CHAPTER V.

“Mother,Mother,Iamsohappy!”whisperedthegirl,buryingherfaceinthelapofthefaded,tired-lookingwomanwho,withbackturnedtotheshrillintrusivelight,wassittingintheonearm-chairthattheirdingysitting-roomcontained.“Iamsohappy!”sherepeated,“andyoumustbehappy,too!” Mrs.Vanewincedandputherthin,bismuth-whitenedhandsonherdaughter’shead.“Happy!”sheechoed,“Iamonlyhappy,Sibyl,whenIseeyouact.Youmustnotthinkofanythingbutyouracting.Mr.Isaacshasbeenverygoodtous,andweowehimmoney.” Thegirllookedupandpouted.“Money,Mother?”shecried,“whatdoesmoneymatter?Loveismorethanmoney.” “Mr.IsaacshasadvancedusfiftypoundstopayoffourdebtsandtogetaproperoutfitforJames.Youmustnotforgetthat,Sibyl.Fiftypoundsisaverylargesum.Mr.Isaacshasbeenmostconsiderate.” “Heisnotagentleman,Mother,andIhatethewayhetalkstome,”saidthegirl,risingtoherfeetandgoingovertothewindow. “Idon’tknowhowwecouldmanagewithouthim,”answeredtheelderwomanquerulously. SibylVanetossedherheadandlaughed.“Wedon’twanthimanymore,Mother.PrinceCharmingruleslifeforusnow.”Thenshepaused.Aroseshookinherbloodandshadowedhercheeks.Quickbreathpartedthepetalsofherlips.Theytrembled.Somesouthernwindofpassionsweptoverherandstirredthedaintyfoldsofherdress.“Ilovehim,”shesaidsimply. “Foolishchild!foolishchild!”wastheparrot-phraseflunginanswer.Thewavingofcrooked,false-jewelledfingersgavegrotesquenesstothewords. Thegirllaughedagain.Thejoyofacagedbirdwasinhervoice.Hereyescaughtthemelodyandechoeditinradiance,thenclosedforamoment,asthoughtohidetheirsecret.Whentheyopened,themistofadreamhadpassedacrossthem. Thin-lippedwisdomspokeatherfromthewornchair,hintedatprudence,quotedfromthatbookofcowardicewhoseauthorapesthenameofcommonsense.Shedidnotlisten.Shewasfreeinherprisonofpassion.Herprince,PrinceCharming,waswithher.Shehadcalledonmemorytoremakehim.Shehadsenthersoultosearchforhim,andithadbroughthimback.Hiskissburnedagainuponhermouth.Hereyelidswerewarmwithhisbreath. Thenwisdomaltereditsmethodandspokeofespialanddiscovery.Thisyoungmanmightberich.Ifso,marriageshouldbethoughtof.Againsttheshellofherearbrokethewavesofworldlycunning.Thearrowsofcraftshotbyher.Shesawthethinlipsmoving,andsmiled. Suddenlyshefelttheneedtospeak.Thewordysilencetroubledher.“Mother,Mother,”shecried,“whydoeshelovemesomuch?IknowwhyIlovehim.Ilovehimbecauseheislikewhatlovehimselfshouldbe.Butwhatdoesheseeinme?Iamnotworthyofhim.Andyet—why,Icannottell—thoughIfeelsomuchbeneathhim,Idon’tfeelhumble.Ifeelproud,terriblyproud.Mother,didyoulovemyfatherasIlovePrinceCharming?” Theelderwomangrewpalebeneaththecoarsepowderthatdaubedhercheeks,andherdrylipstwitchedwithaspasmofpain.Sybilrushedtoher,flungherarmsroundherneck,andkissedher.“Forgiveme,Mother.Iknowitpainsyoutotalkaboutourfather.Butitonlypainsyoubecauseyoulovedhimsomuch.Don’tlooksosad.Iamashappyto-dayasyouweretwentyyearsago.Ah!letmebehappyforever!” “Mychild,youarefartooyoungtothinkoffallinginlove.Besides,whatdoyouknowofthisyoungman?Youdon’tevenknowhisname.Thewholethingismostinconvenient,andreally,whenJamesisgoingawaytoAustralia,andIhavesomuchtothinkof,Imustsaythatyoushouldhaveshownmoreconsideration.However,asIsaidbefore,ifheisrich...” “Ah!Mother,Mother,letmebehappy!” Mrs.Vaneglancedather,andwithoneofthosefalsetheatricalgesturesthatsooftenbecomeamodeofsecondnaturetoastage-player,claspedherinherarms.Atthismoment,thedooropenedandayoungladwithroughbrownhaircameintotheroom.Hewasthick-setoffigure,andhishandsandfeetwerelargeandsomewhatclumsyinmovement.Hewasnotsofinelybredashissister.Onewouldhardlyhaveguessedthecloserelationshipthatexistedbetweenthem.Mrs.Vanefixedhereyesonhimandintensifiedhersmile.Shementallyelevatedhersontothedignityofanaudience.Shefeltsurethatthetableauwasinteresting. “Youmightkeepsomeofyourkissesforme,Sibyl,Ithink,”saidtheladwithagood-naturedgrumble. “Ah!butyoudon’tlikebeingkissed,Jim,”shecried.“Youareadreadfuloldbear.”Andsheranacrosstheroomandhuggedh