The Guinea Stamp: A Tale of Modern GlasgowSwan, Annie S.
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The Guinea Stamp: A Tale of Modern Glasgow
Swan, Annie S.
Glasgow (Scotland) -- Fiction
'You are very angry, Walter, and you think it is with me, but I know
better, and you cannot prevent me trying to find out what has become of
poor Lizzie. I loved her, and love has certain rights, even you will
admit that.'
Her gentle words relieved the tension of his passion, and he became
calmer in a moment.
'If it is true that she is in Glasgow, it is easy knowing what has
become of her,' he said, with an ironical smile. 'Take my advice, and
let her alone. She never was company for you, anyhow, and now less than
ever. Let her alone.'
'Oh, I can't do that, Walter. You have no idea how much I have thought
about her. It has often kept me from sleeping, I assure you. I have so
many blessings, I wish to share them. To make others happy is all the
use money is for.'
Walter was secretly touched, secretly yearning over her with a passion
of admiration--ay, and of sympathy, but his passive face betrayed
nothing. He listened as he might have listened to a customer's
complaint, yet with even a slighter exhibition of interest. Strange that
he should thus be goaded against his better impulses to show so harsh a
front to the being he passionately loved, unless it was part of the
_rôle_ he had mapped out for himself.
'I heard that you had invited Teen Balfour to your estate; is she there
yet?' he asked; and Gladys did not know whether he asked in scorn or in
jest.
'Yes, she is at Bourhill still, and will remain for some time. Have you
got anybody in Mrs. Macintyre's place? It was rather selfish of me,
perhaps, to take her away without consulting you.'
'It didn't affect me in the least, I assure you. Mrs. Macintyre was not
indispensable to my comfort. So you like being a fine rich lady? Don't
you remember how I prophesied you would, and how indignant you were?
After all, there is a good deal of worldly wisdom in the slums.'
'You prophesied that I should in a week forget, or wish to forget, this
place, and that has not come true, since I am here to-day,' she said,
trying to smile, though her heart was sore. 'Won't you tell me now how
you are getting on? Excuse me saying that I don't think you look very
prosperous or very happy.'
'Nevertheless, the thing will pay; there isn't any doubt about the
prosperity. As for the happiness,' he added, with a shrug of the
shoulders, 'I don't think there is much real happiness in this world.'
'Oh yes, there is,' she cried eagerly, 'a great deal of it, if only one
will take the trouble to look for it. It is in little things, Walter,
that happiness is found, and you might be very happy indeed, if you
would not delight in being so bitter and morose. It is so very bad for
you. Some day, when you want to throw it off, you will not be able to do
so, because it will have become a habit with you. I must tell you quite
plainly what I think, because it makes me so unhappy to see you like
this. You always remind me of Ishmael, whose hand was against every man.
What has changed you so terribly?'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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