusion o f all others The wind bl ew in h er face and
lifted her curls The little grey hood slipped back
”
“
”
“
Kathl een breathe d a voice near her ; Kathleen !
She turned and looked into Denis Kilf arnh a m s eyes
He stood against the railing beside her in that desert ed
corner his face white very worn his eyes dark weary
as if f o r many nights he had not slept They stood for
a moment alone She droop ed her head with a li ttle
cry her heart beating wildly
“
”
Kathleen
he sa id again His hands went out and
“
rested on hers
Why di d you go away Did you think
”
I would let you go ?
“
It was b est
The hot tears stun g her eyes the y
”
“
fell on his hands
I am going back to Ireland
she
“
”
said
I am going back to where I belong
”
“
You belong to me
he said He took her into his
“
”
arms and held her tightly
I love you Kath leen
“
”
“
I elong to Ireland
she sobbed soft ly
to the
ways o f Ireland
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KATHLEEN MAV O URNEEN
1 80
eyes as she looked at th e grea t grey sweep of the waters
She drew a long qui vering breath
He waited
“
”
—
H e was wonderful
she said slowly in a curb ed
“
intens e voice Her head drooped
H e was wonder
”
ful
Still he did not un derstand
“
”
“
H e li e d well
she went o n
The lie —h e told
”
—
yo u it was the act of a man and a gentleman
”
“
Kathl een !
He put his hands on her shoulders
and comm anded her eyes
In the moment that sh e
lifted them her soul seemed to pass through them a soul
that stood trembling pitiful awaiting judgment His
hands fell to h is sides
“
”
It was a lie
sh e said again as if in answer half
whispering She stood apart breathless with eyes that
seemed t o see a ghost and now it was the little colleen
th e granddaughter of o ld Sheil ah Murtagh the littl e
colleen who had scorned to lie w h o stood there
There w as a long moment red with pulsing flame
that came and went When it passed it swept down
before it all the grim barriers o f convention o f Old and
tyrannical traditions flung from their unsteady altars
the little purp oseless idols the creeds of h is race had
erected and before whi ch he once ha d prostrated him
self
The light came out and danced upon the water He
took her little hand in his and when sh e looked down
the great ruby o f the betrothal ring glittered in the
sunlight
With her head pressed against his breast he said
“
—
clea rly and in a voice that rang
Say that you love
”
me Kathleen Say that you belong to me
Sh e looked at the shinin g path of sunlight on the
water an d once at his strong tender face She sobbe d
happily in the shelte r o f his arms
”
“
I belong to y ou
said Kathleen Mavourneen
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TH E
END
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