“Why, yes: what is the use of sham modesty in the presence of the truth? She was not my equal in anything. If she had been, I should wonder less at his infatuation.” Here Mrs. Forest questioned Clara, and extracted the Dover affair.
“Why, Clara!” exclaimed Mrs. Forest. “Why did you not tell me this before? Why, child, I have been too severe. Of course you could not endure such dishonor. Why did you not tell me at first of this?”
“Oh, I did not think that so important. Of course he did not intend it should disgrace me. He did not mean it to be known, of course.” Mrs. Forest was shocked beyond measure, and ran on for some minutes giving vent to her indignation against Miss Wills. Clara assured her that Miss Wills was guilty of no further impropriety than meeting Albert, and added, “though that makes little difference to me; when Albert’s love was gone, all was gone.”
Mrs. Forest was glad to have the assurance that Albert had not been guilty of “absolute infidelity,” and saw the way clearly to a speedy reconciliation. “Oh, mother,” said Clara, “you do not understand what separates us at all. We are talking to each other in Greek and Sanscrit. Do you not see, I cannot care so much for the body, because I care so much more for the soul? The fidelity that came from love, would be a compliment to me; but ought I to be flattered by a chastity that was merely forced by a promise? Forgive me; you are too material to comprehend that. No infidelity but one, could send me from Albert, and that he has committed a thousand times. What should I go back to? I have no husband, as I told you last night. To live with him, when he longs only for the presence of another woman, shocks my sense of morality.”
“But you are married to him. You have a legal right to his property. The law does not hold you as free, nor excuse him for not taking care of you.”
“Then the law is a fool. I don’t care a straw for it. What right have I to his property? I did not bring any of it to him. If he were my husband in soul, there would be no degradation to my sharing it all with him; but now to go back to his cold heart because simply he is obliged to take care of me, or to avoid scandal! I beg your pardon. I would die first. If I am to be kept, simply—for mercy’s sake let there be the justification of mutual love.”
“Mercy!” exclaimed Mrs. Forest. “I never heard such words from a lady’s mouth. Why, one would think you had no conception of the sanctity of marriage.”
“Oh, mother dear, just now I called your views material, and reproached myself inwardly for the rudeness,” said Clara, speaking with great difficulty, “but, honestly, you do take a view of marriage that horrifies me. There is no marriage when love is dead. I could not live through such a solemn farce;” and Clara sank back quite exhausted, and Mrs. Forest, trusting she would listen to reason when she grew calmer, left the room.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
THE EFFECT OF DR. DELANO’S FORGIVENESS.
As soon as Clara recovered her strength somewhat, she visited Susie daily, and spent a great deal too much time with her, to please Mrs. Forest. One day she found her in her conservatory, where the sashes were all raised, busily planting young tube-rose plants in pots. “These,” said Susie, “must not flower until December;” and she spoke as though the fate of worlds depended upon her success. “If you never go back, Clara, we will build up a great florist business. We will not only sell flowers, but shrubs, and shade-trees, and evergreens. See these little junipers and spruces,” she added, leading Clara to the garden; “they grow just perfectly. Oh, if I only had a thousand dollars! but I shall make quite a little sum this winter;” and so she ran on detailing her hopes and plans, and as she talked, she stooped among brilliant beds of verbenas, and with her scissors commenced the most merciless onslaught, cutting off every flower, and even all the stalks for some inches. Clara uttered an exclamation at the devastation.