This etext was produced by David Widger <widger@cecomet.net>
By George Meredith
The dowagers were now firmly planted on Olympus. Along the grass lay thewarm strong colours of the evening sun, reddening the pine-stems andyellowing the idle aspen-leaves. For a moment it had hung in doubtwhether the pic-nic could survive the two rude shocks it had received.Happily the youthful element was large, and when the band, refreshed bychicken and sherry, threw off half-a-dozen bars of one of thoseirresistible waltzes that first catch the ear, and then curl round theheart, till on a sudden they invade and will have the legs, a rush upParnassus was seen, and there were shouts and laughter and commotion, asover other great fields of battle the corn will wave gaily and mark thereestablishment of nature's reign.
How fair the sight! Approach the twirling couples. They talk as theywhirl. 'Fancy the run-away tailor!' is the male's remark, and he expectsto be admired for it, and is.
'That make-up Countess—his sister, you know—didn't you see her? sheturned green,' says Creation's second effort, almost occupying the placeof a rib.
'Isn't there a run-away wife, too?'
'Now, you mustn't be naughty!'
They laugh and flatter one another. The power to give and take flatteryto any amount is the rare treasure of youth.
Undoubtedly they are a poetical picture; but some poetical pictures talkdreary prose; so we will retire.
Now, while the dancers carried on their business, and distance lent themenchantment, Rose stood by Juliana, near an alder which hid them from therest.
'I don't accuse you,' she was saying; 'but who could have done this butyou? Ah, Juley! you will never get what you want if you plot for it.I thought once you cared for Evan. If he had loved you, would I not havedone all that I could for you both? I pardon you with all my heart.'
'Keep your pardon!' was the angry answer. 'I have done more for you,Rose. He is an adventurer, and I have tried to open your eyes and makeyou respect your family. You may accuse me of what you like, I have myconscience.'
'And the friendship of the Countess,' added Rose.
Juliana's figure shook as if she had been stung.
'Go and be happy—don't stay here and taunt me,' she said, with a ghastlylook. 'I suppose he can lie like his sister, and has told you all sortsof tales.'
'Not a word—not a word!' cried Rose. 'Do you think my lover could tella lie?'
The superb assumption of the girl, and the true portrait of Evan'scharacter which it flashed upon Juliana, were to the latter such intensepain, that she turned like one on the rack, exclaiming:
'You think so much of him? You are so proud of him? Then, yes! I lovehim too, ugly, beastly as I am to look at! Oh, I know what you think!I loved him from the first, and I knew all about him, and spared himpain. I did not wait for him to fall from a horse. I watched everychance of his being exposed. I let them imagine he cared for me.Drummond would